‘Sarawak Foundation continues to care’ is the most accurate expression describing the efforts of the foundation in collaboration with the Sarawak government in ensuring that every household throughout the state of Sarawak will benefit from every initiative that has been implemented over the years.
At the beginning of the year, before school starts, parents are busy preparing for their children’s schooling. However, there are certain parents who are not able to make proper preparations as they have low income as well as having many dependents.
Therefore, the School Uniform Assistance initiative was introduced in 2001 to address the above problem. The main focus is to ensure that every low-income student can prepare for school at the beginning of the year.
Initially, the students were provided with school uniforms that had been ordered from the appointed suppliers. This method of distribution was improved further from year to year by giving money worth RM100 for each eligible student and deposited into the student’s bank account that has been registered by the respective schools. The average beneficiary of this assistance was then 15,000 students a year.
As this programme has received a very good response and proven to benefit many families, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg cum chairman of Sarawak Foundation has announced an increase in allocation of RM4 million a year.
According to him, “With the increase in the total allocation, the average annual recipients target is 30,000 school students throughout Sarawak who will each receive RM200”.
Louis Simon Peter, deputy director (Education) of Yayasan Sarawak making a surprise visit for a uniform quality inspection at a panel shop that received school uniform vouchers. 
A pupil of SK Sungai Liam who received a voucher worth RM200.
For the chief minister, the school uniform assistance is one of the state government’s commitments through the Sarawak Foundation to help underprivileged families ensure that their children continue to receive their education. With this assistance, there will be no more reason for parents to not send their children to school.
He also explained that “In 2017, our allocation increased to RM4 million a year and the implementation of assistance has also been improved by giving vouchers to the students”.
Hence, the Sarawak Foundation has made some improvement on the distribution procedure by introducing some systematic approaches:
* Introducing a RM200 voucher system with a serial number for every student;
* Collaborating with the Sarawak State Education Department (JPNS) and Divisional Administrative Offices (Resident and District Offices) for the purpose of selecting eligible students according to the following criteria;
– Open to all students who have registered in e-Kasih
– Priority is given to Standard 1 and Form 1 students
– Students with special needs (OKU)
– Penan students
– The applicant has been confirmed during the District Focus Group Meeting
* Work with suppliers such as supermarkets and registered stores in each division.
* MOU with Bank Simpanan Nasional for the purpose of payment to the supplier’s claim.
The Kanowit zone recipients. 
A teacher with students of SK Sungai Liam who were also selected to receive the school uniform assistance.
Since the main element of the distribution is the provision of vouchers that have a serial number, then starting from 2017, this initiative was known as Sarawak Foundation’s School Uniform Assistance Vouchers initiative.
The implementation begins with the Sarawak Foundation informing the total quota being set and handed over the number of vouchers to the Resident’s Office throughout Sarawak. The District Office will be informed of the voucher quota and subsequently hold a meeting with all District Education Offices for the distribution of the vouchers.
The school will be notified to send a list of eligible students based on the criteria that have been set and submitted to the District Office for verification purposes.
Next, the name list of students that have been certified is sent to Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) for data preparation.
Students of Yayasan Kemajuan Insan Sarawak who received the uniform assistance. 
Secondary school students in the Spaoh Zone receive vouchers for the Yayasan Sarawak School Uniform Assistance Programme.
This method of using the voucher system is very easy because students only need to go to the suppliers’ store, write all the information and choose school items with a total price of RM200.
With the use if these vouchers, this assistance can be channelled to the people more efficiently and systematically.
In line with Sarawak Foundation’s approach as a catalyst for educational development, this initiative is expected to help alleviate the burden of underprivileged families and ensure that every student can acquire knowledge comfortably and no longer feel inferior or lack of confidence in their daily life.
Most students and parents who received this initiative hope that the programme will continue in the future with more improvements to be made by the Sarawak Foundation to help in strengthening education assistances in Sarawak.
Although the Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted the school system, the distribution of school uniform vouchers for 2021 will continue throughout the state. Recently, a total of 510 students from 18 schools in Samalaju, Bintulu received this initiative with a total cost of RM100,200.
They consisted of 315 students from families who received e-Kasih, 22 special need students, 19 students from Penan community, 90 Form 1 students and 55 Year 6 Students. Samalaju assemblyman Majang Renggi officiated at the symbolic handover ceremony on September 22.
Before that, the distribution of school uniform vouchers for the year 2021 has been carried out in Lundu, Subis, Telang Usan, Balingian, Sibu and Jepak, among other places.
