WOU donated 10 refurbished desktop computers to Phor Tay High School to support the learning of students and promote the use of digital technology.
The handover took place at the school premises in Sungai Dua on 29 April 2022. WOU Chief Executive and Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Lily Chan represented the University while on-hand to receive the computers was the school principal, Lim Geaik Hong.
Among those present were Phor Tay Schools Board vice president Dato’ Dr Tan Tat Wai, WOU School of Business & Administration Dean Prakash V Arumugam, the school’s Parents-Teachers Association vice chairman Choo Chee Heong, and the teachers and students of Phor Tay.
In her opening remarks, Prof Chan stressed that the donation was part of WOU’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative “to reach out and support the learning community in Penang”.
She said, “We at WOU, are indeed privileged to have this partnership with PhorTay, facilitated by Dato’ Dr Tan, in helping to improve your students’ access to online resources. We hope this gesture will inspire your students on the enlightened path of discovering lifelong learning.”
She remarked that besides donating hardware, WOU wants to also collaborate on projects and mentor the school students towards digital literacy. In line with this, two WOU staff will be conducting workshops on programming and coding in June. “WOU, through the School of Digital Technology (DiGiT), offers degree programmes in software engineering and digital business, and our DiGiT students can work with Phor Tay on projects,” she said.
Prof Chan highlighted that “computing technology is now an integral part of the teaching and learning process”. At WOU, students can learn programming, web development, automation, robotics and other digital competencies, and upon graduation, they get hired as web designers, software engineers, computer programmers, and in other on-demand IT jobs.
“WOU’s goal is to produce engineering and digital talents, and help promote Penang as a technological and cultural hub. We therefore also focus on continual education to upskill and reskill employees for the future of work,” she asserted.
She encouraged the Phor Tay students to make good use of the computers. “Find new ways of thinking that will shape not only your future, but that of the world as well. Think big. Embrace the culture of lifelong learning, as it is through this that you will find new opportunities to make your dreams come true.”
Meanwhile Lim, in expressing her gratitude to WOU, remarked that the donation will “help improve the students’ access to virtual learning and enhance their digital literacy”.
She continued, “This donation has come in at the right time because these PCs will be used to replace the old desktops in the library. Students can now easily access the Internet to do their projects, especially those who do not have connectivity at home. This will definitely lighten the burden of parents who cannot afford a computer for their children.”
She also requested for more speakers from WOU to share on the different fields, particularly on STEM, with the students of Phor Tay.