Gerik: EMKAY Foundation has contributed school uniforms to 550 students at two schools as part of efforts to empower education within the Orang Asli community in the Belum-Temengor area near Gerik. The two schools are Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Sungai Tiang, Royal Belum, and Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) RPS Banun.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, EMKAY Foundation Board of Trustees member Rahmat Ismail expressed that the foundation hopes students from the Belum-Temengor area will not only attend school in proper attire but will also compete academically and in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) skills. 'Our aspiration is to produce more successful Orang Asli graduates,' he stated in a statement issued by the foundation.

The annual programme, which began in 2017, has received strong support from corporate partners such as the EMKAY Group and Steelcase Office Solutions Sdn Bhd, to ensure that students from the Jahai and Temiar tribes gain better access to education for the 2026 school session.

In conjunction with its 25th anniversary celebration, themed '25 Years of Together We Care!', the foundation introduced elements of modern learning through the implementation of the Pandai application for Form Four and Form Five students at SMK RPS Banun. This move is regarded as significant in preparing the school's first cohort of 30 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) candidates.

The initiative aligns with the inspirational success of Muhammad Akmal Ila Ahmad, an Orang Asli icon from the Semai tribe who currently serves as the director-general of the Department of Orang Asli Development (JAKOA). EMKAY Foundation hopes that assistance such as this will serve as a catalyst for more similar success stories in the future.

Beyond education, students' health and well-being are also given attention through the contribution of 550 personal hygiene kits to students at both schools. The presentation ceremony was attended by representatives from the Hulu Perak district education office (PPD) and Watsons, as well as volunteers from the Pulau Banding Foundation and Belum Rainforest Resort.