We have been invited to run a leadership programme in Sekolah Kebangsaan Kota, Kota Bharu, Kelantan.This programme involves 91 students from the school and about 28 facilitators from Steadfast. The participants are among students from standard four, five and six which represent all leaders which consist of prefects and librarians.We departed from home stay to the school by IIUM bus. The home stay was prepared by one of the teachers, and we stayed there only for one night. In the next morning, we departed from home stay to the school that took about 10 minutes.
It is important to use right modules, so that students can get the points or moral values from each module. In addition, we were also included so much moral values that will relate them to Islam, in order to be a good leader in school other than instill them with Islamic morals. Since this programme was held during mid-semester break, our Program Manager and Head of Facilitators conducted a few meetings before the break. This program takes two days. So, we have to make sure that all facilitators ready with their modules, in order for them to perform their best in front of the students.
During the break, we had our last meeting with all facilitators and make sure that everyone was ready to cooperate with their partners. Every group was given two facilitators. The male facilitator and a female facilitator were combined in a group. The total of all groups was 10 groups which equals to 20 facilitators. Before the break, we also had conducted Hajat Prayer in order to ask the blessing and help from Allah. We prayed that everything in the program will run smoothly and free from problems. The committees and all facilitators work together to ensure the smoothness of the program. The program started at 8 o’clock in the morning with some female facilitators swept the floor of the hall, while two facilitators taken care of students’ registration. After the registration, the students were asked to put their bag and sit in the hall while waiting for their other friends. Some of the parents sent the children to school. We can see the joyfulness on their faces, with the hope that their children will be a better individual.
The teachers from the school also give support for us by attending themselves during the program and ready to give any help if we need anything, like insufficient food for students or tools for modules. Cooperation between the facilitators and teachers was much admired as all of them get together in order to make this program turn to a huge success. The teachers also admired some of us who came very far away from UIA to Kelantan, just for the sake of joining program and help the students. Some of the teachers were also surprised because some of us were still have a few upcoming examinations after the break. However, we were at ease when one of the teachers said, “Allah will help you when you help Him.” We were touched with her motivation. This kind of motivation is also crucial, so that we can enjoy the program and ignore the anxiety of having examinations.
Taaruf session was required all facilitators to introduce themselves by mentioning their names, course, year of study, etc. All of them were given time around two to three minutes to introduce themselves. Some facilitators spoke in Kelantanese dialect, while some were not. As a result, they responded more to their dialect. However, the standard Malay can also be understood. There was not much with the problem of communication.
The first Dynamic Group focused on the mind setting in order to make sure students focus, give attention and focus in this camp. Here, the facilitators will play ‘Belonku Sayang”, “Secret Recipe” and “14 Garisan”. These games test them on how they perceive things around them, work in a group and optimistic about their targets in examinations.
The second Dynamic Group was held after Friday prayer. The modules were like “Ping Pong Point”, “Air Beracun”, and “Show Me the Way.” These three modules were expected to make the student aware of their responsibility in school. All facilitators need to make them understand about their role as leaders in school. A module like “Show Me The Way” aims to make them listen to others as well, even though they are leaders in school. They need to listen to teachers’ advice as well as their parents too. Some of the groups were given permission by Head of Facilitator to play the module outside of the hall, especially the module of Show Me the Way.
At 9 o’clock, all of the students were divided in their groups together with their facilitators. They were seated in an open-hall. This Dynamic Group was led in mass by Head of Facilitator, Bro. Wan Najmi and Co-head of Facilitator, Bro. Hafiz. All of them were all chilled out and happily playing since they already felt a strong bond with their group members and facilitators. Besides, they played modules like “Katak Toing Toing”, “Pemburu”, etc. The aim of playing this module is to prepare them for the peak of the program, “recall”.After played joyfully in mass, there was a sudden slot at the end of the session by Head of Commandant to yell and scold them by mentioning a few mistakes that they had done. Later, all of them were instructed to rush to the musalla at the upper level of the hall. In the musalla, all of the participants were seated and listened to the‘slow-talk’ by Bro. Shazrul Azri. They were reminded about their responsibility to their parents, teachers, and as a prefect at school, either they were amanah or not. Some of them cried after watched a few videos and listened to some songs of Rasulullah. This session was more about installing them the sense of being responsible as khalifah in this world, as well as a part of Prophet Muhammad. The girls and the boys were weeping and shed to tears as they remembering the mistakes that they had done to their parents. The session ended when the participants were asked to write a letter to their parents, while mentioning about sins that they might have done before. It will be a huge success if they truly clean their hearts in that session, because that was the peak of the program.After been crying for quite long, all of them were asked to get food for supper. However, not all of them take the food. It might due to the sadness during ‘recall’ session. All of them got ready for self-preparation and ready to sleep.
At 4.30 am, all of them were waken up by male facilitators and female facilitators. All facilitators had to go all rooms since they hard to get up. After all, all students were ready to go to musalla.At 5 am, all of them were ready to perform qiamullail. They performed a few prayers before Subuh prayer, like taubat, hajat and witir. This taught them the necessary to perform qiamullail in their life as Allah’s servant as well as a student. Plus, this was also the time when Camp Commandant, Bro. Nabil revealed himself. He also explained the reason of his action for scolding them, which was to make them more disciplined and listened to instructions.
At 8.30 am, after taken their breakfast of nasi lemak, all the students and facilitators get ready in the hall for the third Dynamic Group. All of them were energetic and ready to participate in groups. Some of them were also being talkative to their facilitators and their group members. In Dynamic group, the modules used were “Langkah Kejujuran” and “Cebisan keringat”. It depends on the facilitators to conduct in the hall or outside of the hall. Whereas for the last module like “Tali Keramat” was conducted in mass, led by Head and Co-head of facilitator. The last module was intended to make them confident to speak in the front and act as the reliable leaders.
To end the program, all of the participants and teachers were assembled. The teachers including the headmaster were seated at the back of the hall, while all facilitators were seated on chairs at the side of the hall. Bro.Rasul was the chairman for the closing ceremony. Listened to Quranic recitation by one of the students, Mohd. Isyraf had soothed our feelings. Then, they listened to the speech by the school headmaster, who was called “ayahanda”. The closing ceremony ended implausible when some of the students and teachers cried while hugging and shaking hands to one another. Two lines were made on the sides of men and women. This was totally an extraordinary experience for us. We thanked them for such a nice stay in Negeri Cik Siti Wan Kembang.
