Methodist College Kuala Lumpur (MCKL) celebrated the remarkable achievement of reaching a milestone of 10 years in partnership with Early Childhood Education (ECE) provider Munster Technological University (MTU) in Ireland.
MCKL first entered a partnership with MTU back in 2011, with the ambition of enabling MCKL students to directly enter year 4 of MTU’s Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s programme.
MCKL’s students are eligible for this express pathway due to the comprehensive selection of subjects and robust practical exposure which guarantees admission to MTU upon completion of MCKL’s two and a half years of diploma studies.
Both institutions have mutually built a transformative partnership to achieve a sustainable goal that is to provide comprehensive ECE to students and meet the ever-evolving demands of the workforce.
The partnership has grown from humble beginnings, with just six students in the first graduating cohort in 2015 it now boast over 102 alumni.
MTU consistently remains one of the top providers of the ECE programme and ranked Top 151 in Academic Ranking of World Universities.
MCKL alumni, Samuel Pau from the first batch of diploma students in 2011, pursued his bachelor’s programme in Institute of Technology, Tralee (currently known as MTU) in 2015 and successfully graduated in 2016, through the express pathway.
He is one of the many MCKL students who has successfully pursued their careers in Ireland. In 2020 alone, ten students who were studying the ECE programme at MTU are pursuing their careers in Ireland.
28 year old Samuel who recently completed his Master’s in Education is currently a Childcare Manager at Best Start Preschool and Afterschool Donnycarney.
“The education at MCKL provided me the knowledge and opportunity to explore the suitable career options in Ireland.” Samuel said.
“Male educators in ECE are rare and I am very proud to be in the childcare industry as we are acting as a male role model to young children, which is very crucial in their life. Male early educators are creating a diverse workplace. The quality of teaching tends to improve with diversity, and the professional relationships between all work colleagues tend to be better.” Samuel added.
This year, even during the challenges of the pandemic, MCKL has successfully sent eighteen students to pursue their final year in MTU, a breakthrough since 2015.
The partnership being the top choice of many students has continued to open various academic and career opportunities for MCKL graduates in Ireland.