Agent of innovation SK Seri Permai a pride to Penang, says CM Chow | Buletin Mutiara
AFTER being shortlisted for the World’s Best School Prize for the Innovation category, SK Seri Permai carries the hope of Penang as it eyes the big prize money and be named the champion in the competition.
It is learnt that the school had been participating in this programme in phases since January this year.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow regarded the primary school’s achievement in being shortlisted for the said category as a boost for Penang’s drive to spur innovation in education.
“This is also in line with the Penang2030 vision for a Family-Focused Green and Smart State that Inspires the Nation.
“The Penang2030 vision encompasses many categories that allow each one of us to participate and contribute relevantly.
“Teachers and students alike from SK Seri Permai have shown us how much they love Penang because, without a passion for the place you live in, it is impossible to embark on such a project.
“This is something that must be emulated by all the schools in Penang,” Chow said in his speech during a celebration to honour the school’s achievement at the school premises in Bayan Baru today.
The students invented the Smart and Easy Desk (SnET) 2.0 by adding lockable compartments to school desks, which led to bag weights dropping from 10kg to a mere 2.5kg.
This was to lighten the heavy school bags students have to lug around daily.
Chow reiterated that Penang has never neglected the need to prioritise education in the state.
“Until May last year, we have seen a total of four digital libraries already established in three districts in the state.
“Another initiative was when we introduced special tuition classes for children from needy families.
“I understand that this platform had been set up in each of the five state constituencies, benefitting 3,508 students from 2018 to May last year.
“During the Covid-19 pandemic, online classes were implemented to ensure classes went on although it was done in a rather different approach,” Chow said.
He also said that Penang would continue to prioritise STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) learning and emphasise its importance for a brighter and more successful future for the students.
The five World’s Best School Prizes, founded last year by T4 Education in collaboration with Yayasan Hasanah, Accenture, American Express, and the Lemann Foundation, are the world’s most prestigious education prizes.
During the event, Chow and Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin jointly announced their contribution of RM80,000 each, totalling RM160,000 towards improving the school’s facilities.
Another school, Sekolah Kebangsaan Kanchong Darat, Banting, Selangor, is in the Top 10 shortlist for the World’s Best School Prize for the Supporting Healthy Lives programme.
The two schools stand to win part of the US$250,000 (RM1.16mil) prize, to be equally shared among winners of the five prizes, with each receiving US$50,000 (RM231,300).
Also present during the event earlier were state Entrepreneurial Development, Trade and Industry Committee chairman Datuk Abdul Halim Hussain, and SK Seri Permai principal Mohammad Sabarullah Shaik Ismail.
Story by Kevin Vimal
Pix by Siti Nuratikah Rahmat