MDIS awarded bursaries and scholarships of over $250,000 to 400 studentsPress Releases
MDIS awarded bursaries and scholarships of over $250,000 to 400 students
Singapore, May 27, 2019 – A total of 400 students from special education schools, secondary schools, junior colleges, polytechnics, and Institutes of Technical Education were awarded the Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS) bursaries and scholarships ranging from $400 to $25,000 in value each. The bursaries and scholarships disbursed amounted to $257,120, and were presented to the recipients in a ceremony held on 25 May 2019.
MDIS continues to increase its bursaries for special education (SPED) schools this year, awarding a total of 37 students from 13 different SPED schools. “No one for reasons based on societal background, physiological impairment or financial impediment should be denied access to education. This is our cardinal belief,” said Dr Eric Kuan, President of the MDIS Governing Council.
Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing, presented the bursaries and scholarships, as Guest of Honour for the first award ceremony. In encouragement of the awardees, he said, “We hope that you’ll be able to maximise your potential regardless of your station in life, that you too will pay it forward and allow someone else in the next generation to similarly realise their potential.”
Two awardees, Mohamed Amirul Bin Abdullah, 15 years old, and John Lim, 16 years old, were given the MDIS Special Bursary of $5,000 each, in consideration of their exceptionally challenging family situations which could force them out of school without timely financial assistance. Suffering from dyslexia, John faces learning difficulty. His family has no regular income as his mother is unfit for work due to failing health. He also has a sister with special needs.
For Amirul, he was brought up by his 64-year-old step-father following the loss of his mother to breast cancer. Amirul also has to take care of his siblings who are now 6 and 10 years old. Despite facing deteriorating health, Amirul’s step-father works as a part-time cleaner with a monthly income of about $800. “I’m grateful for this special bursary because it takes one worry off my step-father’s mind in having to provide for my school fees and education expenses. He always encourages me to study hard. I hope one day I can really graduate from university so I can find a stable job and make him proud,” said Amirul positively.
MDIS Merit Scholarship recipient Sun Qiao Chu, 24 years old, tells an inspiring story of a committed lifelong learner. Diagnosed with Neuromyelitis Optica, a central nervous system disorder which primarily affects the eye nerves and the spinal cord, Qiao Chu suffers from eyesight loss, mobility, speech and facial muscle impediment since the age of 14. Despite her conditions, she is determined to keep learning, “I have a passion for knowledge and will not allow myself to give up because of my medical condition. I will keep pushing myself and I believe I can achieve a lot more.” With the scholarship, Qiao Chu plans to enrol for a degree programme in Psychology as she hopes to become a counsellor or be involved in social work in the near future.
To date, MDIS has awarded 8,844 scholarships and bursaries totalling over S$6 million through the MDIS Education Trust Fund set up in 1999. Funded entirely by public donors and contributions from MDIS, this fund aims to support deserving students who have financial difficulties in pursuing their education in Singapore.
###