Sunday January 20, 2008

IN MEMORY of his daughter, Emma, Maurice Dimmock set up the Rose Education Foundation to help deserving students realise their dreams of obtaining tertiary qualifications.

Emma Dimmock, who was a youth worker, died last year at the age of 21.

The foundation, named after Emma’s favourite flower, is offering 11 awards for the first time to the Star Education Fund 2008.

Dimmock, who is chief executive officer of Accreditation Service for International Colleges (ASIC), said education is important to help end the cycle of poverty.

“I know this is an initiative Emma would have liked us to pursue,” he said.

Also contributing for the first time is Methodist College Kuala Lumpur, with three scholarships each for its A-Levels Arts, Australian Matriculation and Diploma in Early Childhood Education programmes.

Star Education Fund contributors posing with (first row, seventh from left) Ng Poh Tip, Ong Tee Keat, Star Publications (M) Bhd executive director and group chief operating officer Datin Linda Ngiam and multimedia business division chief operating officer Michael Aeria.

“We are offering scholarships as a way to contribute to the community and this is also in conjunction with our 25th anniversary,” said the college’s director of administration Khoo Teng Sooi.

With scholarships valued at RM10.9mil from 42 institutions, the fund will give out 346 awards.

Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat expressed his appreciation to the institutions in his speech.

“I commend The Star and all contributors to the Star Education Fund 2008 for what they are doing to make a difference to students’ lives,’’ he said.

The Star group editorial/education advisor Datuk Ng Poh Tip said the fund would help those in need of financial assistance.

“This will go a long way to help needy and deserving students to continue their studies,” she said.

Ong later received scholarship pledges from representatives of the institutions. Those who pledged scholarships above RM500,000 are: Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, Rose Education Foundation, SEGi Group of Colleges, Sunway University College, The University of Nottingham in Malaysia Campus and University College Sedaya International.

The other contributors are ALFA International College, Binary University College, Equator Academy of Art, Penang, FTMS College, Han Chiang College, Penang, HELP International College of Technology, HELP University College, Institute Advertising Communication Training, INTI College Subang Jaya, INTI International College Penang, INTI International University College, KDU College, Penang, KDU College, PJ, Kolej Disted-Stamford, Penang, Kolej Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kuala Lumpur Infrastructure University College, Life College, Management & Science University, Mantissa Institute, Metropolitan College, Multimedia University, Olympia College, Penang Medical College, PJ College of Art & Design, PTPL Group of Colleges, RafflesDesign Institute, Rima College, Saito College, Sentral Technology College Penang, Stamford College, Taylor's University College, The One Academy of Communication Design, Unity College International, University of East London and Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman.

(Article published in theSTAR (Education) Newspaper http://thestar.com.my/education/story.asp?file=/2008/1/20/education/19996908)