Realising the benefits of its NiE sponsorship to schoolchildren over the last three years, a property developer has decided to reinforce the exercise by increasing its contribution this year.
The previous years saw sponsorships of RM50,000 each for the The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (NiE) programme. This time, it has upped its contribution for the educational pullouts to RM60,000.
“NiE is a good programme. That’s why we are continuing our support,” said LBS managing director Tan Sri Lim Hock San, after handing a mock cheque to Star Media Group Berhad (formerly known as Star Publications (M) Bhd) group managing director and CEO Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai.
The sponsorship will benefit schools in the Klang Valley, Perak, Pahang and Johor where the group runs its operations.
Copies of The Star’s NiE and Step Up pullouts will be distributed to the selected schools from June to November this year.
The handing-over ceremony was held at SJKC Sungai Way, Selangor, a school that is close to Lim’s heart as it was his alma mater. It will be one of the schools that will be receiving the educational pullouts.
Lim said that the NiE and Step Up pullouts helped children in learning English.
“Although pupils in Chinese schools are equipped with Mandarin language skills, English is still very important as it can be used anywhere in the world,” he said.
Also at the event was Lim’s wife Puan Sri Karen Lim and SJKC Sungai Way headmistress Ng Yoke Ping.
Ng said that the Step Up pullout served as good enrichment exercises apart from the textbooks that were used in school.
“The pupils like it. The pullout provides a variety of activities, so pupils don’t feel bored. It is also good English reading material for the pupils,” she added.
The NiE pullout features newspaper-based activities designed to make English lessons fun and interactive for both students and teachers. Step Up, on the other hand, is a 24-page workbook that features Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese translation of English words.
Lim said that his father Datuk Seri Lim Bock Seng used to be on the school’s board of governors.
He said his father chose to have his 65th wedding anniversary at the school. A total of RM320,000 was donated by the Lim family to improve the school infrastructure. The school now has a better environment for pupils to study in.
In 2009, Lim took over his father’s position on the board and continued Bock Seng’s legacy of supporting the school.
The LBS Foundation was launched recently as a platform to channel charity funds. It focuses its goodwill in four main areas – education, community, environment and health.
[“source-thestar.com.my”]
