13 May 2021 / 12:56 H. KUALA LUMPUR: At age 13, Harish Nickholas Nixson enrolled in a cake and pastry baking course under the Genius Remaja programme overseen by the Teen Empowerment Centre (Perkasa). Now 17, the only child of a widowed mother after the loss of his father five years ago, said he joined to avoid being ensnared by social vices. Via this Ministry of Education programme run by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Harish has also been able to earn pocket money to pay for the Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM) exam fees himself. “This programme has been very helpful to me–not only to develop my hobby, but also to do something for my mother. The teachers also pay me for helping them,” he told Bernama.