KUALA LUMPUR: Students have been encouraged not to view family struggles as obstacles to their dreams but to use them as motivation for achieving success and building a better future.
Prime Minister’s wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, said that in today’s challenging environment, especially with the rising cost of living, education plays a crucial role in changing one’s fate and helping families climb out of poverty.
“Without proper education, it can be challenging for these children to build a brighter future or secure better jobs to support their families, many of whom are from low-income or urban poor backgrounds,” she said in her speech at the Early Education Assistance handover ceremony at the Kuala Lumpur City Hall Training Institute here today.
A total of 200 students received the aid, comprising top achievers in the 2023 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination who had participated in SPM workshops organised by Bandar Tun Razak Parliament and the Bank Rakyat Foundation.
Dr Wan Azizah, who is also Bandar Tun Razak Member of Parliament, said the assistance aims to support underprivileged students in pursuing higher education.
She added that each student received RM500, with a total of RM100,000 disbursed.
“I hope this assistance will be used wisely to further your education to higher levels. Seize this opportunity and study hard,” she said, expressing hope that more foundations or corporate companies would come forward to contribute.
Meanwhile, Dr Wan Azizah said that approximately 230 heads of households were registered in the eKasih system through the Bandar Tun Razak Parliamentary Hardcore Poverty Eradication Programme last year.
“These registered households do not include middle-income families who also require support, especially for their children’s education. I believe many of these families, whether poor or middle-income, have children who excel in their studies,” she added.
