Stuart Dean, CEO of GE ASEAN, and Suresh Kumar Shanmugam, Managing Director of GE Engine Services Malaysia, participated in Teach For Malaysia Week, spending time as "teachers" under a program backed by the Education Ministry and Teach For Malaysia. The week consisted primarily of teaching sessions by top civil servants, public figures and corporate leaders, who taught alongside a Teach For Malaysia Fellow at a pre-identified high-need school. Teach For Malaysia Week aims to elevate students' aspirations, and GE is honored to be part of this meaningful cause.
SELANGOR, MALAYSIA, 20 April 2012 -- As a proud partner supporting Teach For Malaysia (TFM), two of GE's top executives participated in the Teach For Malaysia Week. Chief Executive Officer of GE ASEAN, Stuart Dean and Suresh Kumar Shanmugam, Managing Director of GE Engine Services Malaysia, 'taught' a class each at SMK Bandar Baru Ampang and SMK Seri Desa, Tanjung Karang respectively, as part of a broader effort to encourage creativity and global thinking.
Taking over a Form 1 Mathematics class at SMK Bandar Baru Ampang, Stuart began the session with a brief introduction of himself, sharing his journey from student to corporate leader of a successful multi-national organization, focusing on how his education played a part in helping him achieve the successes he has enjoyed.
Speaking to the students on the value of education, Stuart Dean said, "At GE, we believe in hiring smart people who have a passion for life-long learning. Teachers, like those from TFM, are critical to making this happen. Our efforts are in line with Malaysia's goal of becoming a high-income nation and creating a knowledge-based workforce. I believe that education will play a critical role in developing the next generation of leaders who will go on to shape the future of the country."
Stuart Dean was accompanied in the teaching session by a TFM Fellow, who was enlisted to join the highly selective two-year Fellowship with TFM last year and began teaching in January 2012. After Stuart's opening, the class proceeded to an in-class activity which gave Stuart and the TFM Fellow the opportunity to interact with the students and introduce to them industry-relevant skills, as well as critical thinking and innovative tools and skills for the future.
As part of GE's commitment to TFM, GE Malaysia's Suresh Kumar Shanmugam, who is Managing Director of GE Engine Services Malaysia and Leader of GE Malaysia's Volunteers Network, also participated in a separate teaching session earlier this week. In a similar format, Suresh took over a Form 4 English class at SMK Seri Desa, Tanjung Karang with another TFM Fellow.
"Teaching classes during TFM week is one of the initiatives under GE's citizenship program which coordinates volunteer efforts company-wide by keeping a close eye on societal needs and inviting all employees to build stronger communities. Working with TFM is a very meaningful partnership for us at GE. We believe in bringing value to our communities and this is one of the many ways we do it. We hope to continue to collaborate with other similar organizations in the future, working hand-in-hand towards the betterment of communities in Malaysia," said Suresh.
The GE Volunteers Program is supported by GE Foundation, which provides grants and invests in initiatives that work to solve some of the world's most difficult problems. As education is one of its core focus areas, the GE Foundation, in partnership with organizations such as TFM, is committed to working to facilitate the provision of quality education in Malaysia and around the world.
About General Electric (GE) (www.ge.com)
GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.
About General Electric Foundation (http://www.ge.com/foundation)
GE Foundation provides grants and invests in initiatives that work to solve some of the world's most difficult problems. In coordination with our partners, GE Foundation supports U.S. and international education, developing health globally, the environment, public policy, human rights, disaster relief and community success around the globe. For more information, visit the company's website at http://www.ge.com/foundation
About Teach For Malaysia (TFM) (www.teachformalaysia.org/)
Teach For Malaysia is an independent, not-for-profit organisation that is enlisting Malaysia's most promising future leaders in our mission to end education inequity. The Teach for Malaysia Fellowship is a two-year, full-time and fully-paid leadership development programme modelled after the extremely successful Teach for America initiative. TFM are one of 19 partners of the prestigious global education network Teach for All.
For more information, please contact:
Zatalini Zulkiply
Communications Manager
GE Malaysia
+603 2267 1892
[email protected]
Zatalini - Zulkiply
[email protected]