Education aid for students from minority groups

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/8/6/sarawak/6807426&sec=sarawak

Friday August 6, 2010

Education aid for students from minority groups

By DIANA ROSE
drose@thestar.com.my


THE Sarawak Skills Development Centre (PPKS) has offered academic aid amounting to RM1mil to 40 students from minority groups, including three Penans from Ulu Baram, to take up courses in Miri.

The Penan students are Gelawat Madun, 18, from Long Latei, Martin Willy Paren, 21, from Long Luteng and Alex Wang, 21, from Long Win.

Gelawat will take up a course in graphics while Martin and Willy will pursue a Mechatronics course.

The cost of the journeys from their villages to PPKS in Lutong and their registration fees were borne by a Good Samaritan from Kuala Lumpur identified only as Tan.

Gelawat said that Tan had helped him and other fellow Penans when they were in school.

“He has a good heart,” said Gelawat.

PPKS executive director Baharudin Abdullah told a press conference yesterday the students were the second batch from minority groups sponsored by the centre.

He said the first batch of 106 students, of whom 18 were Penans, was recruited in June last year. They received sponsorship totalling nearly RM3mil.

He said the money was from a Federal grant channelled to the State Planning Unit.

Sarawak is the only state that gets this education aid for minority-group students to acquire technical skills in various fields of expertise.

Among the courses offered at PPKS are those in plantation management, graphics, tourism, electrical, mechatronics and electronics.

The students will undergo a two-year course with their tuition and allowance fees fully paid by the Government.

Of the remaining 37 sponsored students in the second batch, 11 were Kenyah, six Kayan, two Kelabit, four Lun Bawang, one Murut, one Suluk, one Kajang, four Kedayan, two Berawan, one Sino-Iban, one Sekapan, one Bisaya, one Batak and three Penan. Another one is yet to register.