The report on RYTHM Foundation’s Maharani School Programme (MSP) is now out and provides some great insights into the positive impact on over 200 adolescent girls from marginalised communities. These girls are all students from selected national schools in Malaysia that participated in the programme’s first phase.
The trailblazing programme successfully provided the participants with the tools to overcome personal and academic obstacles during the initial six-month phase, dubbed the ‘Self Discovery’ stage, between July and December last year.
The MSP is a holistic training programme that empowers girls between the ages of 14 and 16 to achieve their full potential and contribute to their communities as future agents of change. The Education Ministry-endorsed programme prioritises teens from the bottom 40% of income earners (B40 households).
The report sheds light on the initiative’s impact based on RYTHM’s first-hand observations and feedback from trainers and participants.
It has also enabled RYTHM to better understand the MSP’s effectiveness in collaboration with its long-standing partner, PINTAR Foundation.
“During the first phase, the girls discovered their inner strength and enhanced their self-esteem through regular sessions and academic coaching classes,” the report outlines. “The programme allowed the participants to form their personalities, encouraged them to work hard and develop a sense of responsibility.”
“We are incredibly proud to have made a positive impact on the lives of the students despite the challenges we faced,” the Head of RYTHM, Santhi Periasamy, said.
Early-stage challenges included low student attendance, language barriers, and a lack of trainers. “They are now more confident, goal-oriented and have improved social skills. Our success is a testament to our trainers’ dedication and partner’s support,” Santhi added.
Partnership for Empowerment
RYTHM relaunched the MSP in five secondary schools in Selangor in early 2022 with PINTAR. The schools are SMK Gombak Setia in Gombak, SMK Bandar Rinching in Hulu Langat and SMK Batu Unjur, SMK Tengku Idris Shah, and SMK Tengku Ampuan Jemaah in Klang.
PINTAR spearheads the PINTAR School Adoption Programme to make a meaningful difference in the lives of students from underserved communities.
Since starting in 2010 in Sungai Siput, Perak, the award-winning MSP has touched the lives of over 8,000 girls and young women. With a focus on promoting life skills development and academic coaching, the initiative has proven to be an inspiring example of how targeted interventions can make a real difference.
Also read: RYTHM, PINTAR Seal Deal to Implement Maharani School Programme in 5 Schools
racking up 1,600 hours with the students last year.
Valuable Insights
This review builds on the initiative’s earlier successes, further proving its impressive impact on the beneficiaries.
In January, RYTHM paid tribute to five coaches who persevered with the programme and went out of their way to guide the students. They racked up an impressive 1,600 hours with the students over eight sessions – equivalent to 60 days or one-third of Malaysia’s required minimum of 190 school days per year.
While interest and participation in the after-school programme were initially low, most learned to express themselves better by the programme’s end. “An essential aspect of this is the trainers who built trust with each student and impacted their lives to a great extent,” the report adds.
Also read: RYTHM’s Maharani Schools Programme Achieves Overwhelmingly Positive Results in Early Phase
The report has furnished valuable insights into advancing the cause for perpetuating and amplifying the adoption of the MSP in Malaysia’s public education system.
The initiative in the selected schools started with ice-breaking sessions with the students to encourage greater engagement and commitment from them. Subsequently, the eight sessions covered identity recognition, gender, ethnicity and culture, reproductive health, body image, relationships, children’s rights, and goal-setting.
The MSP’s initial success is credited to trainers who have built trust with the participants.
The report has determined that the students displayed increased engagement and energy as the programme progressed. Most became more open and willing to share their challenges at school and home.
The milestones achieved from the monitoring and evaluation in the five schools included 90% of the participants projecting a positive image and confidence. In addition, 100% of the participants could set their goals. RYTHM and PINTAR are in the process of measuring the students’ academic performance.
Overall, the students responded well to the programme’s structure, with group activities being more effective than traditional lecture-style teaching. “They showed openness and sociability during sharing sessions, displaying greater comfort with the sensitive topics covered later in the programme.”
and enabling more adolescent girls to realise their potential.
Growing the Initiative
“With the short-term benefits of the MSP in schools now apparent, we would like to see more schools join the programme,” Santhi said during a recent meeting with PINTAR representatives.
This viewpoint was reiterated by the general manager of PINTAR, Norzalina Masom, who was similarly impressed by the strides the MSP made in the five schools.
“We hope to see the same success with the MSP’s upcoming phases,” Norzalina said. “This is a good programme that empowers female students to do better.
“Our sincere hope is that it continues to help girls realise their potential at an age when most are not thinking much about the future. We are showing them that creating a life structure helps.”
With its impressive impact on the beneficiaries, RYTHM and PINTAR are committed to expanding the initiative to more schools and enabling more adolescent girls to realise their potential and take charge of their futures.
Also read: RYTHM Engages Community as Maharani Learning Lab Embarks on a New Chapter
