Taib (front, second left) and Raghad (left) listen to an explanation by Manyin after the launch. Before them is the scale model of the Tunku Putra-HELP International School. Seen front row, from right, are Chan and Syed Ahmad Alwee. — Photo by Kong Jun Liung
KUCHING: Sarawak will see a new private school, to be set up by January 2020 with an aim of bringing the quality of the state’s private education to greater heights.
The Tunku Putra-HELP International School is a joint partnership between Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd (CMS), Ibraco Bhd and Higher Education Learning Philosophy (HELP) Education Group.
With a purpose-built campus, the new institution is set to deliver world-class education and facilities at affordable fees to Sarawakians.
The private school, to be located at the North Bank of Tabuan Jaya, is able to house 1,500 students, with both national and international curricula for kindergarten, primary and secondary schools, up to A-Level.
Head of State Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud launched Tunku Putra-HELP International School during a ceremony at the Waterfront Hotel here yesterday.
In his official address, he said: “I pray that this project would show how strategic partnership can contribute best to improve private education in Sarawak.”
He said CMS, without any education background, had done well in developing Tunku Putra School (TPS) in Petra Jaya near here.
TPS was set up in 1996.
“Today, I’m much more pleased to say that CMS has done a good job in bringing in new partners to develop a better private school for us in Kuching,” he said, hoping that the new international school would emerge a great success in the future.
He also thanked CMS, Ibraco and HELP for their contribution in developing the private education sector in Sarawak.
Earlier, CMS Group executive director Datuk Syed Ahmad Alwee Alsree said the company had played a role in providing top-quality international education locally to achieve academic excellence for the local community.
“Underpinning our philosophy is the belief that every student is a unique individual with unique skills and abilities, and that it is our responsibility to help students achieve their potential in a nurturing and supportive educational environment.”
Syed Ahmad Alwee also pledged to all that the Tunku Putra-HELP International School would deliver world-class education and facilities to Sarawakians.
“The school remains a multi-cultural, diverse and integrated school with an understanding that the growth and opportunity of our state can only be achieved by nurturing and investing in our youths, and also in facilities and architecture that meet the needs of the rapidly-changing state and global economy.
“This new partnership will position Tunku Putra-HELP International School ahead of existing international schools in Sarawak with the promise of delivering excellent academic performance and quality education by capitalising on the school’s existing holistic learning approach.”
The new school will have the best Western and Eastern education, equipping students with higher order thinking skills (HOTS) and four languages – English, Mandarin, Bahasa Malaysia and Spanish.
It is believed that such skills would enable its students to work or conduct business in over 70 per cent of the world’s countries.
Taib’s wife Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Raghad Kurdi Taib, Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research Dato Sri Michael Manyin who represented Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, Assistant Minister of Planning, Land Administration and Environment Datu Len Talif Salleh, HELP University president Prof Datuk Dr Paul Chan and Ibraco Bhd managing director Datuk Chew Chiaw Han were among those present.