Sabah students excel in Alliance Bank's biodiversity and finance programme
KOTA KINABALU (July 28): The introduction of the biodiversity module into Alliance Bank's AEIOU Financial Literacy Programme was met with enthusiastic response by the primary school students in Sabah.
Held for the first time in Sabah, known for its rich biodiversity and stunning natural landscapes, the programme was participated by 128 primary school students from 17 schools across Kota Kinabalu, Penampang and Tuaran.
Carrying the theme 'AEIOU for Responsible Living: Smarter Finances, Caring for Nature, Greener Choices', the biodiversity module of the programme was delivered in collaboration with Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots Malaysia and supported by the Sabah State Treasury Department (JBNS) and the Ministry of Education.
The programme, which began on July 5 and ended on July 26, was conducted through practical workshops and interactive simulations that provided students with the opportunity to explore the field of environmentally friendly entrepreneurship, better known as 'ecopreneurship'.
The highlight of the programme was the AEIOU Sabah Biodiversity Challenge where students aged 9-12 competed fiercely to win the competition. The finalists successfully demonstrated their knowledge while playing the 'Eco Heroes' board game, where their creativity, understanding of money management and sustainability awareness were put to the test.
SK St Catherine from Kota Kinabalu was crowned the champion of the Biodiversity Challenge and won a cash prize of RM5,000, a trophy, a medal and a certificate of achievement for presenting an interesting story on the concept of money management and biodiversity preservation through their recycling program of reusing milk boxes.
SK St Anthony came in second place and took home a cash prize of RM3,000, a trophy, a medal and a certificate of participation while SK St Agnes came in third place and took home RM1,000, a trophy, a medal and a certificate.
The AEIOU program, which was launched in 2015, is recognised by the Ministry of Education Malaysia and supported by Bank Negara Malaysia, based on the concept of fostering financial skills among young Malaysians.
The prize-giving ceremony was officiated by Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh via online and was attended by nearly 142 students and 38 teachers.
According to Wong, 'The overwhelming response from the students and the encouraging number of participation is proof that the message of nature conservation has truly touched their hearts.'
He added, 'I would like to commend Alliance Bank for its continued commitment to fostering biodiversity awareness among the younger generation. As the saying goes, 'As the twig is bent, so grows the tree', it is important for us to provide knowledge and awareness about the importance of preserving biodiversity from a young age so that they can become responsible environmental stewards in the future.'
Meanwhile, Alliance Bank Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer Dr Aaron Sum said, 'I am confident that with this kind of programme, students will realise that their daily activities and decisions have an impact on the environment and through this understanding, they will be able to develop a responsible attitude towards the environment.'
He added, 'I am very proud of all the students who participated in the AEIOU Sabah Biodiversity Challenge and hope that what they have learned will be put into practice and shared with other friends and family.'
The prize giving ceremony was also attended by representatives from Jane Goodall's Roots and Shoots Malaysia.
Its president, TP Lim conveyed his appreciation and said, 'We are pleased to share the success of the recently concluded biodiversity module developed in collaboration with Alliance Bank. This partnership has been instrumental in expanding environmental awareness among schoolchildren and strengthening our commitment to biodiversity conservation.
Since its launch in 2015, the AEIOU Challenge Programme has reached over 180,000 primary school students through its seven editions. The programme also provides community outreach, ensuring that all children have access to financial education resources. Students can continue their financial learning journey through the AEIOU mobile app, which provides financial education videos and digital comics. The acquisition of these resources supports the key objectives of the Ministry of Education's 2027 School Curriculum framework, prioritising the importance of lifelong learning.
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