'Please Support Us!'

By Ooi Li Hsien

Kuala Lumpur: 13 students from the University of Malaya’s Faculty of Education were seen selling clothes and snacks during the 2008 Convocation Festival to raise funds for their first study tour to the University Of Western Australia (UWA), Perth, Australia.

The group comprises of Second and Third Year students majoring in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL), and is accompanied by Dr Juliana Othman, the lecturer-in-charge of the project.

‘This is one of our many projects that we have planned to raise funds for our trip,’ says Sean Ooi, the chairman for the project’s organising committee. ‘We do not want others to just give us donations. We want to earn our keep. There is more satisfaction this way.’

‘This little project will test (the students’) entrepreneurship skills and I hope they will succeed,’ says Dr Juliana when asked how she felt of the group’s effort. ‘I am very proud that they are doing this. The university and public should help and encourage young people like them to achieve their goals.’

The study tour to Australia will allow its participants a chance to experience the unique Australian education system and culture of Australia, mainly at Perth. The programme includes field trips and visits to the UWA campus and local schools in the area, thus allowing the students to experience first hand how the Australian education system work.

‘It is definitely a new experience, an opportunity of a lifetime and we hope to make it a reality.’ says Shobana Seelan, an organizing committee member of the group.

Anyone who wishes to help in cash or in kind, or would like to know more details may contact Sean Ooi at seanolh@gmail.com.