Nur'Ain Nadzirah Binte Mohammed Nazir (20A04)

Nur’Ain had always wanted to be a part of the Malay Language Elective Programme (MLEP) since her secondary school days. Passionate about learning more about the Malay Language and culture, she reasoned that “MLEP would provide her with a close-knitted and supportive learning environment with good peers and teachers” that would make learning the Malay Language very pleasant and enjoyable. That great desire came to fruition when Nur’Ain was awarded the MLEP scholarship at Jurong Pioneer Junior College (JPJC), and as a scholar, she had valuable opportunities to lead her cohort in various Malay language and cultural events.

Given her talent in the Malay language and culture, Nur’Ain represented the college at various events, even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Her involvement in the MLEP e-Immersion Programme 2020 provided her the opportunity to interact with students from Melbourne, Australia and develop an understanding of their experiences in learning Malay in a different place and context. As part of her MLEP endeavours, Nur’Ain was the Student Facilitator for the MLEP J1 Students Orientation Programme 2021 where she inspired her juniors and demonstrated how much she had grown on her journey in the MLEP programme. In 2020, Ain was selected to be a ‘Rakan Bahasa’ (a language ambassador), allowing her to share her passion for the language with her peers. “Of all these many events, the E-Immersion Programme was the most memorable one for me”, she recalls. “I was able to meet a lot of friends from other JCs amidst the pandemic even though face-to-face activities were not allowed.”

Nur’Ain also acknowledged that her active participation in MLEP events and activities had truly transformed her within months, from an introvert to a confident, outspoken individual who is now more proactive and willing to share her views. “To be honest, I don’t think I could ever have done something like that in the past, meeting with people and speaking confidently, planning events and leading others in projects”. She grew from strength to strength, growing in her capabilities and skills, through helming major events such as the MLEP Graduation Showcase in 2021.

Yet, Nur’Ain’s growth arc was not simply a personal one, for purely personal developmental reasons. From a wide-eyed and shy young woman, Nur’Ain bloomed further, developing a strong concern and conviction for the community in her two years in JPJC. She had the privilege of meeting many distinguished individuals, then-Minister for Education, Mr Lawrence Wong, amongst others for dialogue sessions, and engaged these respected figures in candid and meaningful discussions regarding issues that Nur’Ain and her generation are deeply concerned about. “Looking back, I felt a great sense of responsibility, being given that opportunity that was reserved for the rare few among my peers. That was when I learnt that these great opportunities given to me should be used meaningfully, and not squandered away”, Nur’Ain reflected.

Such fresh insights were also bolstered by Nur’Ain’s humble roots. Nur’Ain hails from a low income family of four and was placed under MOE Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS). Nur’Ain also had to juggle her school work with the responsibility of taking care of her ailing grandmother. During Home Based Learning (HBL) in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, which spanned her entire JC life, she had found the experience very challenging because she needed to cater to the needs of her primary school-going brother, who was also having HBL lessons. Juggling her own studies with caring for him was a constant struggle. To cope with these challenges, Nur’Ain drew up a comprehensive HBL schedule that merged both their schedules, for more effective time management. This meant that Nur’Ain knew first-hand, the challenges and difficulties that low-income families struggled with. “I did not see myself as underprivileged. In fact, I felt really grateful that despite my circumstances, I was lucky to have such opportunities to grow, to get out of this situation. How many other people in my circumstance might never ever have the chance to progress like I did?” This belief and can-do attitude cemented Nur’Ain’s resolve to be a force for good in the wider community. Despite the need to juggle family needs and school life, Nur’Ain still managed to find time to complete an Advance Diploma in Religious Studies by ANDALUS, a non-secular education by a private religious school/organisation in order to have a wider and balance view on spiritual life with grounded values. She was also awarded the Buddhist Lodge Bursary and Straits Times Pocket Money Fund, in 2021.

As the Vice President of the Malay Cultural Society, Nur’Ain led by example and encouraged her team to serve the community actively. In the area of Values in Action (VIA), Nur’Ain demonstrated her compassionate nature by participating in ‘Projek Buku’ a CCA-based VIA where she and her CCA teammates created a Malay Children’s Book in 2021. The project gave her the opportunity to craft a plot that has a lively storyline with relatable characters for the children. This experience further helped to sharpen her Malay language and critical thinking skills in developing resources that were easy to comprehend by the young children. Additionally, the college’s talent development programme also provided a platform for Nur’Ain to discover another area in which her cheerful and outgoing personality could be tapped on to help others. When she was selected to be a Student Facilitator for Keat Hong Leadership Training Camp in 2021 for a group of students’ leaders from secondary schools, Nur’Ain realised what her two years in JPJC had allowed her to develop – a passion for teaching. “As I mentioned earlier, this was not something that I possessed in my earlier years. I only discovered how much potential and interest I had when I came to this school”.

The experiences also helped her to prepare for various career opportunities in line with this passion and interest. Through the college’s talent development programme, Nur’Ain participated in Public Service Commission (PSC) programmes. After going through several rigorous selection exercises, Nur’Ain has been admitted in the two internship programmes: an MOE internship and the PSC internship. Currently, she is undergoing the MOE internship programme as a teacher at Fuchun Secondary School, where she shadows experienced teachers. Following which, she will be attached to the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) for the PSC internship. Why the CNB, you might ask? “It is something new to me, and more importantly, I wanted to challenge myself and step out of my comfort zone. Also, there is a very close alignment with my passion for teaching. For instance, in line with education, I joined the CNB Communication Division as to learn more about how to promote CNB campaign activities in schools to create more awareness among youths” Nur’Ain shared.

So, what next for this young leader? “Being a Malay language teacher is my calling, as I hope to inspire my students to deepen their love for the Malay language and culture, and more importantly to be better people who contribute to society”, she shares with us. Nur’Ain hopes to read Malay Studies at the National University of Singapore.