Poh (second right) receives the document from Richard as others look on.
KUCHING (Dec 23): St Joseph’s Private Primary School will now occupy the building of 57-year-old SK St Joseph Kuching primary school at Jalan Were here, which has ceased to operate.
The school’s outgoing headmaster Richard Kawi handed over the building to Kuching Roman Catholic Archbishop Simon Poh in a ceremony taking place at the school yesterday (Dec 22).
An official letter addressed to the Director of Sarawak Education Department with the historic date of Dec 22, 2020 to designate the handing back of the school building was presented by the Archbishop to Kawi.
Poh said that in the letter, he expressed his gratitude to the Sarawak Education Department and the Ministry of Education Malaysia for having provided quality education through SK St Joseph since 1963.
Poh also said legacy of SK St Joseph, Kuching continues to live on with the closure and handing over of school premises to St Joseph’s Private Primary School.
“I am confident that with the handing over of the premises, St Joseph Private Primary School will continue to educate the young and to ensure that the Josephian Spirit will continue to live on with the school.”
His Grace also thanked Richard, teachers and staff of SK St Joseph who had served at the school.
“I have fond memories of having studied in this school from 1970 to 1975. Today with gratitude, I still hold this school in my heart for the educational opportunities and formation that I have received.
“Likewise, I invited all teachers who have taught at SK St Joseph to keep the wonderful memories during their time of service at the school,” he said.
SK St Joseph stopped receiving Primary One students in 2015. The last batch of Primary Six students studying in SK St Joseph completed their primary education on Dec 18, 2020.
Over the years since 2015, St Joseph’s Private Primary School has been using parts of the building for their classes.
Also present to witness yesterday were the Parent-Teacher Association of SK St Joseph chairperson Khairuddin Abdul Kadir, Senior Assistant of SK St Joseph Roseline Rongi, Headmistress of St Joseph’s Private Primary School Shirley Chong, and the CEO of St Joseph’s Family of School Christopher Chua.