TANJUNG KARANG: The big challenge for teachers is not simply getting students to read – it’s getting them to enjoy it too. An attractive reading environment is key towards cultivating a reading habit amongst children. To encourage the students of SJK (C) Bagan Pasir to pick up the reading habit, the EcoWorld Foundation Volunteers Club helped the school set up a Resource Centre. On top of that, the volunteers club also helped to beautify the school’s surroundings with two mural paintings.

The unveiling of the Resource Centre and murals were done by Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, Chairman of Eco World Foundation. In his speech, Lee said education gives us a knowledge of the world around us and the ability to make a change for the better.

“It develops in us a perspective of looking at life. It helps us build opinions and have points of view on things in life,” he added. Lee thanked the school for giving the Foundation and its volunteers a chance to do something for the school. Lee added that at the same time, it was a good platform for the Group to encourage its staff to do their bit in Corporate Social Responsibility.

Ms Tee Ah Eng, Headmistress of SJK (C) Bagan Pasir thanked the Foundation and its volunteers who had spent several days in the school, drawing the murals and setting up the Resource Centre. Fifteen volunteers spent two days to complete two sets of murals.

The headmistress shared that although SJK (C) Bagan Pasir was a small-sized school in Tanjung Karang, its students are not only from Tanjung Karang but come from as far as Kuala Selangor and its surrounding areas. According to Tee, the school has scored excellent UPSR result in past and the setting up of a new Resource Centre and murals will make the learning environment more lively and interesting.

Lee shared that this was not the first time the Foundation had come to assist SJK (C) Bagan Pasir. Earlier in March, the Foundation had donated 30 sets of tables and chairs to the school.

The idea of setting up a Resource Centre in a school was first mooted under the ‘Bookworm Project’ – a CSR effort by a group of senior managers of Eco World Development Group Berhad under the EcoWorld Leadership Development Programme.

“It was a natural progression for the Foundation to adopt this idea and implement it in one of the schools that we were familiar with,” said Lee.

In setting up the Resource Centre, the Bookworm Project committee decided on a design that was different from the usual library set up. They wanted to offer an environment that was more cozy and comfortable. The committee worked on the design and also managed to get a furniture company, Insato Furniture Sdn Bhd to sponsor more than 60% of the furniture cost in the Resource Centre.

The Bookworm Project committee also organised a Book Donation Drive among EcoWorld staff and purchasers. Almost 400 books was collected during this drive.

Lee said he was proud of Team EcoWorld in initiating this project and that the handing over of the Resource Centre was not the end of the relationship with SJK (C) Bagan Pasir. The Bookworm Project committee has also planned to conduct periodic reading and storytelling sessions with the students.

Also present at the meaningful event today was Dato’ S. Rajoo, Chief Operating Officer of Eco World Development Group Berhad, Dato’ Captain (Rtd) Liew Siong Sing, CEO of Eco World Foundation, Mr Shaun Chong, the director of Insato Furniture Sdn Bhd.