Many are concerned that schools are hotbeds of spreading diseases, with typically hundreds or even thousands of students congregated in one area, five days a week. And while Malaysia has periodically closed its schools in red zone areas, this can only be a temporary measure.
As countries around the world cope with balancing the health of its citizens and resuming economic and educational activities, health experts and the World Health Organisation have made one thing clear: the onus is on each and every one of us, to take action and flatten the curve.
To lend a helping hand and in the spirit of #KitaJagaKita, Taylor’s College launched an initiative with the Ministry of Education in 40 schools over two years to remind students to take preventative measures, with messages reaching approximately 50,000 students in the Klang Valley.
These messages, in the form of billboards, posters, and stickers pasted around the school vicinity, will emphasise the 3Cs and 3Ws of safety and hygiene practices in the new normal. The images feature Risers – the college’s version of kakak and abang who are Taylor’s ambassadors – reminding students of the 3Cs, which are situations to stay away from; namely Crowded places, Confined spaces, and Close conversations. Additionally, the 3Ws consist of recommended practices, which are Washing hands, Wearing masks and taking heed of Warnings to follow the correct procedures when displaying Covid symptoms.
“We hope these messages will create awareness that adopting good social and hygiene habits in the ‘new normal’ is crucial,” said Taylor’s College Campus Director Josephine Tan. “In the spirit of #kitajagakita, I believe that all of us can get through these challenges during the pandemic and rise above it, together.”
“We understand that students and teachers may also have many worries during this time. The sense of community is important, hence we hope that the Risers communicating these messages would be a good way of equipping students with relevant knowledge, and letting them know that they are welcome to interact with a Riser kakak or abang for any advice they may need,” she added.
During this season, to make up for the limitation on physical events and activities, The Risers have been actively creating content for the benefit of students, on The Risers website, The Risers mobile app and social media. These include articles and videos on relevant topics such as mindfulness, mental health, and study tips for high schoolers.
The portal and app is also an avenue for students to interact with other secondary school students and Taylor’s Brand Ambassadors aka Risers to discover their passion, future careers and university pathways.
Students can download The Risers app from Google Play Store or Apple App Store, and start exploring by commenting, liking or sharing posts to gain points in a unique gamification and reward system. They can use their points to unlock various user levels, register for exclusive events, win cool merchandise, movie tickets or food vouchers, and eventually also post content on the app. Students can look forward to events such as a performing arts workshop, SPM seminars, Life Skills Workshops, and an exclusive The Risers Celebration.
Additionally, The Risers app allows students to fast-track their application for Taylor’s Scholarships and Bursaries.
More information on The Risers can be found at https://college.taylors.edu.my/the-risers.html
