It has been said that “education is the golden key that can open the door to opportunities from a life of continued poverty existing from generations to generations”. Based on interview and dialogues conducted with the sugar workers especially amongst the “old-timers” in the sugarcane farms, if granted one wish, these people would like to see their children to get a good education to enable them to have a better life outside of working in the sugarcane fields for the rest of their lives.

Types of Assistance:

1. Educational Assistance Program 1 (EDAP 1) – SIMAG supports dependents of the sugarcane workers with financial assistance to completer the four year high school education. The EDAP 1 started in School year 1989 -90 and is and on-going until present.
   
   
2. Educational Assistance Program 2 (EDAP 2) – to further provide EDAP 1 grantees with better opportunities to finish a Bachelor Degree. Program cost covers the tuition and school fees and allowance of students for finish one course. Evaluation is done every semester.
   
   
3. Educational Assistance Program 3 (EDAP 3) - this is to provide assistance to EDAP 1 graduates to pursue a vocational training.
   
   
4. Educational Assistance Program E (EDAP E) - This is to provide basic school supplies and school uniform to elementary students whose parents cannot afford to send their children even in elementary education.
   
   
5. Educational Assistance Program Day Care (EDAP DC) – This is to encourage parents to send their children in the daycare center for early childhood development.
   
   
   

Scholarship Update as of 2006:
There were 395 students who received scholarships
for school-year 2005-06.

The program was funded by ASMAE, Sugar Industry Foundation, Inc., APSSI, Fund Raising Activity of the Parents and Grantees and Individual Persons.