26 years of Sri Ayesha!

Assalamu'alaikum wwbt,

It's been quite a while since I've written in this blog—to be more precise, since 2016! That's like a child growing up and becoming a young adult. Life has been a whirlwind, to say the least. Apart from being busy with my other ventures in the investment sphere—traveling and meeting clients—things took an unexpected turn during the COVID era. Like many, I had to navigate the challenges of a global pandemic, and it wasn't without its hurdles. 

But even amidst the chaos, I kept myself strategically busy with the school—planning, restructuring, and training. A lot of my writing was tailored towards the development of our programs and teacher training. Alhamdulillah, this period allowed me to dive deep into the core of what we aim to achieve with Sri Ayesha. Maybe now, I need to share some of the milestones we've reached from the early stages of the 30-year plan I drafted when we established the school back in 1998.

In brief, I would say that the plan has unfolded nicely. I broke the 30-year plan into three phases, and each phase has unfolded as envisioned. We're now at the 26th year of our establishment. Alhamdulillah, we've been able to stay true to our mission and adapt as needed. I suppose I've had a bit of an advantage in implementing the plan because the alignment between teachers' and parents' readiness and the educational progress in Malaysia hasn't diverged too far. I'll tell more about that later.

For the past 50-odd years (or more?), Malaysia has largely fallen into a rigid, factory-model approach to education—standardizing so many things and treating children merely as products. This has been a deep concern of mine after I came back from the States. In my line of business, I appreciate education differently. Education should be about nurturing the individual potential of each child, not just churning out standardized outcomes. Everyone is unique and precious! I'll deal with the topic more in my future posts, as I've observed these models (factory, etc.) undergoing small transformations recently, which is an encouraging sign. 

My plan to shift Sri Ayesha into an all-out research-based school has been around 30 years in the making. And we've been seeing the outcome in the 3rd phase. This vision is certainly attainable and needs to be promoted! Insha'Allah, we'll see more in the coming years. In the second phase of Sri Ayesha (after 10 years), which was the transformation stage, we introduced a parallel program based on the constructivism model for teaching and learning: the Dar-Salam program. We've learned so much along the way, and I'm overjoyed to see how this has benefited the students immensely.

Witnessing our students embrace this new approach has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. They're not just absorbing information; they're actively engaging with it, questioning, exploring, and constructing their own understanding. This is the essence of true education—to inspire a lifelong love of learning and critical thinking (to ponder, reflect, and discover).

Throughout these phases, we've also been fortunate to have a community of dedicated teachers and supportive parents who share our vision. The synergy between home and school has been pivotal in our success. It's this collaborative spirit that gives me confidence as we move into the next phase of our journey. Talking about teachers and parents, I do have wonderful insights and some puzzling assessments too—but all are good, Insha'Allah. I will share in future postings.

For a restart—for now, I wanted to reconnect and let you know what's been happening behind the scenes. I believe in education and am committed to seeing our children grow into well-rounded, thoughtful individuals who can make a positive impact on the world.

The journey has been challenging but incredibly rewarding, emotionally and spiritually. There have been obstacles, yes, but each one has taught us valuable lessons and strengthened our resolve. As we stand on the cusp of the next chapter, I feel a renewed sense of purpose and excitement for what's to come.

Stay tuned for more updates. I'll be sharing more about our plans, the transformations in the educational landscape, the techniques, and how we at Sri Ayesha are adapting and charting the way forward. Together, we can continue to build an environment where our children not only excel academically but also develop the character and values that will guide them throughout their lives.

Jazakumullah khairan for your continued support and interest. And don't forget to follow us on X (twitter) @SriAyeshaNews