SERIAN: A free transportation service for pupils of Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Kujang Mawang was launched today (Mar 11) to help ensure students from surrounding rural villages can attend school more easily.
Introduced by Yayasan Sarawak, the programme was officiated by Tebedu assemblyman Dr Dr Simon Sinang Bada at the school.
Dr Simon said although education falls under the responsibility of the federal government, the Sarawak government continues to complement national efforts to strengthen access to education.
He said the state government recognises that education is a critical sector that should never be taken for granted.
“That is why the Sarawak government established a ministry related to education, not to take over the role of the federal Ministry of Education, but to complement and support where assistance is needed,” he said in his speech at the launching ceremony.
He added that initiatives such as the free transportation service help ensure students are able to attend school regularly.
“There is little point in having good school facilities and dedicated teachers if students are unable to come to school consistently,” he said.
Speaking to reporters later, Dr Simon said the transportation service benefits pupils from three villages located some distance from the school.
The villages are Kampung Kujang Mawang, Kampung Kujang Pelaman and Kampung Pangkalan Amo, which are situated about 11 kilometres from SK Kujang Mawang.
He said the service is expected to ease the burden on parents, particularly those busy with daily economic activities.
“Parents no longer have to worry about the time and cost of sending and picking up their children from school,” he said.
The service operates using one bus and one van, with the van deployed to areas that cannot be accessed by the bus.
Dr Simon said the system functions like a door-to-door service, collecting pupils from their homes and bringing them directly to school.
He added that SK Kujang Mawang is the first school under the Serian District Education Office to receive the free transportation service.
Statewide, the initiative has been implemented in 57 schools.
The school currently has about 300 pupils, with students from the three villages presently benefiting from the service.
