Monday, November 7, 2011

Xaverian has done it again!


Monday November 7, 2011
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/11/7/nation/9852203&sec=nation
Mum’s the word for conductor Jason Lim
By TAN SIN CHOW sctan@thestar.com.my
GEORGE TOWN: Penang-born musician Jason Lim (pic) has made the country proud by winning the 2011 Special Young Conductor Citation Award by The American Prize.
And he says it is all due to his strict mother.
“My mother was instrumental in my musical upbringing. She made me practise my piano at 5am before I went to school!
“Even now, I still wake up early to study for a couple of hours before I start my day,” said the 37-year-old via an email interview.
He said he would love to return to Malaysia to share his musical skills and experience.
“I would like very much to return to share my work, which I have done in the past. I would definitely come back if I receive an invitation,” he said.
According to http://theamericanprize.blogspot.com, Lim was recognised for his burgeoning leadership skills, which was evident both in rehearsal and performance in a broad repertoire.
However, Lim, who is based in Denton, Texas, admitted that he had a long way to go in the industry.
“I have yet to make it big. For me, this was just one small step. Nevertheless, the award is a recognition of my work and my art form,” he said.

Lim, a former student of St Xaviers Institution, left Penang at the age of 17 after winning a scholarship to study at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.
He later obtained his bachelor's degree with honours at the Australian Institute of Music in Sydney.
Winning an award is nothing new for Lim, who also won the New South Wales Ministry of Arts Conducting Prize in 1995.
On his future plans, Lim said he was working on starting a professional orchestra in Denton.
“The idea is still at its early stages.
“I am raising funds and am in the process of setting up a committee. So, it will be a while before our first concert,” he said.

Friday, September 30, 2011

SUCCESS.......


Your challenges give you strength to win and have success.

Your failure leads you to the doors of success and if you still fail to reach destination; then you need some more passion, spirit and enthusiasm to surpass it.

You can only reach to success when you have a passion and strength to defeat troubles.

Success is a dream which is struggled to realize by everyone but meet only those who perform true struggle to do it.

I have only one word in my dictionary and that is success.

Your success depends on your actions; bring seriousness in your work and success will meet you.

Your failure tells you the flaws of your actions to have success.

If you are fully devoted with your work and content with your struggle, surely you will get success.

Success and rest are two opposite things which cannot be together ever.
You always see your destination what matters is the way with which you try to reach it.

BEST WISHES ......


Exams are not to confuse but to check your strength for facing and coping up with challenges of life. I wish you good luck in your exams.

Exams provide you an opportunity to use your abilities with all of your powers, so you need not to lose heart but struggle hard and tell the world that you can do anything. Our best wishes for your success in examinations will follow you. So, believe in yourself and go ahead. Your destination is waiting for you.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Boleh ikuti kursus PhD tanpa ijazah sarjana



Boleh ikuti kursus PhD tanpa ijazah sarjana


2011/09/21


MOHAMED MUSTAFA (kiri) berbincang sesuatu bersama Ahmad Idham dan A Razak sambil disaksikan Fadillah (dua dari kiri) di Kuala Lumpur, semalam.
KUALA LUMPUR: Hanya berbekalkan lapan tahun pengalaman bekerja dalam industri berasaskan penyelidikan, inovasi atau daya saing dan tanpa ijazah sarjana, seseorang kini boleh mengikuti kursus Doktor Falsafah (PhD).

Dinamakan Program PhD Industri yang diperkenalkan Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi di bawah Pelan Strategik Pengajian Tinggi Negara (PSPTN), program itu ketika ini hanya ditawarkan Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM).
Matlamat program itu adalah untuk menggalakkan perkongsian pengetahuan antara pengamal industri dan ahli akademik dalam melahirkan pekerja berpengetahuan tinggi sebagai pemangkin kepada inovasi dan penyelidikan negara.
Antara 10 calon kumpulan perintis program itu ialah dua pengarah filem, A Razak Mohaideen dan Ahmad Idham Ahmad Nadzri yang memilih industri berkaitan perfileman sebagai tajuk kajian. Lapan calon lain membabitkan eksekutif syarikat multinasional.

Naib Canselor UUM, Profesor Datuk Dr Mohamed Mustafa Ishak, berkata program sepenuh masa itu menunjukkan kesungguhan kerajaan untuk mencapai sasaran 60,000 pemegang PhD di negara ini menjelang 2023.

“Ketika ini Malaysia mempunyai kurang 20,000 pemegang PhD dan kita menawarkan kepada pengamal industri dari syarikat multinasional dan organisasi tempatan yang berwibawa.

“Calon tidak perlu menghadiri kuliah di UUM, sebaliknya akan ditemui oleh penyelia di tempat kerja mereka. Ia ditawarkan kepada mereka yang berpengalaman melebihi lapan tahun dalam bidang masing-masing, selain tidak disyaratkan memiliki sarjana,” katanya pada majlis memeterai Memorandum Perjanjian (MoA) antara UUM dan Tan Chong Education Services Sdn Bhd (TCESSD) di sini, semalam.
Pada majlis itu, UUM diwakili Mohamed Mustafa, manakala TCESSD oleh Penasihatnya, Datuk Yaacob Wan Ibrahim. Hadir menyaksikan majlis itu, Timbalan Menteri Sains, Teknologi dan Inovasi, Datuk Fadillah Yusof.

Melalui MoA itu, TCESSD akan menaja sekurang-kurang lima pegawai pengurusan atasannya untuk mengikuti program itu di UUM.

Antara keistimewaan program itu adalah ia ditaja sepenuhnya Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi mellaui program MyBrain 15 bagi calon yang memenuhi syarat.

Untuk keterangan lanjut, mereka yang layak dan berminat boleh
melayari laman sesawang http://www.uum.edu.my.

http://www.bharian.com.my/bharian/articles/BolehikutikursusPhDtanpaijazahsarjana/Article

Pendidikan keselamatan jalan raya di sekolah menengah tahun depan


Pendidikan keselamatan jalan raya di sekolah menengah tahun depan


2011/09/21

PUTRAJAYA: Bermula tahun depan pendidikan keselamatan jalan raya akan dijadikan kurikulum di sekolah menengah selepas ia diperkenalkan di sekolah rendah sejak 2007, kata Menteri Pengangkutan, Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha.

Beliau berkata, ia adalah sebahagian daripada usaha kerajaan dan agensi berkaitan termasuk Jabatan Keselamatan Jalan Raya (JKJR) untuk mendidik masyarakat supaya lebih berhemah di jalan raya sejak di usia muda, sekali gus membantu mengurangkan kadar kemalangan jalan raya.
Pada April 2007, JKJR dengan kerjasama Kementerian Pelajaran memperkenalkan pendidikan keselamatan jalan raya yang diterapkan dalam mata pelajaran Bahasa Melayu, bermula di 1,000 sekolah rendah terpilih.
Bercakap kepada pemberita selepas majlis perhimpunan 1MOT dan Mesra Aidilfitri kementerian itu di sini hari ini, Kong berkata pihaknya sentiasa mengambil berat tentang masalah keselamatan jalan raya di negara ini selepas Ops Sikap ke-24 menunjukkan peningkatan 16.6 peratus kes kemalangan iaitu kepada 19,606 kes berbanding 16,817 kes pada Aidilfitri tahun lalu.

Beliau berkata, JKJR turut memperkenalkan rancangan tindakan untuk 10 tahun bermula tahun ini hingga 2020 yang juga satu inisiatif di bawah Pertubuhan Bangsa-bangsa Bersatu (PBB) untuk mengurangkan jumlah kemalangan jalan raya.

Kong berkata, semasa mengikuti persidangan bersama menteri pengangkutan negara anggota Kerjasama Ekonomi Asia Pasifik (APEC) baru-baru ini, beliau dimaklumkan negara lain di seluruh dunia turut mengalami kadar kemalangan dan kematian jalan raya yang tinggi.

Beliau berkata, statistik pada tahun lalu menunjukkan 60 peratus kematian jalan raya di negara ini membabitkan penunggang dan pembonceng motosikal berikutan lebih daripada 45 peratus jumlah kenderaan di jalan raya adalah motosikal.

- BERNAMA
http://www.bharian.com.my/bharian/articles/Pendidikankeselamatanjalanrayadisekolahmenengahtahundepan/Article

Saturday, September 17, 2011

A cut above the rest


Sunday September 18, 2011

A cut above the rest
Compelling content and design see 75 entries take home the coveted Merit Awards.

AN eye-catching cover, creative content, a pleasing layout and an exceptional display of writing skills. These are some of the requirements for a magazine to win a reader’s attention, and likewise, for entries of the Mag Inc 2011 contest, to make the cut.

Close to 55,000 entries were submitted for the annual Newspaper-in-Education (NiE) contest organised by The Star and Pizza Hut.

The contest, launched in March this year, was opened to primary and secondary schools nationwide. Entries highlighted topics such as health, environment, safety, social values and relationships, in line with the theme “Speak Out!”

The Star deputy group chief editor (II) Leanne Goh said that students this year were able to effectively vocalise the issues they face in print. However, she said that it was important for students to remember the serious consequences of plagiarism.

“We really discourage plagiarism. But many have learnt to cite their sources this year, which shows that they have been attentive at the nationwide workshops conducted in March and have made use of the tips uploaded onto the contest website,” she said.

The Star NiE editorial manager Sharon Ovinis noted that many entries delved into “grey” subject matters such as homosexuality and homeschooling.

“Not only were the students’ perspectives on these issues unique, they also produced many exciting covers to complement their topics,” she said.

While covers were eye-catching, she felt that students tended to go over the top with the centrespread.

“A poor choice of text font and size, as well as background colours chosen for the feature article were a hindrance to reading.”

She advises students to consider the hundreds of entries that the panel of judges had to read in a limited time.

“It’s important to make the feature article easy on the eyes. If your reader has to squint and decipher text which are printed in red against a green background, you aren’t going to capture your reader’s interest for long,“ Ovinis said.

“A strong lead (introduction) for your story is also important. If you can’t keep your reader glued to your story then, chances are, your reader is not going to complete reading what you have to ‘say’.”

This year’s contest challenged students to not only discuss issues close to their hearts but to provide solutions from their perspectives.

“This is where we saw the creative, analytical entries stand apart from the rest. It’s encouraging to see that we do have many young people who feel passionately about issues deemed important to their well-being,” she said.

So, has your entry made the cut? Read the list of merit award winners below to find out!

MAG INC 2011 MERIT AWARD WINNERS

Penang

1. SJK (C) KONG MIN CAWANGAN 2
Team Smart School Savers (Health Corner)

2. SMJK PEREMPUAN CHINA PULAU PINANG
Team The SeQuel (The SeQuel)

3. SMK CONVENT GREEN LANE
Team TEENducate (TEENducate)

4.
SMK ST. XAVIER

Team Bliss (LOUD – The Silent Killer)


5. SMK TINGGI BUKIT MERTAJAM
Team Eh!Motions (EH!motions)

http://thestar.com.my/education/story.asp?file=/2011/9/18/education/9482657&sec=education