STUDENTS studying VCAL at ECG College Pakenham are enjoying a sport and recreational approach to their learning thanks to a donation from Mt Hira College in Keysborough.
A billiard table and sporting equipment including tennis rackets, basketballs, footballs, volleyballs and softballs have been donated by Mt Hira to support ECG College, which offers VCAL as an option for young people who are unable to stay in a mainstream school to complete senior secondary studies.
ECG college principal Sue Geals said the donation had already made an impact on student learning and personal development.
“Teaching staff have harnessed the enthusiasm students have for sport and competition to use it as a springboard to teach literacy and numeracy and to build confidence and teamwork. The students have also initiated a pool competition which has assisted in building rapport across ages and class groups.”
To express their thanks, ECG College Pakenham students organised and catered for a special morning tea for Mt Hira’s principal Sareh Salarzadeh and head of school Nadir Yildiz. The visitors were also invited to join in a game of pool.
Ms Salarzadeh said it was great to see the donation being enjoyed by ECG College students.
Mt Hira is an independent Islamic college in Keysborough which opened 16 years ago with 20 students and has grown to 547 students.
“We started with very little but with support from many people and organisations the school has flourished. This donation to ECG College is a way of helping another small school as it begins its journey in supporting young people to engage with learning to strengthen their future,” Ms Salarzadeh said.
ECG College is a not-for-profit independent school established by Community College Gippsland to provide an option for young people to complete senior secondary studies in a more adult learning environment. ECG College has campuses at Warragul, Leongatha and Pakenham.
The Pakenham campus, located at the corner of The Avenue and Princes Highway, opened in 2015 and has 25 students.
