Emerging as champions, students from SMK USJ4 (middle), first runner up – SMK USJ12 (right), second runner up – students from SMK Kota Kemuning (left), a victorious moment for all!

Jess Lee, Manager of National Marketing, KDU University College presenting a token of appreciation to guest speaker, Mr Yap Zhi Chau, Group Executive Chairman of YYC Holdings Sdn Bhd

Happy faces of students after completing the ACT.COUNT.THINK BATTLE 2019!

During the finale, students were put through a series of mind-challenging activities to build their analytical skills and test their competencies in accounting and business

By Davin Dhanraj

In line with the objectives to enrich students’ educational experiences, UOW Malaysia KDU School of Business and the National Marketing team joint forces to organise ACT.COUNT.THINK BATTLE 2019, a creative and interactive two-phased amazing-race style competition targeting Form 5 students from different schools within Klang Valley. The aim of the event was not only to build their analytical skills and test their competencies in accounting and business through a series of challenging activities but to highlight and educate them on the state-of-the-art facilities here at UOW Malaysia KDU University College.

The first phase of this two-phased competition was conducted amongst Form 5 students from schools within the vicinity of Klang Valley where each student was given a set of 30 multiple choice questions which they completed within the allocated time. The top 4 students from the highest scoring schools were then chosen to qualify in the finale at UOW Malaysia KDU University College.

Hundreds of students including teachers gathered at UOW Malaysia KDU University College to commemorate the joyful celebration of ACT.COUNT.THINK BATTLE 2019. Exuberant yet anxious demeanours radiated the hall and the competition kicked off right after the briefing as these students were eager to begin!   

There were a total of 8 different checkpoints placed throughout the campus where each checkpoint was carefully formulated in line with the purpose of the event, ACT where participants were needed to act out scenarios, COUNT where participants needed do some accounting calculation based on the questions/quiz- 2 and finally THINK where students were put through a series of mind-challenging mind games.  Students were provided with clues to locate each checkpoint where they completed each task within the stipulated time. All these checkpoints inadvertently highlighted the importance of teamwork, leadership and motivated students to acquire business knowledge and appreciate its importance, given the increasing demand in the commercial world.

Present at the finale was Mr Ng Chin Hooi, Deputy Head of School of Business, UOW Malaysia KDU University College, Ms Jess Lee, Manager of National Marketing UOW Malaysia KDU University College and upon completion of the competition, students were then treated to an insightful speaking engagement by a guest speaker, Mr Yap Zhi Chau, Group Executive Chairman of YYC Holdings Sdn Bhd who shared his experience as an entrepreneur and highlighted the different career pathways for students to pursue upon completion of their studies. “There are so many options available today besides being an auditor, an accountant or a tax agent. I started my career as an accountant but today I have evolved into an entrepreneur growing my business from a 60-staffed company to a 300-staffed company. But before all that, it is important to possess the right traits in order to become a successful leader with impeccable leadership skills.

He added that it is important for educational institutions to organise competitions like these because it provides a more fun and interactive learning experience for students. Students often feel difficult expressing themselves at school as exams and group assignments do not always capture students’ unique skills or accurately measure the ability to apply skills to real-world problems. Hence, competitions like these will be able to highlight and showcase their capabilities which will contribute to their success at their workplace in the near future.

The much awaited moment then arrived when students from SMK USJ4 leaped in joy as they emerged as champions followed by first runner up, SMK USJ12 and second runner up, SMK Kota Kemuning. In conclusion, learning outside the classroom is evidently becoming a stimulating source of fascination, personal growth and can lead to breakthroughs in learning. This experience not only provided students an out-of-the-classroom learning experience but also allowed them to create blissful memories with their peers which will definitely last a lifetime!