PADANG TERAP: A total of 10,506 students from the B40 group in Kedah have received educational assistance through the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme of Yayasan Pelajaran MARA (YPM) throughout this year.

Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said the education aid involved an allocation of over RM1.8 million in an effort to ensure that rural children, especially the B40 group, do not drop out of school and to ease the burden of their parents.

"Well done and congratulations to YPM for the various initiatives implemented to help the needy," he said at the launch of the Padang Terap District YPM Education Programme at the Padang Kerasak Community Centre here today. YPM Chairman Datuk Mohd Razman Yaacob was also present.

Mahdzir said the aid was channelled through various YPM education programmes implemented throughout the year, including the School Assistance Scheme, Education Benevolent Fund, Smart Tuition Programme, Human Capital Excellence Programme, Adoption Scheme and Tertiary Education Funding.

"YPM's CSR programme also involves UNIMARA and Rural Capital Berhad (RCB) as contributors in addition to cooperation from the Padang Terap District Education Office (PPD).

At the event, a total of 693 students and 75 B40 families in the Padang Terap district received assistance in the form of cash and laptops while three schools also received cash donations amounting to RM5,000 each.

-- BERNAMA