The Malaysian Insight

STUDENTS sitting for the SPM examination next month now have access to help with their revisions via a first-ever app to offer tuition on demand.

The app aims to help those whose schooling has been disrupted by school shutdowns forced by the coronavirus and others who have had their important exams postponed several times.

The Askbee app offers one-to-one tutoring in all core SPM subjects when the student needs it.

“The app was conceptualised during the first movement-control order (MCO) last March as a response to learn-from-home challenges faced by students and parents,” said AskBee founder Jason Khong.

The app automatically matches the student with a live tutor on screen, he said.

“The video call experience will provide face-to-face explanations, text chat and screen-sharing functions – all of which are designed to enhance the learning experience,” Khong added.

The app will be useful for the students whose teachers now have to divide their time between last year and this year’s Form 5 classes,  said REAL Education Group CEO Dr Goh Chee Leong, a partner of the app.

The app is endorsed by education group Teach For Malaysia.

“Our mission has always been to mobilise a generation of leaders to empower our nation through education,” said group chief executive Chan Soon Seng.

“#SaveSPM2020 allows us to leverage our extensive network of volunteers to help thousands of Form 5 students.”

Users pay RM1 for a 15-minute tutoring session. All proceeds go to schoolchildren in need.

“To use the service, students can make a RM10 donation for 10 tokens, or apply for micro-scholarships that are coming soon. When volunteers take on a session, each session is charged a token, which is then reinvested into long-term education NGOs like Teach For Malaysia,” said Khong.

Application is now open for a hundred “micro-scholarships” of 20 sessions each.

The app can be downloaded on the App Store, Play Store. – January 13, 2021.