MEDC and YBR’s contribution to education lauded

nabalunews

21 March 2025

KOTA BELUD: Representatives from 28 primary schools and three secondary schools congregated at the Kadamaian Square Open Hall to receive a total of RM220,000 in assistance from Yayasan Bank Rakyat (YBR).

During the event, Datuk Ewon Benedick, the Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (MEDC), along with Datuk Phillip Lasimbang, Chairman of YBR, were present to distribute the funds to the respective school principals and heads of or representatives of the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA).

The principal of SK Pekan II Kota Belud, Jainol Sair, said, “We are very grateful to Datuk Ewon Benedick and YBR for the donation of RM10,000 to the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) and another RM10,000 for the Special Education (PPKI) class.”

“With this contribution, the school plans to organise appropriate activities for the needs of the children. In special education, there are 89 students, with five teachers who have special qualifications to educate children with autism and learning difficulties. Eighty percent of the students of the special class comprise of slow learners. Initially, there were only 12 students facing learning difficulties, but this number has increased due to greater awareness of these issues.”

“Our school has 1200 students,” he said.

Meanwhile, the PTA representative, Jantony Gambis, expressed heartfelt gratitude for the generous contribution, stating, "The PTA is immensely thankful for this support. With these funds, we can organise a range of programmes that will significantly benefit our children. We are excited to hold activities designed to enhance their development, whether through educational workshops, extracurricular projects, or community engagement initiatives. Our aim is to create an enriching environment that supports their growth and well-being."

Alizas Linggam the principal of SK Kinasaraban echoed his counterparts saying, "We wish to express our heartfelt gratitude to Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick and YBR for their generous financial support. We are truly appreciative, as this contribution will greatly assist us in our activities.”

“The total amount received is RM15,000, with RM5,000 allocated to the main school and RM10,000 designated for the special class. This assistance will be fully utilised to finance educational programmes and other future activities. We sincerely hope that YBR will continue to provide such generous support in the years to come."

Soo Yong Huat, the Principal of SMK Narinang, expressed his immense happiness upon receiving the contribution from the Minister and YBR, stating, "We received a donation of RM10,000 specifically for the school to enhance academic performance, and we will utilise this money to the best of our ability for programmes in the curriculum.”

“Additionally, the donation for special education will also help improve academic performance by providing the necessary facilities. We would like to extend our thanks to YBR, led by Datuk Phillip Lasimbang and we hope that this support will continue in the coming years. We are incredibly grateful to Datuk Ewon also for his kind attention."

Jakunis Gindua, the Head of the PTA at SK Nahaba, expressed her heartfelt gratitude for the donation of RM5,000, emphasising that these funds will be fully utilised to help the students improve their academic performance. She highlighted the vital role that such contributions play in enhancing the educational experience and ensuring that the students have the resources they need to succeed in their studies.

Earlier, during his address, the Minister stated that the provision of assistance began in 2023 and has been implemented annually under the National Look East Policy (KUSKOP Perspective).

“I hope this can aid schools, teachers, and Parent-Teacher Associations in fulfilling the whole-of-government approach to developing the nation’s education sector,” he remarked, adding that in addition to entrepreneurship and cooperative development, he is also focusing on the field of education.

“Education is one of our additional agendas alongside the agenda for entrepreneurship and cooperatives, aiming to eradicate poverty through educational and entrepreneurial initiatives that we are currently undertaking,” he said.

Ewon, who is also the Chancellor of the Malaysian Cooperative Entrepreneurship University (UKKM), shared offerings for study programmes and scholarships for students wishing to pursue their studies at the university.

Also present at the event were the Chairman of YBR, Datuk Philip Lasimbang, the Chief Executive Officer of YBR, Syaiful Rizal Abdul Ghani, and the District Officer of Kota Belud, Peter Jiton.