(From left) Star Media Group Berhad senior general manager Elicia Wee, SK Tengkera 2 headmistress Nurshakina Ahmad Halidin, TNB chief retail officer Kamal Arifin A. Rahman, TNB Melaka retail head Mariati Che Omar and TNB customer communication and stakeholder liaison head Lee Lim Bee Yoke at the 'Powering The Future' school engagement series Melaka edition launch held at SK Tengkera 2 in Klebang, Melaka. – KAMARUL ARIFFIN/TheStar
TNB’s ‘Powering The Future’ programme makes its debut in Melaka
MELAKA: Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) is championing safety and conservation with its latest educational initiative aimed at teaching students about responsible electricity usage.
The company has rolled out its “Powering the Future” school engagement series, focusing on young learners to instil habits of energy efficiency and safety.
In collaboration with the Melaka Education Department and strategic media partner Star Media Group (SMG), TNB has brought the programme to Melaka, with the official launch held at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Tengkera 2 on Aug 12.
The initiative, spearheaded by TNB’s chief retail officer Kamal Arifin A. Rahman, was attended by key figures including TNB’s Melaka retail head Mariati Che Omar, SK Tengkera 2 headmistress Nurshakina Ahmad Halidin and SMG senior general manager Elicia Wee.
SK Tengkera 2 is the 31st school to participate in the programme and the final school for the “Powering The Future” Melaka edition.
Educating future generation
SK Tengkera 2 students actively participating in the interactive sessions conducted by Make A Difference facilitators.
The programme, which debuted in the Klang Valley last year, has expanded nationwide this year, covering six states including Negri Sembilan, Johor, Perak, Penang, Selangor and Melaka.
Kamal highlighted that 61 schools across the country are targeted for the programme, which aims to promote safe and efficient electricity use among students.
“Our goal is to ensure that children use electricity wisely and avoid wastage while prioritising safety to prevent any accidents.
“Children are the best advocates and we want to expose them from a young age in order for them to conserve these values as they grow older. We trust that these sessions will become common practice,” he said at the launch.
TNB also hopes through such programmes, which are designed with an intriguing learning approach, that the children can have fun while gaining a better understanding of their role in maintaining and protecting the environment for a more sustainable future.
Students from SMK Ade Putra engage in an activity to optimise household electricity usage.
The approach is also meant to broaden the student’s knowledge of optimum energy consumption practices as well as make them understand the need to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels, thus lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
TNB’s emphasis on programmes such as this is crucial in educating the future generation about the energy sector.
The “Powering The Future” school engagement series is part of the Malaysia Energy Literacy Programme (MELP), launched by the former Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Ministry.
It aims to enhance public understanding of the energy sector, the importance of energy transition into renewable energy sources and the role of environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles in the energy industry, as part of achieving global sustainability.
The event at SK Tengkera 2, which ended at noon, saw the participation of 85 pupils from Standard Four to Standard Six.
Among the activities on the day included informative sessions and interactive workshops focused on electricity safety and conservation.
SMK Dato Abdul Rahman Ya’kub students hard at work during one of the interactive activities as part of the ‘Powering The Future’ programme.
These activities, conducted by facilitators from Make A Difference (MAD), were designed to be both entertaining and educational, stimulating students’ awareness of energy efficiency.
A ripple effect
Since the series’ launch in 2023, TNB has also received positive feedback from parents, recording an increased cautious approach to energy usage and reduced electricity wastage at home.
“Parents have reported that their children are more mindful of their electricity use, leading to lower monthly bills after participating in the programme,” Kamal said.
He added that the children are the future decision-makers in ensuring the nation’s energy efficiency and smart lifestyle transition.
Meanwhile, Nurshakina said she was thankful that the event was held at her school and would benefit the teachers and pupils.
A student from SK Gangsa designing a poster to highlight the importance of saving electricity.
She praised TNB’s effort as a valuable educational tool that supports teachers in teaching energy-saving practices.
Nurshakina also expressed hope for continued collaboration on similar programmes in the future, as these activities will empower the students to optimise energy usage and promote sustainability in their homes and communities.
“We thank the stakeholders for allowing us to host this series to engage our teachers and pupils,” she said.
The other participating schools for the Melaka edition of the “Powering The Future” programme include Sekolah Kebangsaan Pulai, Sekolah Kebangsaan Gangsa, Sekolah Kebangsaan Merlimau Dua, Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Rambai, Sekolah Kebangsaan Simpang Empat, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Ade Putra, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Pernu, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Dato Abdul Rahman Ya’kub, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sultan Alauddin and Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Datuk Bendahara.
