From e-learning to e-commence – that is part of Petaling Jaya Residents Association (MyPJ) plan to help the community at Desa Mentari.
On Wednesday, 100 children from the area received android tablets courtesy of Deloitte and free 40GB Internet data from YTL Foundation.
The move is to make it possible for the children to have e-learning given the Covid-19 pandemic which is going to be around for several months more.
Education Minister Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin said on Wednesday for now, only 500,444 students from government and international schools who are sitting for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia, Sijil Vokasional Malaysia, Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia, Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia and international examinations of equal standard – need to return to school.
Dr Radzi said online learning will continue for students who are not sitting for exams.
MyPJ chairman Jeffrey Phang said having Internet access will make it possible to teach the students about entrepreneurship courses and hopefully help some of them get involved in e-commerce or other forms of business.
“There is an old saying: ‘Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime’. This holds true with e-learning,” said Phang.
“The first step is ensuring the children get a better education. We have seen how some people from the B40 rise up to the T20 simply because of a good education.
“We are also hoping to introduce some online entrepreneurship courses for these 100 children.
“This programme is all about empowering them. If we can give them the tools to become business owners, online or otherwise, good for them.”
He added MyPJ is grateful to Deloitte and YTL Foundation for sponsoring the android tablets and 4G SIM cards as easy access to education will help the children and their families.
Phang said the B40 community in Desa Mentari has benefited from Deloitte’s involvement in the community since last year via its corporate social responsibility programme – Deloitte KidsEdu.
“Their staff have been providing tuition to 45 of the Desa Mentari students. Now with the android devices and 4G Yes SIM cards, we can expand the programme to 55 more children.”
He added MyPJ has also started a soup kitchen in the area and is trying to get many of them involved in the project.
Deloitte chief executive officer Yee Wing Peng and YTL Foundation programme director Datin Kathleen Chew, who were present at the presentation, said they share the same ambition – to make education accessible to all.
Deloitte KidsEdu is part of its global initiative to impact 50 million futures by 2030.
Launched in June 2019 and supported by MyPJ, Deloitte Malaysia’s team of volunteers run weekly English classes for about 120 primary school students from the ages of seven to 12 in two B40 communities – Desa Mentari and Sri Pantai.
The programme has now reached Penang where its English and Science classes are offered to students at MPKK (Majlis Pegurusan Komuniti Kampung) Bukit Gelugor.
To find out more about YTL Foundation’s Learn From Home Initiative and to register for the FrogPlay mobile revision quiz app, and lessons in English, Mathematics and Science (Year 1 to Form 5), visit YTL Foundation.
