Hey..We Are in the Newspaper

Yesterday 9 Jan 2011, we visited the Star Education Fair at KL Convention Center to get better understanding on what would be the next step for Neesa after SPM.  There are quite a good number of exhibitors most of which were private colleges.  For private colleges, in terms of cost, is so expensive and if we were to pay, we just cannot afford.  Majority of the visitors were chinese - they are known for getting quality education for their kids and they started early to have fund set aside for higher education.  On the other hand, most malays depend very much on IPTA enrolment, even for such a cheap education at IPTA, they still need PTPTN assistance.    Put affordability aside, the visit did served our objective as we are looking for information on pre-requisite/requirements and path on the selected courses for Neesa.  Neesa is basically undecided on what she want to do, nevertheless she narrow down her choice to pharmaceutical.  Or perhaps doing Accounting.  Whatever it is, it will be very much depending on her result.  We were interviewed by reporter from the Star and they even take our pic. Nevertheless no pic in todays newpaper.  I would say that we were the only few malay parents who brought everbody in the family for the fair.

So here's the extraction from The Star dated 10 Jan 2011.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

KUALA LUMPUR: Bigger, better and extremely busy – that’s how some visitors and exhibitors described the two-day fair which ended yesterday.


Taylor’s University national marketing vice-president Susan Ooi said the institution received approximately 20% to 25% more enquiries compared to last year.

“The timing is very good as this is the first week after Christmas and New Year’s break. The floor plan is also neater,” she said.

Asia Pacific University College of Technology and Innovation marketing operations manager Chong Sau Mun said the response from visitors was very good.

“We have been extremely busy the last two days as many students expressed interest in our programmes,” he said.

Close to 60,000 people attended the fair.

The talks on Options after SPM and Funding Higher Education attracted hundreds of students and their parents with standing room only in Conference 1 and 2 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

Star Publications (M) Bhd marketing services (Promotions and Star Education Fund) manager Susanna Kuan spoke about the 215 scholarships offered by the Star Education Fund and its 29 partners in education.

Many students and their parents later visited the Star Education Fund booth seeking more information and picking up application forms.

Teenager Maanoj Thanabalasingam was among the thousands of students at the fair.

Despite suffering from a torn ligaments in his right leg after playing football, the 18-year-old did not want to waste the chance of meeting exhibitors.

“I wanted to meet them face to face to ask questions about studying engineering or business in France,” he said.

It was a family affair for Vaneetha Dharshini, 21, as she accompanied her mother Devaki Kesavan and younger sister Jiveetha to the fair.

Vaneetha enrolled at Kolej Tunku Abdul Rahman (TARC) when she visited the fair three years ago and Jiveetha intended to follow suit.

“Coming to the Fair is like a family tradition for us,” said Vaneetha.

Parents Badrul Hisham Mohd Salleh and Rose Aida Salleh also made a second visit to the fair and this time, they brought along their four children – Badrul Syahmi, 20; Neesa Athirah, 18; Danial Hakim, 15; and Hannah Sofia, 12.

“I wanted to find out more about professional accounting qualifications like ACCA,” said Badrul Syahmi, a first-year Accounting student at International Islamic University Malaysia.

“But our trip is also for Neesa as she is undecided about studying Accounting or Pharmacy,” he said.