Semenyih: Eco World Foundation welcomed the new year with its UPSR Excellence Awards Ceremony celebrating the achievements of UPSR top scorers under the Eco World Foundation Students Aid Programme (SAP).
This year, the awards will recognise 169 students with ceremonies held in five different states of Johor (8 January), Selangor (16 January), Sabah (22 January), Kedah (30 January) and Penang (30 January).
Chairman of Eco World Foundation Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said in his speech that the Board of Trustees decided to organise a more intimate awards ceremony this year so that the Foundation could interact better with its adopted students and their parents.
Congratulating the 44 students in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Pahang for receiving awards for their excellent performance in last year’s UPSR examinations, Lee said the Foundation was delighted to be hosting the awards ceremony in an EcoWorld Gallery.
Ten students received awards in the Excellence Awards category, 16 in the Outstanding Awards category and 18 in the Most Improved Awards category.
Seven teachers were also recognised with the Teachers Award for their vital role in guiding students in the UPSR examination while Sekolah Kebangsaan Puchong Jaya, Selangor was recognised as the Best School for its efforts in supporting the Foundation and the SAP.
“The UPSR Excellence Awards is held every year to encourage our students to work hard and is also a show of commitment from the Foundation that we will continue in our mission to support and assist those in need to achieve their dreams,” said Lee.
The evening saw each student receiving a Malay-English dictionary and a motivational book titled “A+B=C Attitude + Behaviour = Character” along with cash prizes of RM200, RM150 and RM100 respectively, according to various categories.
Sharing a little more about the SAP, which is the main focus of the Foundation, Lee said this programme was conceptualised to assist students from low income families regardless of race or creed.
The holistic approach of the SAP addresses every aspect of a student’s educational requirement, from equipping them for the new school year and arranging meals in school to funding their school and tuition fees.
Primary students receive RM1,100 to RM1,200 a year while secondary students receive RM1,000 to RM1,600 annually. Meanwhile, pre-university students receive RM5,000 while foundation level students receive RM6,500 yearly. Degree students receive RM8,000 to RM14,500 yearly for their studies.
Lee was proud to share that seven students under the SAP have graduated with degrees from institutions of higher learning while 21 others are in university.
“It is my ardent wish that the Foundation reaches out to more students in the coming years. While we place importance on examination results, we also hope that our students will grow to be responsible adults and contribute to society and the country,” said Lee.
Under the SAP, attention is also given to the personal development of every student with frequent home visits conducted by the Foundation to check on home life and to give parents moral support.
Dialogue sessions are also held with parents twice a year. This gives parents a platform to voice out problems or challenges they face and to gather feedback on areas of improvement for the programme.
Lee said the full support of parents was important to ensure the success of SAP and encouraged them to make time for their children. “We need to set a good example for our students to follow,” he added.
The awards ceremony was also attended by Eco World Development Group Berhad Chairman Tan Sri Liew Kee Sin and Eco World Foundation Trustees, Tan Sri Radzi Bin Sheikh Ahmad and Mr Philip Mathews.