IT was a happy occasion for 30 ITE students and their parents on 21 October 2009, as each of the students were awarded $1,000 in bursaries from Temasek Cares.

Through the bursary, the non-profit philanthropic organisation aims to encourage promising ITE students from low-income families to progress and excel in their studies. Temasek Cares was launched by Temasek Holdings in June 2009.

Nurturing Youths Through Education
Temasek Cares Chairman, Mr Richard R Magnus, said: “Temasek Cares’ support of the bursary awards is closely aligned to our aim of building students for life. I am glad that we are partnering ITE to nurture young people through education and training for employability skills.”

One of the recipients, Nur Farmiela Sedek, 19, planned to use the bursary for her second-year project in the Higher Nitec in Early Education course.

Another student, 26-year-old Muhammad Dzulkhairi Karsani, was also thankful for the bursary, which would come in handy for a course in airbrush painting. “With this course, I can combine my skills with the computer skills which are taught,” said the Nitec in Digital Media Design student, who hoped to contribute back to ITE as a lecturer in future.

The inaugural bursary awards will benefit ITE students, who are Singapore citizens, with gross monthly household per capita income of more than $500 but less than or equal to $600. There are currently more than 600 of such students in ITE.

In addition to good academic performance, the recipients must possess good character and sound values, and have been identified as potential leaders who can contribute
to society.

Some of these students now support themselves through part-time work. The bursary awards are expected to relieve the students of their financial burdens, and allow them to stay focused on their studies.

Mr Bruce Poh, Director & CEO, ITE, welcomed the financial assistance from Temasek Cares and believed that it would encourage ITE students to continue to work hard.

“We have never had any students who dropped out of ITE because of financial problems. We have enough financial aids and the assistance from Temasek Cares forms another avenue to help the students,” said Mr Poh.