MyGenius Kindergarten, Cyberjaya

When we think about what our children need to thrive today, language and social interaction skills should rightfully come to mind, for they are the cornerstones of success, no matter what their future holds for them. Kiddy 123’s interview with Mr Poh Pang Min, the CEO and Co-Founder of MyGenius Education Group brought to light the relevancy of language acquisition, particularly Mandarin, in this fast-paced world of opportunities and high achievements.

Founded in 2017, MyGenius started out as a tuition centre following Mr Poh’s dissatisfaction with the syllabus as well as the curriculum offered in most national schools as well as tuition centres. At the time, fate would have it that Mr Poh was also at the midst of a career change following his departure from the Oil and Gas industry. As he was pondering on his next venture, his attention fell on the state of education that most young children were receiving in Malaysia.

“It despaired me to find that children who were being conventionally schooled did not seem to have the opportunity they deserved to learn even decent language skills, much less master a language for their future use,” he stated.

Together with his co-founder Mr. Tan Chuey Yong, MyGenius was set up to give children the opportunity to master the main languages in our country, which include English, Bahasa Malaysia, and particularly, Mandarin, which is the main focus of the education at the kindergarten. MyGenius has, to date, four branches which offer stellar education for children, with a focus on preparing them for enrolment into Chinese primary schools.

“Mandarin is fast becoming a widely-used language around the world, whereby being proficient in it has the power to open doors for children’s futures, and provide them ample opportunity for higher paying jobs and of course, a better quality of lifestyle,” he shared. “However, Mandarin is not an easy language to master, and that is where I had intended to make a difference. It’s my intention to ensure that apart from excelling in their core subjects such as Mathematics and Science, the graduates of MyGenius are appropriately equipped with the Mandarin proficiency that will help propel them for a brighter future.”

Why parents are raving about it

Strategically located, MyGenius Kindergarten Cyberjaya is housed in a three-storey shop lot. No effort has been spared in ensuring that the environment is kept conducive for learning, and in this case, language mastery! While they get adequate exposure to English and Bahasa Malaysia, the main medium of teaching here is Mandarin, and students are exposed to this language for most of their hours spent here. All in, during this critical learning period of theirs, children are expected to receive 10 hours or more of lessons conducted in Mandarin. Hence, it comes as no surprise to find that almost 100% of MyGenius students can converse fluently in Mandarin, before even entering primary school!

There is actually an explanation, a legit reason behind this resounding success, and it’s due to the 5 Key Focus Areas of education practiced here at MyGenius. Let’s break them down for a closer look.

Exploration and Experiential Learning - Learning by the textbook no longer suffices today. Perhaps, truth be told, it never did. When you understand how children learn best, you will be in the position to provide them the best. Mr Poh and his team happen to make it their business to know how children learn best, and that’s why MyGenius, while simulating a formal classroom, lessons are theme-based, explorative and experiential. “Take a Science lesson, for instance. Instead of pointing to a leaf in the book, our Science teacher would probably bring in real leaves into the classroom for children to touch, feel and learn,” he shared. This is just an example of how teaching is carried out - teachers go all out to ensure that children enjoy their lesson in a vibrant environment and go home smarter each day.

Moral and Character Building - Good manners, kindness, politeness. Due to the influences of social media, movies, etc, our children’s mannerism has been negatively affected. While parents do have their own role to play in addressing these issues, children also tend to spend long hours at their kindergarten, which is why at MyGenius, teachers patiently and willingly teach them these valuable traits. “We want to see children grow more conscientious, kind and have empathy for others, starting from this young age, enroute a more gratifying future,” Mr Poh expressed.

Social and Life Skills - How to get along with others, and also how to take care of themselves and their family are not skills we’re born with. The earlier we learn them the better. While these are not part and parcel of many early education programs available in our country, at MyGenius, they are a big part of the kids’ education. Cooperation, listening, sharing, showing gratitude, as well as proper personal hygiene, caring for the environment, and so on. Children at MyGenius are bound to pick up praise-worthy social and life skills that will benefit them throughout their lifetime.

Physical Development - Play is crucial for children, not only to keep them entertained, but also to help them sharpen their motor skills, balance, and coordination. Outdoor playing may not be recommended during these current times, but at MyGenius, students always get their exercise in the safety of the well-equipped ground floor indoor playground, where they can run, jump, climb, etc.

With Mandarin-speaking teachers who know their syllabus inside and out, and who are all well-suited for the job of teaching, enriching, and taking good care of their students various and complexed needs, MyGenius shines bright in our education industry as one of the top kindergartens to prepare children for enrolment into Chinese primary schools.