Cover image via UtusanMeet Zulkernai Bin Fauzi.
He is the headmaster of a free school for homeless kids set up by the Education Ministry in 2013 to cater to underprivileged and street children in KL city area who have had little or no formal education.
SBJK headmaster Zulkarnian Fauzi (left) with Emkay Group executive director Ahmad Khalif Mustapha Kamal (front), and Emkay Group's CEO Mazrita Mazlan (right) meeting the children from the school back in September.
Image via The Star Online
In order to ensure that they receive an education at SBJK, Zulkernai goes to the ground to see the living conditions of the homeless in the city. Because he knows that he must take a step further to bring real change in their lives. While it may sound easy, it's far from it.
He found that some of the children did not attend school due to a lack of identification documents and their parents' financial constraints. Some also suffer from psychological disorders, he said.
The school itself lies in the shadier side of KL. Dwarfed by its surrounding buildings in Chow Kit, while the Sekolah Bimbingan Jalinan Kasih's building is a seemingly ordinary one to look at, it has become a symbol of hope for the city's homeless children.
Catering to students aged 4 to 19 in a fun learning concept, the school has 5 classrooms, a music room, a dental/treatment room and a lounge. In order to nurture their capabilities and inspire them, the teachers there identify the interest and talent of each student.
Describing his career as rewarding but highly challenging, Zulkernai said that at first they came for the free food. They are then drawn into the fun way of learning and start coming to school every day.
Image via The Ant Daily
We at SAYS are extremely glad to know about this fantastic and a farsighted initiative by the Education Ministry. It will not only get the kids off the streets and open new worlds and opportunities to them, it will also teach them to fish, instead of just giving it to them!
Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid (middle) together with Federal Territory Kuala Lumpur education director Foziah Bunag (right) with the headmaster (left) of the school.
Image via The Star Online
