A dream to pursue Degree

Dear friends,

I am Seran Nicholas Pillai and I am from a place called Ipoh(Malaysia). A little history about myself: I got my secondary education in St. Michael's Institution Ipoh and Diploma in Culinary Arts in KDU UC Penang. Now I am planning to continue my degree in culinary arts which will commence next year January (14 January 2019).

Back in 2012, when I got my result for SPM (equivalent to GCE O-levels) examination that I sat the previous year I planned and told my family that I want to be a chef and asked if they agreed, everyone agreed except my dad and he told me that I am still young to think of a career and advised me to continue doing STPM (equivalent to A-levels). He also said that when I am doing STPM I would find what my real calling is. I tried my level best to convince him but nothing came of avail and I had no other choice but to continue with STPM. Halfheartedly I started doing STPM knowing that one day I still want to be a famous chef. 2 years passed my result came out and again I went back to him and said I did STPM as you asked for and found that I still want to be a chef. He was mad with me for saying that and told me that he will never fund my education or will he support me in my pursue of being a chef. Those words tore me apart and I was left abandoned at that point of time. That is because my mother was just a house wife and my siblings were all still going to school.

I was devastated and down but I did not give up hope. So, I went to La Salle Centre, Ipoh and started working. I told myself that I have to do something to save up to do what I really wanted to do. I worked in the centre for a year plus and got close to the Brothers' there. They knew what my problem was and suggested me to apply for the Brothers' scholarship. This scholarship was intended for students who are underprivileged. They also told me that I might not get the entire scholarship but it might kick start my dream of being a chef. Combining the advice and my hope I applied for the scholarship and within two weeks they contacted me and we got all the formalities done and I started my Diploma in August 2015. They covered 75% of my entire cost and 25% of the cost was covered by PTPTN loan. Not only did they support my studies they also supported my accommodation and food for 2 years and 4 months. After 2 years of studies I went to Singapore to do my 1 year internship. My internship just ended a few weeks ago and I am back home. I contacted my sponsors and asked if they could continue sponsoring me for my degree, they said they cannot afford because the allocation they have is only for students to do their diploma.

I have been thinking of doing my degree ever since I went to Singapore because the level of education and competition there is extreme and if I were to be able to compete I have to have at least a degree. Since I came back home I have been surveying on the course that I could take up and of all the colleges and universities I went to, I found my college gives me the best deal to do a degree course and after much deliberation I have made up my mind to continue my Degree in Culinary Arts at KDU UC Penang.

Following is the details of my Degree: The entire cost of my degree is RM 50,000 and the allocation of loan from the government for arts based degree is RM26,000 and that depends on the earning of the breadwinner of the family. Getting all this information and from previous loan approval which was 50% I am assuming that I will be able to get only RM13,000 out of the RM26,000. This means I have to fork out the rest of the money to start and finish my degree completely. This is all the information I have on the course that I am very hopeful of starting in January of 2018.

I came to this platform after hearing and reading that there are still ways to find for help. I always believe and will continue believing that there are good souls out there who want to help people in need . I am here asking for help from all my brothers, sisters and friends to make my dream of having a Bachelors Degrees of my own come true one day. This is what I have been going through and hope that with the help I get from all of you would make me a person someday and make my dream of being a Celebrity Chef come true.Thank you.

Seran Nicholas Pillai