Hari Raya is a time when Muslims come together to enjoy the month-long celebrations. But for MR Syaryan Ruzaini, 19, the month opens up old wounds. Last year, during the third week of the festive period, his father, MrAhmad Ruzizad Mohammad Isa, died from heart attack. He was 47.
The loss of his family's sole breadwinner meant Mr Syaryan, a first year nursing student at Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP), had to work on weekends, time that he could spend on his studies.
Then NTUC Income stepped in. Under its new Future Development Programme, Mr Syaryan will receive a bursary of $3,000 a year to help with his family's expenses.
This programme is designed to help needy students from the polytechnics and the Institutes of Technical Education (ITE) with school fees and living expenses, so they can focus on their education. 1,000 needy students from polytechnics will receive $3,000 annually while those from ITE will each receive $1,800. These bursaries will be given over out over three years. Students whose monthly per capita income is below $560 are eligible for the bursary and can apply through their respective schools.
NTUC Income will also offer financial literacy lessons and provide internships and contract jobs to the students to help in their personal and career development.
Thoughts:
- A bursary that comes with financial literacy lessons and opportunities for internship is very helpful for low income families! Students from such families tend to have lesser social mobility and exposure to connections that can be useful for their employment opportunities. This move will therefore help these students get a head start, and hopefully reduce the cycle of low income from repeating!
Thoughts anyone?
Yours,
Something Small Thinking Big
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