Inspiring Bright Young Minds Towards Success

Inspiring Bright Young Minds Towards Success

FOR many, pre-university studies is yet- another tough but necessary process to enter one’s dream university.

No doubt, it is a bridging programme preparing students for tertiary education. However, at KDU Penang, our Centre for Pre- University Studies (CPUS) prepares students differently via an ‘enhanced holistic learning experience’.

Among the bright young minds who found an exciting and rewarding journey with KDU are Urn Chun Wei and Ahmad Fahmi bin Anwar Fadzil, both existing A-Level Science students who are also our High-Achiever Scholarship recipients.

Fahmi, who considers choosing CPUS as one of his best life decisions, cited his. learn­ing experience with the lecturers is ‘compara­ble to none’. Their enthusiasm in teaching is contagious, and changed his perception about some subjects.

“I hated Mathematics back in high school but our lecturer, Low Chee Soon, sparked a change of heart and now I am seriously in love with the subject!” Fahmi claimed excit­edly.

This was echoed by Chun Wei, who also finds impetuses from CPUS lecturers, saying, “Our A-level lecturers provide constant moti­vation to keep us going.

“Tan Geok Pin provides advice on our pro­spective careers, while Low is always there, patiently teaching and assisting whoever approaches him. Yap Oi Jiong cheers us up with his jokes and Tan Hoch Lye never fails to amaze us with his vast knowledge in Chemistry.

“Our Academic Department Head, Ewen Yeoh Ewe Aun, is the one who holds every­thing together in the department - he is a father figure to us A-level students. Without him, our A-level programme would not achieve what it has.”

In CPUS, a great deal of emphasis is placed on customer service. We strive to ensure that our dedicated lecturers are ever approachable and play their roles in motivating and groom­ing their respective students for the future.

The lecturers’ guidance throughout the programme has surely been one of the most cherished moments for the students. In ensuring each and every students of CPUS is well-attended to, all classes are conducted in small sizes so as to encourage more interac­tion between lecturers and students for better learning outcomes.

Chun Wei, who aims to pursue a career in Chemical Engineering commented that learn­ing is not just about memorising and recall­ing facts, but to fully embrace and be able to apply the concepts and knowledge at will.

And this is what KDU prepares its students for.

- When asked on how he defines his learn­ing experience in KDU, Fahmi concluded that the conducive learning environment at KDU makes him feel comfortable, which allows him to concentrate better in his studies.

Learning is fun and effective at KDU, and pre-university studies is both interesting and rewarding. It is not just an avenue to gain academic knowledge, but to grow intellectu­ally.

“I am actively involved in the activities organised by the CPUS Club. The knowledge and experience gained is invaluable,” said Chun Wei.

Fahmi agrees, adding “The further enrich­ment in my intellectual capacity is yet anoth­er reward. During our Mathematics classes, we are encouraged to think from multiple points of view, thus enabling us to generate multiple solutions to a particular question.

“This is brought further in Physics and Chemistry where we are taught the gears and cogs of the world.

“But the most rewarding college experience has to be the comradeship formed. Not only do have peer support, but the lecturers are also like family members. Besides teaching, they also share a lot of their life experiences with us.”

Other than these wonderful experiences, these two young chaps also pointed out their goal to score as many A’s as possible in their coming examinations.

Since its establishment back in 1991, CPUS has always lived up to its reputation as a cen­tre for educational excellence, with outstand­ing results achieved by its Cambridge GCE A-Level students year after year. In 2013, .45% of its students scored at least 3A’s.

Summing it up, Yeoh emphasised that motivational spark is what the students need to continue their endeavour, and KDU Penang facilitates the process with effective teaching methodologies.

“It is our responsibility to inspire and guide students towards their ultimate goals by attaining good results. However, it is more of our passion to develop them with even better characters and to succeed in life," he noted.