Children, students in S-E Asia to benefit as UOB pledges $30m for education and support

SINGAPORE – More than 120,000 children and students from less privileged backgrounds across South-east Asia will gain better access to education as UOB commits $30 million to provide digital learning tools, financial aid and scholarships.

This initiative, launched in celebration of the bank’s 90th anniversary, will help them through four key programmes, said UOB on March 3.

One programme will provide 90,000 underprivileged children in Indonesia and Vietnam with quality education as UOB collaborates with an education technology platform, the bank said.

Through this platform, children will be able to access resources in areas such as coding, computational training and digital literacy over the next three years, it added.

Another initiative, the UOB My Digital Space Programme, will equip a further 20,000 children across the region with digital learning tools and skills, UOB said.

In Singapore, 11,000 students from low-income families will receive 90 days of pocket money through The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund (STSPMF), which they can use for school-related expenses such as food, transport and other schooling activities, said the bank.

STSPMF is a community project by The Straits Times that provides pocket money to children from low-income families, to help them with school expenses and their social and educational development.

Pre-tertiary scholarships will also be awarded to 90 students from South-east Asia over the next few years for them to study in Singapore, UOB said, adding that the scholarships will cover their education fees and living costs.

“As we celebrate and reflect on the past 90 years, we know we could only achieve what we have because of the loyal and continuous support of all stakeholders, including the community,” said UOB deputy chairman and chief executive Wee Ee Cheong.

“Supporting education is an investment in our collective future across Asean.”

The bank is also marking its mile­stone with the launch of the UOB Gallery at its main branch in Raffles Place, to showcase the bank’s contributions to South-east Asia’s economic and social development.