600 students benefit from empower ECER academic programme

13 Oct 2022 04:19pm

Image for illustrative purposes only - 123RF

MERSING - Some 600 students have benefitted from the academic skills training program ‘empower ECER’ which is an initiative by the East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) with an allocation amounting to RM1.32 million this year.

ECERDC chief executive officer Datuk Baidzawi Che Mat said the 18-month programme that began in June involves 200 students from the B40 group in Besut district, Terengganu, and Kuala Krai, Kelantan besides Mersing.

"ECERDC is also focusing on improving the academic performance of the students from the B40 group so that they do not drop out and are instead able to continue studying at an institution of higher learning, which would eventually help change their family's future.

"Today we at ECERDC are also pleased to receive funds amounting to RM1.32 million from Yayasan Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) to finance the ‘empower ECER programme which is being implemented in the three districts,” he said.

Baidzawi said this when speaking at the ECERDC Human Capital Development Programme Appreciation Ceremony with SIRIM and Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin as well as the launch of the Petronas Foundation Empower ECER Academic Programme here which was officiated by Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.

Also present was State Secretary Tan Sri Azmi Rohani and State Tourism, Environment, Heritage and Culture Committee chairman K.Raven Kumar.

He said in conjunction with the launch, a total of seven secondary schools in the district were selected to receive collaboration certificates including Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Nitar, SMK Ungku Husin, SMK Felda Tenggaroh, SMK Tan Sri Abdul Kadir, SMK Mersing, SMK Anjung Batu and SMK Pai Chee.

Meanwhile, Baidzawi said ECERDC's main focus for the East Coast community is to increase household income and standard of living with the implementation of skills and entrepreneurship training programmes for the B40 group, graduates and unemployed youth as well as single mothers.

"Through the empower ECER skills and entrepreneurship training program, the participants are given theoretical and practical training, exposure to networking and digital marketing, as well as entrepreneurial skills that allow them to become entrepreneurs or even get a better job to help them get out of poverty,” he said.

He said the programme has benefited 330 participants in Mersing since 2018 under the ECER 2.0 Master Plan. - BERNAMA