News
Getting a head start in learning IT
08 October 2012
An officer in the Kem Bestari programme briefing Johor Education Department head of schools sector management Abdul Aziz Redwan (middle) and Johor Port Berhad general manager of Corporate Service, Md Derick Basir (right).
JOHOR BAHRU, 8 0CT 2012 (NEW STRAITS TIMES) - MMC Corporation Bhd (MMC) and its subsidiary Johor Port Bhd recently contributed IT equipment worth some RM30,000 to 51 preschools in the Pasir Gudang area.
The contribution was handed out at the launch of the "Kem Bestari 1Malaysia Prasekolah" programme at the Universiti Kuala Lumpur campus in Bandar Seri Alam. This contribution is in line with with an initiative by the Education Ministry under a sub-sector for National Key Results Area aimed at making quality education accessible to all Malaysian children.
Children aged five to six from families with a per capita income of less than RM1,000 per month can participate in this preschool programme.
MMC director of finance Anwar Syahrin Ajib said one of MMC's corporate social responsibility objectives was to raise the standard of education of children, especially in areas where MMC's subsidiaries operate.
"MMC and its subsidiaries continuously support causes that help to enhance education. As a responsible corporate citizen, we are cognisant of the role education plays in the nation's continued economic success and how education is a springboard to a better quality of life.
"As such, a lot of our corporate social responsibility efforts are aimed at supporting the less-privileged and exposing them to the benefits of education." He said the company was pleased to support this early education programme and contribute the necessary IT equipment to the preschools.
"Integrating technology in classroom learning is a common practice nowadays and it is imperative that we do not deprive children of access to technology as this will help them acquire the skills they need to survive in a complex, knowledge-based environment," Anwar added.
"We hope our contribution will provide these children with a head start in their learning."
Also present were Johor Port corporate service senior general manager Md Derick Basir and MMC senior manager Delyana Nordin.
MMC and its group of companies have participated in education-related programmes such as sponsoring of newspapers to selected schools around the country, organising free English tuition classes, providing schooling aid to Orang Asli students and upgrading school facilities.
MMC is a utility and infrastructure group with interests in transport and logistics, energy and utilities and engineering and construction.