Axiata Foundation Launches Back To School Programme and All-Star Bestari Scholarship to Promote Equitable Education

by ACN Newswire

KUALA LUMPUR, Apr 13, 2023 - (ACN Newswire) -  Axiata Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Axiata Group Berhad, has launched two programmes under its Axiata Equity-In-Education Fund (AEiEF) earlier today. In line with its mission to provide education support and financial assistance to top-performing students from low-income backgrounds, Axiata Foundation's Back To School (BTS) 2023 Programme was unveiled in partnership with Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) and Sekolah Berasrama Penuh (SBP) as a means of widening the programme's reach nationwide. In addition, Axiata Foundation announced the launch of its All-Star Bestari Scholarship Programme (ASBS) for high-potential students from underprivileged families (B40) who wish to pursue their pre-university and undergraduate studies in local public institutions.

Encik Mohamad Kamal Nawawi (Chief Executive Officer of the Axiata Foundation), Dr Norisah Binti Suhaili (Deputy Director General of Education Malaysia (Operation Sector Malaysia)), Datin Dr Norrizan Razali (Member of the Board of Trustees), and Encik Noor Azizan Bin Abd. Hadi (Deputy Director of Sekolah Berasrama Penuh) [L-R]
AXIATA FOUNDATION'S BACK TO SCHOOL PROGRAMME

Axiata Foundation debuted its Back To School Programme in 2022, consisting of two phases. In phase one, Axiata Foundation spent RM250,000 to provide school supplies and cash assistance to 700 top- performing students from low-income families across 48 Maktab Rendah Sains MARA (MRSM) schools nationwide. In phase two, Axiata Foundation invited these select students to join its School Leadership Development Programme, valued at RM160,000, in an effort to create greater value and longer-lasting impact for them.

This year, Axiata Foundation is more than doubling its pledge for the BTS 2023 Programme. In phase one, Axiata Foundation will distribute a total of RM490,000 to 700 MRSM students and 700 SBP students across the nation in the form of providing essential school supplies worth RM250 and cash assistance worth RM100 per beneficiary. Meanwhile, in phase two, the identified students will be invited to participate in Axiata Foundation's School Leadership Development Programme (SLDP) and the Axiata Digital Leaders Programme (ADLP) later this year.

Both programmes, valued together at RM520,000, aim to equip the students with essential leadership skills and digital capabilities in order to develop them into effective leaders of the future and empower them as agents of positive change. Therefore, in 2023, Axiata Foundation's commitment to provide quality education in an inclusive and equitable manner has amounted to above RM1 million.

AXIATA FOUNDATION'S ALL-STAR BESTARI SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME

Axiata Foundation's long-standing dedication to nurturing young scholars has seen a renewed, and expanded, commitment. Since 2011, the Foundation has provided scholarships to top-performing secondary students in partnership with Kolej Yayasan Saad (KYS). The Foundation's support throughout these years will now be extended to pre-university and undergraduates with the launch of Axiata Foundation's All-Star Bestari Scholarship Programme.

This scholarship programme provides financial aid to high potential students from B40 communities to empower them in their pursuit and completion of their pre-university and undergraduate studies at local public institutions in Malaysia. ASBS will also provide these beneficiaries with structured interventions to nurture their personal and professional development in the spirit of the programme's motto "Scholarship Beyond Academics".

This year's instalment sees Axiata Foundation providing scholarships to 20 pre-university and 20 undergraduate beneficiaries. There will also be a reserve quota for specific marginalised groups such as Orang Asli and Persons with Disabilities (OKU), in line with the mission to provide inclusive and equitable education. Applications can be made through the Axiata Foundation website which will be open to the public on 10th May 2023.

FUTURE-PROOFING MALAYSIA THROUGH SOCIAL EMPOWERMENT

In equipping future generations of Malaysians, the Foundation fulfils its ethos to move successive generations of Malaysians up the social ladder. Responding to the recent call of the Government to provide more initiatives and education opportunities through Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET), Axiata Foundation aims to broaden its scholarship programme in the near future by paving the way for scholars pursuing education in TVET. The Foundation will also provide increased opportunities for Professional Certificates in technology and digital-core subjects such as Data Analytics, Software Development, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and others to develop future-ready digital leaders.

Axiata Foundation's CEO, Mohamad Kamal Bin Nawawi said "Axiata Foundation intends to benefit more students this year through Back To School, All-Star Bestari Scholarship Programme and to increase the allocation for both programmes for the benefit of less fortunate students. At Axiata Foundation, we are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with Ministry of Education, Majlis Amanah Rakyat, and the management of SBP and in providing assistance to these students in continuing their education."

"Through the Education pillar, Axiata Foundation also aims to nurture young generations with critical thinking skills to develop them into future digital leaders."

"Axiata Foundation is determined to continue playing an important role in the development of future corporate leaders and digital leaders of the country."

In addition to the Ministry of Education, MARA, MRSM and BPSPB representatives, 100 beneficiaries from MRSM and SBP were present during the launch event and received a mock cheque for their schools and a token of appreciation from Axiata Foundation.

"Thank you, Axiata Foundation, for the school supplies and for the valuable skills that I have gained from the leadership programme. Thank you for everything and I really hope that I can apply my learnings from the programme throughout my life journey," shared one of the SBP beneficiaries of Back To School 2023.

Axiata Foundation: www.axiata-foundation.com

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