Thong’s journey into early childhood education began with a personal need. “I couldn’t find a satisfying preschool for my 4-year-old son,” she explained. “The rural areas often lacked quality preschool programmes that embraced holistic learning. So, I decided to take up the challenge and established my first preschool in Jerantut in early 1997.”
Today, she owns four centres that collectively educate over 300 pupils.
Driven by a desire to deepen her knowledge in early childhood education, Thong visited the OUM Learning Centre in Pahang. She enrolled in the BECHE programme together with her two daughters in 2016. “The flexibility and lesson structure were suitable for me,” she said. “I could study while taking care of my family and work. Moreover, the fees are affordable and the payment schemes are flexible.
“During the final year, one of my daughters gave birth to my first grandchild. OUM’s flexibility allowed her to graduate without delay. I even encouraged my son-in-law to pursue his master’s at OUM, and he graduated within 2 years. So, you see, we are all OUM graduates!”.
In 2021, Thong enrolled in the Master of Education programme. “Learning truly has no limits or timelines,” she said. “Frankly, I forget that I am 62, going on 63. There is still so much to learn, and skills to upgrade. It is passion for knowledge that has kept me young at heart, and there is always room to upskill in the many years ahead.”
True to her words, Thong has already enrolled in OUM’s Doctor of Education programme, becoming an OUM student for the third time. Despite her busy schedule, she has found a way to balance her work, family, and studies. “I delegate responsibilities to my staff so that I could free up valuable time to focus on my studies,” she shared.
Thong enjoys her learning experience at OUM. “I love the online classes, recorded lessons for revision, and the friendly though sometimes strict lecturers. The learning platform is extensive and we can obtain plenty of resources from the Digital Library to help with research. The Learning Centre staff are also friendly, helpful and easily reachable.”
For those who feel too busy to pursue further studies, Thong has this message: “Don’t let being busy stop you. Life is always busy, with work, family, or other commitments. Make time for what truly matters to you. Studying while working is definitely a great challenge, but it also has marvelous rewards.
“Investing in your education is an investment in yourself, and that’s something you’ll never regret!”
