Sembcorp Marine SchoolBAG 2019 awards S$173,500 of bursaries to 835 students

US$4.4 million SchoolBAG bursaries disbursed to over 22,000 students since 2001

As part of its commitment to giving back to the community, Sembcorp Marine today awarded $173,500 worth of bursaries to 835 primary, secondary and junior college students through its long-standing School Book Assistance Grant (SchoolBAG).

With almost S$4.4 million disbursed to more than 22,000 beneficiaries since 2001, SchoolBAG bursaries can be used for purchasing school supplies or paying for student enrichment programmes.

In this year’s presentation ceremony held today at Ahmad Ibrahim Primary School, Ms Indranee Rajah, Minister, Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Finance and Second Minister for Education, presented the SchoolBAG bursaries to student representatives from 74 schools.

“The SchoolBAG grants go a long way in helping students to focus on their education without being constrained by their financial circumstances,” said Ms Indranee. “More importantly, these grants give them the reassurance that they will continue to receive the support they need, as they work towards their goals and achieve their fullest potential in life.”

Sembcorp Marine President and CEO Mr Wong Weng Sun said SchoolBAG aims to reach out to as many students as possible. “This programme gives Sembcorp Marine the opportunity to help nurture and develop our children and youths,” Mr Wong said. “While many of the beneficiaries face challenging circumstances, they impress us with their resilience and determination. We have been inspired by them to organise SchoolBAG for the past 19 years, and we will continue to do so.”

SchoolBAG bursaries are open to students from households with monthly incomes not exceeding S$1,500. They receive the following amounts:

• $150 for Primary 1 to 3 students
• $200 for Primary 4 and 5 students
• $250 for Secondary 1 to 3 students
• $300 for Junior College Year 1 students

Besides SchoolBAG, Sembcorp Marine partners with various non-profit and governmental organisations on a number of programmes promoting the development of youths, education, community and the environment. These programmes include the Green Wave Environmental Care Competition and the Financial Assistance Grant for ITE engineering students, as well as staff volunteering activities such as beach cleanups and year-end festive events for students.

Last year, Sembcorp Marine contributed more than 6,600 hours of employee time and about $1.7 million to corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.