Above pic: State Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development, Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn, handing over the Back To School contributions to the headmaster of SK Goebilt at the auditorium of the Sarawak State Education Department here today.
KUCHING, 18 March: Yayasan PETRONAS contributed new sets of basic school supplies and personal hygiene kits to about 5,300 primary and secondary school students under its Back To School 2022 (BTS 2022) programme.
According to a press release from the foundation today, every student will receive a set of school uniform, a pair of black shoes, a classroom kit comprising a school bag, stationery, water bottle and lunch box, a hygiene kit containing face masks, a hand towel, a set of sports attire, activity notebook which incorporates lesson plans curated by Yayasan PETRONAS’ Program Duta Guru, and a geometry set for secondary school students.
The BTS 2022 packs were delivered to 30 District Education Offices (PPDs) in Kuching, Bau, Lundu, Samarahan, Simunjan, Serian, Padawan, Sri Aman, Lubok Antu, Betong, Saratok, Sarikei, Maradong, Kanowit, Sibu, Selangau, Mukah, Dalat, Daro, Kapit, Song, Julau, Bintulu, Tatau/Sebauh, Subis, Belaga, Miri, Baram, Limbang and Lawas, to be distributed to the selected students from 195 schools throughout Sarawak.
According to the General Manager of PETRONAS Sarawak, Zulaihi Mantali, during the launching of the BTS 2022 programme here today, PETRONAS is also reaching out to lower secondary students for the first time this year since the programme was launched in 2013.
“A total of 3,200 primary students from 143 schools and 2,100 secondary students from 52 schools in the State will soon receive the BTS 2022 items from Yayasan PETRONAS,” he said.
“More than 500,000 M40 households have fallen into the B40 category due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, cost of school necessities has also increased. Thus, we believe that the lower secondary school students should be assisted as well. We hope that our contributions will help ease the financial burden of parents and motivate the students to continue their studies.”
This year, a total of 36,000 B40 students across Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Penang, Perak, Perlis, Putrajaya, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor and Terengganu will benefit from the BTS 2022 programme, which will run from mid-March until April 2022.
The BTS programme is part of Yayasan PETRONAS’ education focus that is in line with the PETRONAS Sustainability Agenda and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. – TVS