Thursday, April 19, 2012

ECER’s Empower Kemaman programme yields positive results

KEMAMAN (April 6, Friday): The East Coast Economic Region (ECER)’s Empower Kemaman programme has yielded positive results in producing high performing students and successful entrepreneurs since its launch in the district last year. Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said explained all 422 students from the district, who participated in the programme, achieved 100% passes in their UPSR, PMR and SPM examinations respectively. He said 90 from the total participants were top achievers.

Well done: Ahmad Said presenting awards certificate to one of the Empower Bentong’s SPM best students during the Program Juara Empower Kemaman event recently while ECERDC chief executive officer Datuk Jebasingam Issace John (left) looks on


The dancing princesses of SMK Kijal performed a Malay folk dance.

“Within less than a year, the programme has already shown impressive results in terms of academic achievement. “This is in line with the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) which aspires to create a high-income society among all Malaysians in the country,” he said in his speech before presenting awards to the 90 students. Ahmad said the programme consisted of the Academic Training Programme for students as well as skills and entrepreneurship training programme for youths and adults who are looking for jobs or planning to start their own businesses. “Participants for the academic training programme were chosen among average and weak students with below-average academic performance. “They were given tuition classes and motivational guidance by the programme facilitators,” he said adding that, 24% of the total participants have recorded excellent results, thus exceeding the original target of 20%. 


Meanwhile, for the entrepreneurship programme, Ahmad said some 500 participants have signed up for various courses such as Make-up and Grooming, Bakery, Sewing and Fashion Design, Hairstyling, Wiring and Piping Installation. “A total of 278 participants or 56% of the total participants have already secured jobs or started their own business. “These participants are now earning additional income of up to RM1,500 a month, with some of them earning even more,” he said. He added that 17 of the participants, who earned more than RM1,500 a month were currently working or conducting businesses from home, while another eight have opened their own shops.

thestar.com.my