Students treated to tour of Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum

Students from Yuan Ching and Unity Secondary School looking at the dinosaurs display at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum. -- ST PHOTO: AZIZ HUSSIN  
Students from Yuan Ching and Unity Secondary School looking at the dinosaurs display at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum. -- ST PHOTO: AZIZ HUSSIN  

SINGAPORE- More than 100 students were taken on a guided tour of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum on Thursday where they got to see dinosaur fossils among other exhibits.

The secondary school students were among the 1,000 beneficiaries who will receive transport bursaries from ExxonMobil Asia Pacific this year.

The bursaries, which are matched dollar-for-dollar by the South West Community Development Council (CDC), will benefit children in primary and secondary schools, and junior colleages who come from low-income households.

Each student will receive $120 worth of Transit Link e-vouchers to help offset their public transport expenditure.

One beneficiary, 15-year-old Jay Ganesh Ramakrishanan from Bukit Batok Secondary School, said: "I am thankful for the additional help for my transport expenses. I can now save some of my pocket money for a rainy day."

The programme, which is now in its 10th year, has disbursed close to $330,000 worth of transport bursaries to more than 5,000 students in the district.

ExxonMobil Singapore Refinery manufacturing director Boyd Barrilleaux said: "We hope that the students who receive these transport bursaries will be able to fulfil their dreams and in turn, contribute positively to their families and communities."

Apart from the bursary programme, ExxonMobil Asia Pacific also has other community initiatives in the district to reach out to households in rental blocks.

Mayor of South-West CDC Low Yen Ling, who was present at the museum tour, said she was heartened by the company's contributions and it had set a "fine example" of how companies can give back to society.

kcarolyn@sph.com.sg

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