18 February 2010
MILK, through programmes such as the Pathlight Bursary, Healthy Start, LIFE (Learning is Fun and Exciting) etc., helps children from disadvantaged homes gain access to early childhood education thus developing a learning foundation. It provides before and after school care and general educational assistance to kids from low-income families. MILK recently launched the MILK Education Fund to help tertiary students from low-income families in Singapore to pursue their tertiary education.
Some of the Educational Support programmes are listed below:
- MILK Education Fund
- Pathlight Bursary
- Healthy Start
- LIFE ( Learning is Fun & Exciting)
1) MILK Education Fund
In 2009, in response to the prolonged economic downturn, MILK introduced the MILK Education Fund to provide presently enrolled students of a local university, polytechnic or Institute of Technical Education with assistance to meet their educational needs so that they are not forced to drop out as a result of difficulties in their families caused by the financial crisis.
The disbursements of the MILK Education Fund were based on the needs of the case presented and covered tuition fees and education related expenses. We received a total of 328 applications and 210 needy students from ITE, Polytechnic and University were assisted with their educational expenses.
With the recovery of our economy as well as the presence of a wide safety net of educational schemes already in place for needy students in tertiary education, the MILK Education Fund is no longer needed to plug a service gap and hence will be no longer be continued.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank the various educational institutions and VWO partners who have worked with us to help needy students. To the students who had applied for the MILK Education Fund, we thank you for your patience and wish you all the best in your future endeavours.
If you are still in need of educational assistance but are unsure of available assistance schemes, you may explore the assistance schemes we have compiled here as a first-stop information service for you. You are advised to go to the relevant web links provided and your respective institutions for greater details.
2) Pathlight Bursary
Pathlight School is the first autism-focused school offering the Singapore mainstream curriculum with special accommodations and support to students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Every year about 35 – 40% of the students in Pathlight School come from low-income families. MILK’s educational grant provides supplementary support to cover school transport, pocket money, uniforms, textbooks, stationery and enrichment programmes. 115 students were supported by the bursary in 2006.
Objectives:
- To enable autistic children
- To enable autistic children for better integration with mainstream community and reaching their maximum potential.
Partner: PathlightSchool, Autism Resource Centre
3) Healthy Start
Healthy Start Child Development Centre (CDC) is an important early intervention for developing a learning foundation through caring and warm interactions with their teachers and friends. The warm and secure environment challenges them to reach their potential. It has a capacity for 75 children though full-day or half-day childcare that prepares them for life-long learning while enabling their parents to work to improve their financial situation.
Objectives:
- To provide early childhood education, health and nutritional support to disadvantaged children.
- To prepare a life-long learning foundation in a warm and nurturing environment.
Partner: Beyond Social Services
4) LIFE (Learning Is Fun & Exciting)
LIFE is a basic literacy programme targeted at children from disadvantaged backgrounds who have no learning foundation, are below their reading age level and require guidance in their school work. These are children too far behind in their learning abilities to be helped by tuition or remedial lessons.
Guided by the learning corners concept, LIFE uses creative learning methods, which takes into consideration each child’s learning style and pace, to make learning fun and to motivate them for life-long learning. In 2006, 174 children were helped through the programme and given a fighting chance to further their education.
Objectives:
- To help disadvantaged children with learning difficulties learn.
- To provide a confidence-building and nurturing environment to support the learning of the children.
Partner: Beyond Social Services
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