Negri MB urges firms to help boost school attendance through CSR programmes

SEREMBAN: The Negri Sembilan government wants to work with companies to help needy students and at the same time reduce truancy and absenteeism in schools, says Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun.

The Mentri Besar said his administration, through state agency Invest NS, hopes to work with industry players through their respective corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes.

Invest NS was established to help investors set up new projects or expand existing operations in the state.

"Although the rate of absenteeism in the state is about 8%, we want to reduce this to zero.

"Children should be attending school regularly or they will be left behind in this increasingly competitive environment," he said after launching Kellanova's "Breakfast for Better Days" programme at SK Tekir at the Kg Tekir Orang Asli village in Labu near here on Friday (Nov 10).

Aminuddin said these industries can "adopt" schools, especially those located near them or in rural areas.

They can help students in many ways such as providing meals, offering incentives to attend school, rewards for academic excellence and through joint programmes with district Education offices.

He said by doing so, they would also be investing in human capital development and character building.

"It will be good if they (industries) can give us this commitment and do their bit for society.

"Who knows, the student from the school you have been helping will one day be holding an important position in your company," he said.

Aminuddin also commended Kellanova, a US multinational food manufacturing company operating at Bandar Enstek near here since 2013, for holding the year-long programme.

He said it had helped increase attendance at the 77-year-old school, which has an enrolment of 100 pupils from the Orang Asli community.

Attendance has increased to some 70% now from a low of 30%.

Earlier, plant director Matan Raj said through the programme, the company provides breakfast such as cereal to the students to motivate them to come to school.

He said this was also part of the company's "Better Days Promise" initiative, which includes nourishing people with its food products and feeding those in need.

"We picked this school after we learnt of the problem of truancy and absenteeism.

"Apart from the breakfast programme, Kellanova has also been rewarding pupils who attend school regularly, those who excel academically and hold lucky draws where we among others give them bicycles," he said adding that it had also organised fun learning and interactive programmes with the participation of parents and teachers.

Matan said although the initial plan was to hold the programme for one year, the company was prepared to continue with it in the coming years.