Malaysia Offered Help in Education Programmes
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MELBOURNE: The Springfield Land Corporation (SLC), which incorporates a world-class Education City, is keen to help Malaysia in its education programmes.
This follows a visit at the weekend by Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to Springfield where he met SLC chairman Maha Sinnathamby who said Springfield’s “model education system” could be introduced in Malaysia.
“Tan Sri’s visit was a great opportunity to demonstrate the innovation and growth that makes Springfield’s Education City a successful example for communities worldwide,” Malaysian-born Sinnathamby, one of Australia’s richest men, told Bernama.
“We have dedicated 18 hectares to a fully integrated educational experience, geared towards preparing students for a career in any part of the world,” he said.
Education City is home to numerous education providers, including the University of Southern Queensland, Bremer Institute for Technical and Further Education, Union Institute of Language and the Australian City College.
It has eight senior colleges and primary schools and 10 child-care centres and there are plans for more. There are about 10,500 students in the city.
Muhyiddin, who was accompanied by Malaysia’s High Commissioner to Canberra, Datuk Salman Ahmad, was given a tour of the A$23 billion (RM73 billion) Springfield development which has a population of 23,000 and is forecast to grow to 105,000 by 2030, including a workforce of 30,000.
Muhyiddin, who is also education minister, was shown how education has played a pivotal role in changing the community’s aspirations.
Springfield, which is about 45km from Brisbane, will also have its own hospital, aged care centres and first-class recreational facilities.
Sinnathamby, who has a personal fortune in the region of A$900 million (RM2.85 billion), has over the past 20 years transformed 2,860 hectares of bush and forest land into winning the International Real Estate Federation’s Award for the World’s Best Master Planned Community in 2010.
