Fathers Day gift worth the sacrifice
Looking ahead: Chee Siong (right) and Kai Ying trying out virtual reality goggles while exploring academic offerings during the Star Education Fair at the Setia SPICE Convention Centre. — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: The greatest Fathers Day gift doesn't come in a box – it comes from watching their children thrive and succeed.
For many fathers, nothing brings more pride than knowing their investment in education and the right opportunities shaped their children's future.
While many celebrated Fathers Day yesterday with gifts and meals, dozens of fathers chose to mark the occasion by accompanying their children to the Star Education Fair as a gesture of love, support and lifelong investment in their future.
Among them was engineering director Lee Chee Siong, 52, who has been saving for his daughter Kai Ying's education since the day she was born.
For him, this Fathers Day was not about cutting a cake or getting cards, it was about standing by his 16-year-old daughter as she explored potential academic paths at the fair held at the Setia SPICE Convention Centre.
'I started saving for Kai Ying's tertiary education ever since she was born, because education is a costly but crucial investment.
'It opens doors and builds the foundation for a broader and better future.
'The years go by quickly and soon, she will be stepping into a career that shapes the rest of her life,' he said yesterday.
Chee Siong, who has set aside about RM200,000 for Kai Ying's education, said the fair was the perfect opportunity to evaluate options and consult with university representatives, not just for Kai Ying but also for her two younger siblings, aged 14 and 11.
'Affordability is still a key concern, so we're also looking into possible scholarships.
'But being here together, planning her future, that is my Fathers Day gift,' he added.
The father-daughter duo were part of the large crowd at the two-day event, where parents and students explored a wide range of academic programmes and career pathways.
For sales manager R. Subramaniam, 49, bringing his son S. Jegan, 18, to the education fair was his way of showing love and commitment as a father.
'I want to give Jegan, who has just completed Form Five, the best foundation possible. He has big dreams and this fair offers a great chance to explore real opportunities,' he said.
Admitting that he didn't have many choices growing up, Subramaniam said he had to start working early and is now determined to provide more for his children.
'Education is their inheritance. It is the one thing I can give them that no one can take away,' he said.
To accumulate study funds, Subramaniam said the family has made conscious financial sacrifices, from cutting back on vacations to taking up freelance work.
'We don't see them as sacrifices as they're investments.
'If my son can go further than I did, that's all the reward I need,' he said.
Organised by Star Media Group, the Star Education Fair, now in its 38th edition, is one of the country's pioneer education exhibitions, featuring both local and international institutions offering programmes from pre-university to postgraduate levels.
A total of 57 institutions with over 100 booths were at the two-day event which ended yesterday.
Held alongside the education fair was the myStarJob Fair, which featured 16 companies and agencies from a diverse range of industries.
In addition to offering jobs from entry-level to managerial roles, the fair provided on-the-spot interviews, career talks and skills enhancement sessions to support personal development and job readiness.
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