Salam and greetings. I know I need to write this as once during my time, I didnt get any chance to know the real description about "What Is IB?" or "What is KMB??" when I tried to google it before we enter here. Because there is less experience sharing by our seniors. Yeah, they are busy. Really busy. Talking from my experience after 1 sem here.
So, this is just an experience to be shared with my juniors that will have to decide to choose their institution before they apply for the MARA scholarship. Basically Kolej Mara Banting will become the top on the list. I don't know why, but the MARA director told me that KMB is the flagship for MARA. KMB is the most well known preparation institution in the world but less recognized by the malaysian themselves. Im not trying to talk big about KMB, but yeah, if you wanna go abroad, especially european countries, you need to pass the IB exam.
Basically KMB take IB as our preparation program. There are lots of other preparation programs before you fly overseas such as A-level, ADFP (American Degree Foundation Programme), AusMat (Australia Matriculation) and many more. But A-level and IB is more general. Not bounded to any country yet.
Haaa, "What is IB actually?"
It stands for "International Baccalaureate"
A 2 years programme. 4 Semesters. There are few IB school in Malaysia such as Kolej Mara Banting, Kolej Mara Seremban, Kolej Mara Kuala Nerang and MCKK and some other private schools. KMB take IB as their whole programme while KMS is hybrid. KMS has some A-level students and some IB students. And KMKN also has some IB students mingling with A-level and matriculation students.
IB is a world school. I mean, the system that IB uses is always the same throughout the world. You will understand this further in my explaination below.
In every nation in the world, they will have at least 1 IB School in their country. Either Canada, UK, USA, or even in Saudi Arabia, they have this programme. So, every assignments that we got, every syllabus and homework that we learnt, everything will be the same throughout the world. Nice is it?
As far as I know, KMB has become the BEST IB World School in the world. Alhamdulillah .
The main purpose or objective for this programme is to create a balanced student. Not a book worm student. So, as what you already read, this programme will push and squeeze you to become a balanced student. Thats why we have some special activities that is compulsory to be done. Now, I will show to you how is the lifestyle of An IB student.
"Aku panggil lagi sekali, Arifuddin mana Arifuddin Adam?"
Ahhh sudah. Habislah aku. Maka aku pun angkat tangan.
" Hah kau, kenapa lambat mengaku?" Aku hanya pandang kaki dia.
"Perkenalkan diri" arahan senior. Aku pun perkenalkan diri.
Tiba - tiba, "Kau KISAS kan?" *Angguk sikit2.
"Aku nak kau bagi tazkirah, boleh?"
*Berderau darah aku wehh. Mau nak pitam tetiba.
Maka, dengan tazkirah yang biasa aku dendangkan. Pasal niat.
Sejak tu, mulalah ada geng yang sibuk2 perli "hai ustaz" kat aku. Pergh, saat tu memang tak tipu sakit. Tapi aku hanya mampu bersabar dan aku ceritakan apa yang aku alami kat senior aku.
"Now, you still can't see the real ukhuwwah in KMB. Just be patient and you will get the sweetness soon"
Alhamdulillah, now aku dah rasa. Tak tipu sweet tahap kencing manis.
So, this is just an experience to be shared with my juniors that will have to decide to choose their institution before they apply for the MARA scholarship. Basically Kolej Mara Banting will become the top on the list. I don't know why, but the MARA director told me that KMB is the flagship for MARA. KMB is the most well known preparation institution in the world but less recognized by the malaysian themselves. Im not trying to talk big about KMB, but yeah, if you wanna go abroad, especially european countries, you need to pass the IB exam.
Basically KMB take IB as our preparation program. There are lots of other preparation programs before you fly overseas such as A-level, ADFP (American Degree Foundation Programme), AusMat (Australia Matriculation) and many more. But A-level and IB is more general. Not bounded to any country yet.
Haaa, "What is IB actually?"
It stands for "International Baccalaureate"
A 2 years programme. 4 Semesters. There are few IB school in Malaysia such as Kolej Mara Banting, Kolej Mara Seremban, Kolej Mara Kuala Nerang and MCKK and some other private schools. KMB take IB as their whole programme while KMS is hybrid. KMS has some A-level students and some IB students. And KMKN also has some IB students mingling with A-level and matriculation students.
IB is a world school. I mean, the system that IB uses is always the same throughout the world. You will understand this further in my explaination below.
In every nation in the world, they will have at least 1 IB School in their country. Either Canada, UK, USA, or even in Saudi Arabia, they have this programme. So, every assignments that we got, every syllabus and homework that we learnt, everything will be the same throughout the world. Nice is it?
As far as I know, KMB has become the BEST IB World School in the world. Alhamdulillah .
The main purpose or objective for this programme is to create a balanced student. Not a book worm student. So, as what you already read, this programme will push and squeeze you to become a balanced student. Thats why we have some special activities that is compulsory to be done. Now, I will show to you how is the lifestyle of An IB student.
- We start class at 8 a.m. and finish at 2 p.m.
- The classes will be 5 days in a week. Means that no classes on weekend
- Once in a fortnight, you will go outside for CAS activity. Usually its more to community services in society like going to primary schools, PDK, or any old folks home.
- The CAS activity will be organized by the teacher, but you still have to organize one at least at your own.
- 180 credit hours of CAS to be passed throughout 2 year programmes.
- Outing only on WEEKENDS
- There are few courses offered here such as Medicine, Engineering, Biotech, Finance and Applied Sciences.
- We don't use CGPA or pointer like other colleges do. We use 45 points system. 7 for 85 and above. And so on.
- We have 6 compulsory subjects
- For Medic students : Malay, English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and 1 elective subject either ITGS, Economics or Bussiness
- For Engineering Students : Malay, English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and 1 elective subject either ITGS, Economics or Bussiness
If there is any update, I will add up later.
So, here comes to my commentary essay on how KMB life is =)
I think this will be easy to be expressed in our lovely malay language.
Lepas je dapat result MARA, aku ditawarkan ke Kolej Mara Banting. Mungkin aku tak setakut yang lain sebab kat sini belambak je senior aku. Dan memang cita-cita aku nak kesini. How weird is it? Tapi, aku dah dapat 'exposure' tentang KMB ni sendiri. Dan masa dah nak dekat SPM, stereotype dan pandangan kawan-kawan aku yang lain tentang IB, dorang sendiri cakap ini program yang paling susah.
Tak tipu. Senior aku pun cakap macam tu.
Jadi, aku jadi lagi semangat. Haha.
Once, masuk je pintu pagar KMB, aku jadi pelik. Ini sekolah ke kolej? Takkan nak masuk sekolah balik kot.
Ini di tengah-tengah kelapa sawit dan kampung.
First aku masuk, aku redha je. Sebab ini dah memang cita-cita aku. Jadi, di saat orang lain sedang sibuk kemas2 barang, aku jalan-jalan dulu. Dan siap melekat dengan my ex-schoolmate. Alasan, nak duduk sebilik. 1 bilik 2 orang. Alhamdulillah dapat duduk sebilik ^_^ Bukan As-sobiyah ye, tapi ehem sayang kawan. hehe.
Masa 1st week orientation, sangat-sangat hectic. Yelah, 7 bulan dah tak belajar apa2. Otak dah berkarat. Dan biasalah, bila cuti, siang jadi malam, malam jadi siang. Haha. Sebagai seorang pelajar lepasan SPM, jangan jadi macam saya. Amat tidak cool okay. Dan oh ye, pengalaman yang tak boleh lupa. Malam pertama, sebelum tidur ada roll call. Ada senior suruh berkumpul kat padang. Lepas kena sound lambat dan sebagainya, tiba-tiba.
"Arifuddin mana Arifuddin?"Semua berpandangan. Tak kenal siapa-siapa lagi. Aku dah mula cuak. Apahal abang ni tiba-tiba panggil nama aku ni.
"Aku panggil lagi sekali, Arifuddin mana Arifuddin Adam?"
Ahhh sudah. Habislah aku. Maka aku pun angkat tangan.
" Hah kau, kenapa lambat mengaku?" Aku hanya pandang kaki dia.
"Perkenalkan diri" arahan senior. Aku pun perkenalkan diri.
Tiba - tiba, "Kau KISAS kan?" *Angguk sikit2.
"Aku nak kau bagi tazkirah, boleh?"
*Berderau darah aku wehh. Mau nak pitam tetiba.
Maka, dengan tazkirah yang biasa aku dendangkan. Pasal niat.
Sejak tu, mulalah ada geng yang sibuk2 perli "hai ustaz" kat aku. Pergh, saat tu memang tak tipu sakit. Tapi aku hanya mampu bersabar dan aku ceritakan apa yang aku alami kat senior aku.
"Now, you still can't see the real ukhuwwah in KMB. Just be patient and you will get the sweetness soon"
Alhamdulillah, now aku dah rasa. Tak tipu sweet tahap kencing manis.
Then bila dah habis orientasi, maka bermulalah kelas seperti biasa. Mula-mula agak kekok. Ramai orang hebat-hebat. Bukan calang2 student yang masuk sini. Semua stock straight A dan ada yang A+ berterabur lagi atas slip. Memang aku akui agak tercabar kat sini. Dan kat sini pakai sistem kelas dan bukan lecture hall macam kolej atau universiti lain. Kat sini tak pakai istilah "Lecturer" macam kolej lain. Sini kami panggil murabbi kami dengan panggilan "cikgu" kerana lebih rapat dan mesra. Walaupun masing2 dah berpangkat pensyarah, tapi dorang still be humble and stay low profile. Super salute kepada cikgu-cikgu kat sini.
Then, bermulalah minggu-minggu yang sibuk di KMB. Kat sini ada dobi. 2 kali seminggu. Boleh hantar satu bakul yang disediakan untuk setiap student. Sangat besar dan memang tak perlu cuci tangan atau jemur. Semua siap dikeringkan. Selain itu, ada jugak makanan 5 kali sehari disediakan kat dewan selera. Memang tak perlu risau pasal makanan. Tapi in case kalau lapar, ada KMB food court atau lebih mesra dengan panggilan K.F.C. Then kat sini ada surau dan akan ada ceramah once in 1 week. Pada hari khamis selalunya akan ada ustaz jemputan dari luar untuk memberi makanan rohani kepada student.
Dari segi facilities sukan, memang cukup. Ada gimnasium, 2 court bola tampar, 2 court futsal, 3 court tenis, 1 padang besar, 2 court takraw, 3 court badminton dan trek jogging keliling KMB. Alhamdulillah cukup segala. Dan mengenai elaun, selalunya MARA scholar akan dapat RM 100 sebulan. Ye, mungkin sikit untuk foundation, tapi kat overseas nanti berkepuk duit dapat. Sila bersabar ye. Dan problem MARA scholar yang common adalah pemberian elaun yang agak lambat. Ye, even aku dah 1 sem habis tapi still tak dapat duit lagi. Dorang akan bagi 1 sem terus.
Dari segi biah dan suasana. Okay this part is very crucial. Alhamdulillah. Lepas 5 tahun aku duduk sekolah agama. Ditakdirkan masuk ke KMB dengan suasana islamik yang memang sedia wujud dari awal kami masuk. Alhamdulillah, presiden kami merupakan ex-kisas jugak, merangkap ketua umum zaman dia, memang membawa perubahan yang drastik tetapi bagus untuk KMB. Ramai je lagi abang2 senior yang sama2 usaha wujudkan biah ni. Aku berani katakan yang susah nak dapat biah macam ni kat kolej2 persediaan lain. Konsep ikhtilat ditekankan. Konsep usrah sangat kuat dan ramai sebenarnya kawan2 aku yang buat U-turn masuk KMB. Aku sangat respect dengan usaha dorang. MasyaAllah.
Dari segi lifestyle, mungkin agak hectic. Kena buat lab report every week, kena hadiri program beruniform (zaman kami ada JPAM) every wednesday setiap minggu. Dan akan ada program bersilih ganti setiap minggu. Memang sangat busy sampaikan rasa 24 jam tu tak cukup sehari. Tapi percayalah, 24 jam yang Allah bagi pada setiap daripada kita berlainan. Andai kita sentiasa ingat Allah, in sha Allah masa akan lebih diberkati dan lebih panjang.
Rasanya ini je kot perkongsian dan pendapat peribadi mengenai pengalaman aku kat KMB untuk 1st sem. Ada apa-apa soalan anda boleh tanya kepada saya.
Wallahua'alam.