13 January 2025, Program Anak Kita : LEAD Launch, Johor
What is Fellowship?
Evidence suggests that quality continuous professional development has a greater effect on pupil attainment than other interventions schools may consider.
Only RM19 million is allocated for in-service teacher development in 2025—roughly RM50 per teacher among 400,000 educators.
Leadership training strengthened principals’ and middle leaders’ instructional leadership, enhancing classroom observation and teacher collaboration, leading to an increase of 20-25 points in student literacy and math.
The Fellowships pillar is tailored to foster strong, visionary leadership across different levels, ensuring that school leaders are well-equipped to drive continuous improvement and enhance student success.
Fellowship Models
PEMIMPIN provides leadership training for school leaders and middle leaders to strengthen the strategic direction, equity, and accountability within schools, ultimately driving student achievement. By equipping both levels of leadership with the necessary skills and knowledge, PEMIMPIN ensures that schools are well-led, cohesive, and positioned for sustained impact on student success.
Senior Leaders
Middle Leaders
Senior Leaders
PEMIMPIN Senior Leaders Fellowship (PSLI)
- This programme equips principals and senior assistants with the knowledge, skills and mindset to lead instructional programmes and see themselves as key agents of change in their schools.
- The Fellowship also offers specific concentrations, including one focused on Indigenous schools. This concentration focuses on building the leadership capacity of school leaders serving primarily Indigenous students (Sekolah Murid Orang Asli)
Middle Leaders
LEAD Middle Leaders Fellowship
- LEAD Fellowship is a structured leadership development program designed to support middle leaders in schools. Through personalised guidance and contextualised problem solving, middle leaders gain the skills to create meaningful impact in their teams and classrooms.
- The LEAD fellowship also offers specific concentrations aimed at strengthening middle leaders’ capacity to address learning loss and improve student outcomes. These include:
- Foundational Literacy and Numeracy
- Remedial Education
Building Blocks of the Fellowship
The fellowship programmes build teacher leadership capacity in both leadership and pedagogy through the integration of these building blocks
Workshops
Our workshops provide leaders with structured learning sessions that blend theory with practical pedagogical strategies through interactive learning activities, reflection opportunities, ensuring immediate relevance and application in school settings.
Coaching
Coaching offers personalized, ongoing support, coupled with management tools to track and measure progress as they implement new practices in their schools.
Professional Learning Communities (PLC)
Professional Learning Communities (PLC) create collaborative spaces where leaders exchange ideas, reflect on experiences, and learn from each other, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
Initiative Development Plans
School Improvement Development Plans (SIDP) and Impact Initiative Plans (IIP) guide leaders in designing and executing school- and department-based projects that address specific challenges, ensuring that learning translates into meaningful, measurable change.
Impact Visits
Impact Visits enable the PEMIMPIN team to monitor progress directly in schools, providing leaders with timely feedback and targeted support to address challenges and strengthen implementation efforts.
Local Needs & Global Evidence
Our fellowships draw on international research and global best practices, while staying deeply connected to the realities of Malaysian schools — equipping leaders to make evidence-based decisions that positively impact student outcomes.
3Cs
PEMIMPIN Fellowships blend theory and practice to deliver meaningful, context-driven learning for schools.
Our programmes are built on the 3C approach:
- Content that bridges theory with practical application
- Coaching that offers continuous support and tools to monitor and measure progress
- Community of leaders that facilitates an exchange of ideas and best practices
Through this approach, we ensure that leaders are equipped and supported to apply their learning effectively within their unique school environments.
High Leverage Leadership Actions
Our curriculum and monitoring and evaluation framework are guided by the most critical and prioritised domains for effective leadership in schools:
HLA 1 : Co-create a supportive culture of high expectations
HLA 2: Establish effective teaching practices
HLA 3 : Build teacher skills through observation and feedback
HLA 4: Use data for continuous improvement
HLA 5: Share leadership across the school
HLA 6: Identify and disrupt gender inequity patterns
Fellowship Reach
Fellowship Impact Highlights
Number of Impact Initiative Plans (IIP) implemented by fellows, targeting:
- Student academic & co-curricular achievement
- Student social-emotional well-being
- Quality of teaching and learning
- Teacher wellbeing
Number of School Improvement Development
Plans (SIDP) implemented by fellows, targeting:
- Student attendance
- Community engagement
- Indigenous pedagogy
- Quality of teaching and learning
- Student academic & co-curricular achievement
Number of Impact Initiative
Plans (IIP) implemented by fellows, targeting:
- Student academic & co-curricular achievement
- Student social-emotional well-being
- Quality of teaching and learning
- Teacher wellbeing
teachers incorporated social emotional learning strategies in the classroom (a 59% increase from baseline)
teachers strongly agreed that their students have the potential and capacity to succeed regardless of their backgrounds, a 48% increase from baseline.
students improve by at 1 or more Tahap Penguasaan in the targeted subject after a 4-month intervention
Alumni Highlights
Cikgu Aznini transformed her leadership approach. She began immersing herself in the Orang Asli community, building relationships with parents and village elders to better understand her students' backgrounds”
Aznini Binti Zainal Abidin
Guru Besar SK Sri Kinjang, Perak
ASLI Fellowship Participant
Cikgu Aznini was a passionate and dedicated school leader, but when she was assigned to a school with a majority of Orang Asli students, she faced an unexpected challenge. The teaching methods that had worked well in her previous schools did not resonate with her new students, leaving her feeling discouraged and unsure of how to move forward.
Through the ASLI Fellowship programme, Cikgu Aznini transformed her leadership approach. She began immersing herself in the Orang Asli community, building relationships with parents and village elders to better understand her students’ backgrounds. By incorporating Indigenous Pedagogy, she created a learning environment that was more relevant and engaging for her students.
Her efforts went beyond the classroom. She introduced community-based interventions tailored to her students’ needs, ensuring that learning extended beyond the school walls. This shift in approach not only improved student engagement but also strengthened the school’s relationship with the community, fostering a deeper sense of trust and collaboration.
Central to Puan Anuradha’s leadership philosophy is her belief that teachers are the most valuable asset in any school. She made it her mission to create a culture where teachers feel seen, valued, and appreciated”
Pn. Anuradha Muniandy
Guru Besar SJKT Ladang North Hummock
PEMIMPIN Senior Leaders Fellowship Cohort 1 Participant
When Puan Anuradha joined the PEMIMPIN Senior Leader Fellowship in 2018, she was a young school leader, eager to explore new leadership strategies and learn from a vibrant network of fellow principals and senior teachers. Inspired by the programme’s emphasis on instructional leadership and collaboration, she began to experiment with fresh approaches in her school.
One of her first major initiatives was implementing “open observation” — a practice where teachers regularly observe each other’s lessons, share feedback, and collaboratively improve their teaching methods. This simple yet powerful change not only fostered a stronger sense of professional trust among teachers but also led to noticeable improvements in student outcomes.
Central to Puan Anuradha’s leadership philosophy is her belief that teachers are the most valuable asset in any school. She made it her mission to create a culture where teachers feel seen, valued, and appreciated. She started small but meaningful initiatives: designing posters that celebrated teachers’ efforts, establishing the Headmistress Award to recognize the Best Teacher every month, and ensuring that appreciation became an integral part of the school’s culture.
Over time, Puan Anuradha’s leadership journey has not only transformed the professional environment for her teachers but also created a ripple effect that boosted student performance and strengthened the school community. Her story stands as a testament to how thoughtful, teacher-centered leadership can drive real, lasting change in schools.
Cikgu Tessie: Leading with Passion and Purpose through Professional Learning Communities
Tessie anak Rujem
Ketua Panitia & Penyelaras PLC, SK Sungai Buloh, Sarawak
Guru Cemerlang, Edufluencer 2.0
LEAD Fellowship Cohort 1 Participant
As the PLC Coordinator at SK Sungai Buloh previously, Cikgu Tessie faced a challenge: many teachers, especially senior teachers, were reluctant to join or lead Professional Learning Community (PLC) sessions as part of their continuous professional development. In 2020, only 17 PLC sessions were conducted, with just 30% of the school’s teachers participating.
To tackle this, Cikgu Tessie launched an initiative called Passion-Run School (PRS) as her project in the LEAD Fellowship. The initiative aims to have 90% of teachers at SK Sungai Buloh actively involved in PLC sessions by December 2021. PRS empowered teachers to lead PLCs based on their own teaching interests and classroom challenges, supported by open peer discussions, lesson study, and strong administrative backing. To build trust, Cikgu Tessie personally modelled openness by inviting colleagues to observe and comment on her lessons. Over time, more teachers felt safe to collaborate, reflect, and innovate together.
By the end of 2021, the results were remarkable: 56 PLC sessions had been conducted, with 95% teacher participation, far surpassing the previous year’s record. In recognition of this achievement, SK Sungai Buloh was also awarded the Anugerah Pembudayaan PLC 2021 at the Selangau District level. The model has since inspired other schools, with some adopting SK Sungai Buloh’s “PLC Corners” to showcase teacher work and collaboration.
The long-term impact of PRS has been significant. Teachers at SK Sungai Buloh are now more willing to experiment with new teaching strategies, engage in action research, and openly reflect on what works in the classroom. This collaborative mindset has led to better student learning outcomes and a stronger sense of community among educators. For Cikgu Tessie, the greatest reward has been personal growth — once shy, she is now a confident leader who believes deeply in the power of networking, mutual support, and shared passion. Through PRS, she has proven that when teachers lead with purpose, real change follows.
May 2023, ASLI Program in Perak
