[2026 | Malaysia Report 4: Penang Education Visit] Creating Schools that Foster Well-being: A Photo Report on the SCIPS Primary and Secondary School, an International School that Prioritizes 'Play that Nurtures the Heart'
Introduction
In the latter half of June 2026, I visited Penang, Malaysia, with my daughter, who is in her sixth year of elementary school, for the first time in two years!
We experienced a two-year mother-child study abroad program in Penang from 2022 to 2024.
My daughter attended a local international school, and
I became deeply interested in the new British school subject PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic education), SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) originating in the US, hypnotherapy, and mental well-being education practiced there.
(From that experience, I started a company that imports and sells the teaching materials and activities I encountered, which is now in its third year of operation, called Little Pineapple.)
During this revisit, I am interviewing local schools, educational environments, bookstores, and teaching material shops to see what changes and continuities can be observed after two years.
In this series, I will cover
Children's mental well-being
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic education)
Creating environments for play and learning
Education for coexistence in a multicultural society
I am reporting on the practices, teaching materials, and school culture I have seen and heard in Malaysian educational settings, focusing on themes such as these.
As a well-being education researcher, I am particularly interested in the question: 'How is an environment created where children can safely nurture their 'hearts' and be themselves?'
Along with the classroom curriculum, I would like to explore hints for education and child-rearing in Japan by focusing on various elements that work on a child's 'emotional growth,' such as the play environment, human relationships, school culture, and collaboration with parents.
This time, it is a report on St. Christopher's International School (SCIPS), where my daughter spent two years.
During the years my daughter was enrolled, from 2022 to 2024, this school was just beginning to focus on introducing the British play reform program 'OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning)'. This time, I am delivering a photo report on that.
What is OPAL?
The OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) educational program is a school improvement program developed by a UK non-profit organization in collaboration with researchers.With the philosophy of 'Every child has the right to excellent play opportunities every day', it emphasizes creating an environment where children can create their own play. It is an initiative that aims to foster physical and emotional health, resilience, creativity, and problem-solving skills through play.
Regaining the play that children lost during the COVID-19 pandemic
At a parent information session held at SCIPS in November 2023, it was explained as 'an initiative to regain the play, well-being, and social skills that children lost during the COVID-19 pandemic.'
In the external evaluation report for SCIPS, it is noted that the introduction of OPAL has had a significant impact on the children's social and emotional development and the overall atmosphere of the school. Furthermore, the school's proactive practice has been recognized, and it has been introduced as the third OPAL Platinum-accredited school outside the UK.
Over the three years from its introduction to this visit, what kind of joy and fun has the school's playtime fostered? I am presenting the situation with photos that are permitted for publication.
⭐ Tires, wood, sand, water, and natural materials—these turn into play that children can get absorbed in.
⭐ Spaces and time for play where they decide the rules, gather friends, and create things themselves. The sense of achievement and the smiles are there precisely because they created it themselves.
(It is a pity that it is difficult to post photos of the children, as photography and social media posting on regular school days are prohibited.)
⭐ On their official Facebook page, there was this reference video as a feature on play.
Furthermore, regarding this OPAL initiative, a book introducing everything from its theoretical background to concrete paths and examples of its implementation was published by Gakubunsha this March 2026.
The next report is scheduled for Friday, August 7th,
where I plan to explain this book, which introduces the Opal program in detail.
The intense heat continues in Japan, doesn't it?
Let's help each other, be creative, and make the most of this summer time.
August is almost here. Let's take care of ourselves!
