Karpal Singh Penang Learning Centre Now Open

May, 2014

GEORGE TOWN, May 9 — Penang opened today the first of its learning centres aimed at teaching science, technology, English and mathematics, which it has named the Karpal Singh Penang Learning Centre in memory of the late DAP chairman. The learning centre is located in Bukit Gelugor, the parliamentary seat of the veteran opposition lawyer and lawmaker who died in a car crash April 17 while on the way to his home state from Kuala Lumpur.

At the launch, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the whole complex, which includes an adjacent badminton training academy, is to provide youths a place to upgrade their skills.

“The Karpal Singh Penang Learning Centre is a starting point. The Penang state government can provide some seed money and a platform but the basis of success will still depend on the private sector, individual entrepreneurs and digital experts,” he said in his opening speech.

He thanked ECM Libra Foundation for its contribution of RM4 million for the project while the state government had allocated 2.63 acres land for the site.

The project took 14 months to complete which Lim has labelled as a classic example of the success of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model in action.

The Penang Badminton Academy, next to the learning centre, is equipped with six badminton courts and is targeted to make Penang the leading badminton state in Malaysia.

Lim said the completion of the complex also kick started the Penang Youth Development Corporation (PYDC) in which he state could provide more educational and skill training opportunities for youths in Penang.

The complex, which will be managed by PSDC, is part of the state’s three-pronged approach towards strengthening the education system.

The approaches included the setting up of learning centres with the concept of STEM — Teaching of Science, Technology, English and Mathematics, providing annual funding to all existing half-funded vernacular and religious schools and attracting world-class universities as well as adopting the German vocational school system within multi-national corporations.

From: Malay Mail Online
By Opalyn Mok