PASIR MAS – The Campus Rush Explorace at TVET Mara Pasir Mas offered students more than just a day of competition, as it sharpened teamwork, decision-making and real-world problem-solving skills beyond the classroom.
Organised by Sinar Daily and Sinar Varsity in collaboration with TVET Mara Pasir Mas as part of a university outreach initiative, the explorace combined physical challenges, problem-solving tasks and media literacy elements.
Held on April 22, the programme brought together 80 students from various diploma programmes in a dynamic, campus-wide challenge designed to simulate industry-like collaboration and pressure.
TVET Mara Pasir Mas chairman Ir Supardi Amaludin said the initiative emphasised skills that could not be fully developed through academic learning alone.
“Teamwork is one of the most valuable parts of this programme because it cannot be fully learned in class.
“Students had to manage time, make quick decisions and work through differences in opinions, especially at checkpoints,” he said.
He added that mixing students from different disciplines reflected real industry settings, where collaboration across fields is essential.
“We deliberately grouped them from different courses so they could exchange ideas and adapt, just like in the workplace.
“Overall, the programme achieved its goals and the students responded very positively,” he said.
A total of 10 mixed-discipline teams competed across nine checkpoints, with support from Student Representative Council members who served as volunteers and coordinators throughout the programme.
Participants came from programmes including Diploma in Architecture, Diploma in Building Engineering Technology, Diploma in Electronic Engineering Technology (Industrial), Diploma in Mechanical Engineering Technology (Design), Diploma in Electrical Engineering Technology (Power), and Diploma in Electrical Engineering Technology (Domestic and Industrial).
Among the highlights was “Trust or Trash”, where participants assessed articles and classified them as reliable, questionable or false.
Other checkpoints included virtual reality games, Smartlympics quizzes, Aqua Sprint, Run & Reveal QR challenges, Lompat Pocong, coordination-based tasks, Giant Snake and Ladder, and a bridge-building challenge testing teamwork and problem-solving under pressure.
The programme continued in the afternoon with an open dialogue session featuring a screening of “Conversations With The Youth”, followed by a discussion on challenges faced by young Malaysians.
It concluded with a prize-giving ceremony, where the top three teams received RM500, RM400 and RM300 respectively, along with hampers, while other teams were presented with tokens of appreciation.
Its Student Representative Council president Muhamad Mursyidil Hanif Muhamad Hisham said the programme received strong support from both organisers and participants.
“A total of 20 council members worked hard to ensure everything ran smoothly and we were very happy with the response from students.
“The collaboration with the media also brought a fresh experience,” he said.
He added that the event exceeded expectations, with participants showing high enthusiasm throughout the day.
Former council member Nur Hanis Syazwani Abd Wahab said the programme stood out for its open dialogue segment, which encouraged discussions on real-world issues.
“I didn’t expect there would be space for students to share perspectives on current issues from a Gen Z point of view.
“It really helps broaden our understanding beyond campus,” she said.
She added that the interactive format made the session more engaging and meaningful.
Student Mohammad Faeq Aqmal Mohd Faiz said the explorace created opportunities for students to interact across different fields.
“It’s a great platform to meet students from other courses and understand how different areas connect in real life,” he said.