SJK (T) Labis ex-pupils visit alma mater to give cash aid to Year One children

A group of 63-year-old former pupils of SJK (T) Labis decided to pay it forward by helping new pupils get a head start at the primary school they attended.

The group, comprising 20 former students presented RM120 each to 15 newly registered Year One pupils.

The alumni said it was their way to motivate the pupils.

G. Ellankovan said he and his former classmates had been collecting money among themselves since last year to make the donation.

“We reconnected with each other early last year. Since then, we have been planning to give back to the school, a place that is very close to our hearts,” he said when interviewed.

The group, he said, decided to focus on helping out Year One pupils because they want the children, who just entered a new chapter of their lives, to be motivated to study hard.

“We collected the donations among ourselves in the past few months until we had enough to give the students,” he said.

Ellankovan said none of them were from well-to-do families and faced their own set of challenges during their schooling years.

“As such, we want to do what little we can to help the younger generation,” he said, adding that the group hoped to continue supporting the school.

The group members, he said, had also been helping each other through difficult times.

“Whenever one of us or our family members fall sick, all will collect money to help out,” said Ellankovan, who was previously a labourer at a college.

School headmaster P. Govindan, who is also a former student of the school, was grateful to the group for the kind gesture.

“We are thankful to these former pupils from the graduating class of 1973.”

He said the school would also welcome any other help or visits from other former students.

“The donation does not have to be in terms of cash. Even donating books to the school library is good enough.

“It is not about the money or donations, but the message behind such a gesture,” he said.