The world of Tzu Chi February 2020 (Vol.119)

2020 • 02 28 O n January 6, 2020, the much-awaited Tzu Chi International School Kuala Lumpur (TCISKL) opened its doors to its inaugural cohort of 750 students, after just over two years of construction works. The students, neatly dressed in grey-and-white uniforms and accompanied by their parents, were visibly excited to embark on a new chapter in life and learning. The opening ceremony was graced by numerous distinguished guests from both Malaysia and Taiwan, including Master De Rang, Master De Ge and Master De Yuan from the Jing Si Abode in Taiwan; Lin Pi-yu, the vice president of Tzu Chi Foundation; Anne Hung, Representative from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia; David Liu, the deputy CEO of Tzu Chi’s charity mission; Wang Pen-jung, CEO of the Tzu Chi Education Foundation; Professor Dr Ewe Hong Tat, the president of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR); and Li Ling-hui, the principal of Taiwan- based Tzu Chi Senior High School. A spirited percussion performance set the tone for the ceremony, with every resounding beat of the drums signifying an abundance of blessings for TCISKL, a school made possible by donations from Tzu Chi volunteers and the public at large. Amongst the many international schools in Kuala Lumpur, TCISKL’s key differentiating factor lies in its holistic education approach with equal emphasis on academic development and character building. TCISKL adopts the Cambridge- certified International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) curriculum alongside Tzu Chi’s humanistic culture education programme, to nurture students into well-rounded virtuous global talents who are equipped with 21st century skillsets in critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and cooperation, and communication. Tzu Chi KL & Selangor established its first Da Ai Kindergarten in 2007, and the Kindergarten on the grounds of TCISKL is the 11th Da Ai Kindergarten in Malaysia. The opening of TCISKLmarks a meaningful milestone in Tzu Chi’s education mission in providing a comprehensive education system in Malaysia, extending Tzu Chi’s educational ideals from the preschool level to the primary and secondary school levels. Coming together for education The founder of Tzu Chi Foundation, Dharma Master Cheng Yen, unable to be present personally to witness the opening of TCISKL, conveyed her well wishes in writing. This was delivered on her behalf by Master De Rang from the Jing Si Abode. In her letter, Master Cheng Yen acknowledged that Tzu Chi Malaysia has successfully established all of its missions and they have been growing from strength to strength over the last 25 years. Furthermore, Malaysia is a melting pot of cultures, whose pecial Feature