Boards, PTAs told to develop mission schools

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Dr Jerip (third right) presenting the sports equipment to Ganeng.

KUCHING: The school management boards and Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) of mission schools have an important task and responsibility to develop and look after such schools, said Assistant Minister for Public Health Datuk Dr Jerip Susil.

He said both bodies of mission schools should work hard to develop the school, while at the same time relay the history of the school to the pupils.

“Both the school management boards and PTAs play a very important role to develop and improve mission schools…they also have the important role to tell the younger generation how much they (mission schools) have contributed towards education in the state,” Dr Jerip said on Sunday, when officiating at the 45th anniversary celebration of SK St George Punau, along Jalan Borneo Heights, about 25 kilometres from here.

Present were Padawan sub-district Sarawak Administrative Officer (SAO) Rangen Jamang, school headmaster Ganeng Awa Goper and Penghulu Richard Daho.

Dr Jerip, who is Mambong assemblyman, noted that there are many mission schools in the constituency—among them SK St Giles Git, SK St Patrick Semadang and SK St Gregory Giam—saying that the schools have really benefitted the people in the area in acquiring education.

“Given the contribution of mission schools to enable the people to acquire education, it is very important for the local community, PTAs and the school management boards to protect the schools…we need to work together,” he asserted.

Describing the mission schools as the heritage left by Christian missionaries in the past, he thanked the government for the allocation that has been given to improve such schools.

With the allocation, the missions schools have been renovated, thus providing a more conducive environment for students, he pointed out.

Dr Jerip also said that mission schools like SMK St Thomas and SMK St Joseph have produced the state’s top leadership like former Chief Minister Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud (now Head of State), the late Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem, and the present Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg.

At the function, Dr Jerip also presented sports equipment worth about RM10,000 from his minor rural project (MRP) fund to Ganeng for his school.