“I want to be a teacher because I want to do my part for the country by helping to build the nation through education.“
Fredy Chan joined the Fellowship in 2012. He graduated from the University of Malaya with a Bachelor of Counselling. After completing the Fellowship, Fredy decided to continue teaching in his school in Klang. Read on to find out why.
What compelled you to join the Fellowship in 2012? How did your family react then and has their perception changed since?
I want to be a teacher because I want to do my part for the country by helping to build the nation through education. My family has given me their full support to join Teach For Malaysia and they are proud of me for being a part of this movement.
Teach For Malaysia did not only provide me with the opportunity to develop my leadership skills, it also gave me the chance to be a change agent and help improve education by working towards ending education inequity in Malaysia. As Nelson Mendela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”.
What has impacted you the most?
I never knew there were actually so many people (Fellows, Teach For Malaysia staff, partners, supporters, donors etc.) who are concerned about education and society. Knowing this has empowered me to continue doing what I do, because I know that there are so many people who are with me, who are passionate about helping our kids and making our country better. It has restored my faith in humanity!
What influenced your decision to continue teaching after completing the Fellowship?
We do not know when the education landscape will become as ideal as we want it to be, but we can choose to do as much as we can to improve education for our kids.
How has the Fellowship helped you develop your leadership skills?
I learned that leaders come in many forms and we can always develop leadership styles that suit our personality best. I have grown as a leader in the classroom with better organisation and management skills. I have to say that Teach For Malaysia really provided a lot of good training for my personal development, besides constantly providing training and support to be a well-equipped teacher. Apart from that, I have also learned a lot from exchanging ideas with different stakeholders in Teach For Malaysia, be it Fellows, staff or partners and supporters.
How has the whole experience influenced your view of educational inequity?
I have learned that education inequity cannot be solved within a short period of time. However, if more people are aware of this issue and are willing to contribute to the movement, things will surely get better. I am really happy that I am part of this movement, and as a teacher, I will continue to contribute to the mission to end education inequity.
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