SHAH ALAM: The Selangor Zakat Board (LZS) continues to empower its education development plans for the second generation of asnaf families to help them escape the clutches of poverty.
LZS Strategic Asnaf Development Division deputy head Mohd Nurhisyam Shamsir said it had been encouraging the group to be more independent and not rely solely on zakat assistance.
He said the second generation of asnaf had the potential to change the fate of the group if they are given educational opportunities, a conducive learning environment as well as provided relevant skills.
He added that LZS through the division had been organising programmes related to the development of education among asnaf with a total allocation of RM75 million this year.
“We see that education plays an important role because it is related to aspects of the social community. If they have the abilities or skills, they will have a brighter future,“ he told Bernama.
Mohd Nurhisyam said the educational development programme for the second generation of asnaf is divided into two categories, namely primary and secondary school level and students of higher education institutes (IPT).
At the school level, LZS provides facilities such as the Baitul Hasanah Complex in Kampung Perepat, Klang, which is a hostel for asnaf children in Selangor.
In addition, LZS also has an innovation and learning centre called Al-Biruni Zakat Selangor, which is a collaboration of its strategic partner ADAB Youth Garage (AYG) with the People’s Housing Project (PPR) in Lembah Subang 1, Petaling Jaya and PPR Pangsapuri Enggang, Puchong as well as a shoplot in Pekan Tanjong Karang, Tanjong Karang to help children who drop out of school.
In order to further strengthen education empowerment at that level, he said LZS is planning to resume the Sekolah Angkat Zakat Selangor (PROSAZ) programme in collaboration with the Selangor Education Department (JPS) and the District Education Offices (PPD).
“We are targeting two schools, primary and secondary schools, in each district in Selangor to participate in this programme with a total allocation of approximately RM1.5 million and they will run relevant programmes such as motivational programmes, tuition and so on,“ he said.
Meanwhile, Mohd Nurhisyam said LZS had been sponsoring more than 20,000 asnaf students studying locally and abroad since 2010 and more than 7,000 students are currently funded through the Bantuan Dermasiswa Pengajian Tinggi programme.
He added that LZS would redouble its efforts to deal with the issue of school dropouts and literacy due to the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) which had changed the learning landscape.
“Therefore, part of our planning from next year until 2025 is dedicated to dealing with the matter as an intervention step before it becomes a national issue,“ he said. - Bernama
