In 2020, Mastra Irfa Nasrun, teacher at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Sayong Pinang, founded Koleh Buskers, a ukulele club that now has 24 members – 11 from SK Sayong Pinang and 13 from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Linggiu.
Although she had no formal background in music, the physical education teacher was determined to use her passion creatively in the classroom. She developed her own teaching method using only basic chords instead of musical notation, making it easier for students to learn songs.
“I’m not a music teacher, but I love singing and have always admired people who can play musical instruments. So, I learnt the basics of music and now I teach my students using a simple chord-based module,” she told Bernama.
Her approach has proven effective: the students can now play a variety of folk and modern songs, and the group even placed second in last year’s Malaysia Ukulele Song Competition (MUSC), and fifth this year out of 20 competing schools.
For Mastra, 32, the ukulele club is about more than just music. Through it, she has witnessed a positive change in the students’ attitudes – they are more eager to attend school and have become quicker learners in other subjects.
“Since we introduced music activities at SK Sayong Pinang, the students have become more excited to come to school – not just for the music, but because it makes school a fun place to be,” said Mastra, who receives support from Orang Asli artiste Alias Awang.
Originally from Rompin, Pahang, she said many students initially joined just to learn the ukulele. But, over time, the music sessions began to change their attitude towards learning.
“When they come for music, they stay at school. From there, they learn more than just music – they learn discipline, focus, and teamwork. Gradually, their attendance improved,” said Mastra, who has been teaching there since 2018.
Despite facing financial constraints at the start due to the high cost of musical instruments, Mastra remained undeterred. Today, the club has 23 ukuleles, thanks to donations from various parties.
They have also received numerous invitations to perform at community and ministry-organised events.
Mastra now focuses on highlighting Orang Asli cultural uniqueness and collaborates with SMK Linggiu to ensure her former pupils continue to play the ukulele when they move on to secondary school.
Meanwhile, Fiona Maylyana Azman, who joined the ukulele club in primary school, said taking part in competitions such as MUSC taught her about discipline and teamwork.
“I used to be shy and scared to perform on stage,” the 15-year-old, one of Koleh Buskers’ lead players, said. “But after many practices and performances, I got used to it. Now, I’m confident playing in front of crowds.”