UP to 2,000 participants are expected to take part in the SCOLA Charity Run 1.0, which will be held on July 26 at Klippa Shopping Centre, IKEA Batu Kawan, in a community-driven effort to promote student safety through smart technology solutions.
State Youth, Sports and Health Committee chairman Daniel Gooi said the strong response reflects growing public awareness and commitment towards safeguarding children, as well as Penang’s collective focus on safer learning environments.
He said the initiative, organised by Sipek A Studio, SCOLA Sdn. Bhd. and collaborating partners, goes beyond a charity sporting event and represents a wider community movement to strengthen student wellbeing.
“Today, we are not simply launching a charity run. We are launching a community effort dedicated to protecting what matters most to all of us, our children,” he said during a media conference in Komtar today.
Gooi stressed that student safety is a shared responsibility among parents, educators, schools and the wider community, noting that issues such as road safety risks, unattended children and missing child cases highlight the need for stronger preventive systems.
He said the SCOLA Smart Campus Safety Programme offers a practical, technology-based solution that improves attendance tracking and enhances communication between schools and parents through real-time notifications.
“The system enhances communication between schools and families while improving attendance management and safeguarding students,” he said.
Gooi added that while the charity run aims to raise funds, its broader objective is to expand the system’s reach to schools across Penang. With around 390 schools statewide, the initiative hopes to install the SCOLA system in up to 150 schools, benefiting students, parents and educators.
“This reflects the values that Penang strives to uphold. We believe in innovation that improves lives, technology that serves people, and partnerships that create meaningful impact for the community,” he said.
He also highlighted the strong multi-sector collaboration behind the initiative, involving schools, parents, businesses, non-governmental organisations, community groups and the public.
“It demonstrates what can be achieved when different sectors work together for the common good,” he said.
Gooi called on corporations, institutions and members of the public to support the initiative through participation, sponsorship and partnerships, noting that every contribution would help strengthen its impact.
He extended his appreciation to the organisers and partners for their commitment and vision, wishing the SCOLA Charity Run 1.0 success in achieving its objectives.
SCOLA Sdn Bhd chief operating officer KC Low said the run is not only aimed at promoting charity and community participation, but also supports the rollout of an innovation security system using facial recognition technology to enhance student safety.
According to Low, the initiative is designed to encourage public participation while helping schools adopt a digital safety system that improves attendance tracking and reduces risks involving student safety.
He said the system uses facial recognition technology that does not store actual photographs, but instead converts facial structure into a secure digital ID.
“Our facial recognition device does not keep any photos. We use new technology where facial structure is converted into a digital ID,” he said.
He added that the long-term intention is to encourage public participation in supporting the implementation of the system in schools, particularly through initiatives such as the charity run.
He pointed out that the initiative is designed to address recurring yearly issues and aims to provide a long-term technological solution rather than temporary fixes.
The run will feature 5KM and 10KM race categories. For further details, visit https://howei.com/event_details/scolacharityrun2026
Story by Edmund Lee