ABOUT 1,000 former students and members of the public participated in the St Xaviers Institution (SXI) Run at Lebuh Farquhar in George Town today to help the school raise funds.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who officiated the event, commended the participants for supporting the event.
“I’m happy to see so many of you coming to support the school. You know that the school needs the community’s support besides the funding from the government. We’re happy that this run will be able to raise some funds for the school to organise its activities,” Chow said in his speech.
The event comprised two categories – the 10km and 5km.
After flagging off the SXI Run, Chow joined other VIPs to officiate the launch of the school’s Smart Board, which was set up about two months ago.
Also present were SXI principal Sim Hock Keat, state Youth and Sports Committee chairman Soon Lip Chee, Pulau Tikus assemblyman Chris Lee, Penang Island City Council councillor Gerald Mak Mun Keong (a former SXI student), SXI director Datuk Anthony Rogers and Parent-Teacher Association (PIBG) chairman Victor Tan.
Chow also said the run was a good activity to help mould the students’ character.
The Penang government, Chow added, has since 2009 been allocating funds to schools in Penang.
For this year, he said the funding has been extended to Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan, Sekolah Kebangsaan while the allocations for SJK (C) and SJK (T), missionary schools, Sekolah Agama Rakyat, Tamil Tadika and Punjabi schools would continue under the yearly budget.
Chow said the Penang Science Cluster and Penang Tech Dome are currently reaching out to schools in creating awareness on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education through the setting up of MakerLab.
“I have proposed that maybe for this year, allocations given by the state government can be utilised by schools which are ready to set up MakerLab.
“At the moment, there are several schools which are working with the Penang Science Cluster, the state government and also the industries which are supporting this initiative by providing technical expertise, donating equipment and providing trainers to this lab.
“We hope that through this initiative, schools in Penang will be able to cater to the talent needs of the state of Penang and encourage more students to take up STEM subjects so that they will continue to grow the industry here in Penang and in Malaysia.”
Story by Danny Ooi
Pix b Chan Kok Kuan
Video by Darwina Mohd Daud
