Children from SK Kapulu in Tenom receiving aid from FOL.
FORCES of Love (FOL) for Educare 2023/24 has concluded its second phase of distributing essential school items to needy children in interior Sabah in a 12-day expedition in Keningau, Tenom, Nabawan and Kudat.
A total of 3,567 primary schoolchildren benefitted from the programme, including four Orang Asli schools in peninsular Malaysia.
Sabah State Education Department (school management sector) deputy director Abidin Marjan said 70% of schools in Sabah were located in the interiors and the rest in urban areas.
“Children from interior areas require lots of assistance from the public due to the low socio-economic status of the families.
“Direct distribution of essential school items to these areas namely Tenom, Keningau, Nabawan, Pensiangan and Kudat is truly a noble effort by FOL as the hilly terrains are highly challenging due to the lack of proper roads.
“For example, SK Rundum, SK Sumambu, SK Kapulu and SK Kolorok are located way up in the highlands in Tenom and accessible only via off-road transportation.
“Likewise, SK Pangi is only reachable via limited train services twice a day as there are no roads and river crossing is prohibited.
“The team is also donating new chairs and tables to SK Penontomon and SK Babalitan,” he added.
FOL for Educare is a collaboration between the local district state education offices and Sabah Education Department.
To-date, 94 schools and 13,139 pupils in Sabah have benefitted since the programme’s inception in 2015, which is 75% of the total 17,355 pupils nationwide.
Abidin hoped that the programme could be expanded in the near future with the involvement of the local district education offices and Sabah Education Department in a more systematic and organised manner.
Similarly, a pilot project to motivate rural children in using English under the theme “English for Life” will be introduced in the new school term, he said.
“I would like to thank all donors, sponsors, volunteers and everyone who have contributed significantly to the programme.
“I welcome the group to collaborate on all future programmes in Sabah’s district schools.
“This programme is about the development of mankind to be better humans by motivating the children and spreading the seeds of love.
“We are Sabahans and we come together as one big family in making Malaysia a better nation,” he added.
Thirty-six schools were selected from the ministry based on the extreme poverty ratio category of rural schools for the 2023/24 school term.
Schools are selected based on a minimum of 85% pupils from households with a monthly income of below RM800.
Some schools record 100% below the minimum threshold.
Social economic activities in these areas are limited to small agriculture farming, fishing and odd-jobs.
To help the parents get by, their children are provided with school items such as uniform, shoes, socks, bag, raincoat, stationery, toys, tumbler, food container, dictionary, geometry set, colour pencils, books and food worth RM180 per set.
Different age groups were given different sets of items based on their needs.
The total cost exceeded RM550,000.
