SEMATAN: SMK Sematan here received a major boost in facilities development with a RM350,000 allocation announced by Opar Assemblyman, Billy Sujang, for the upgrading of its Dewan Sri Jamilah.
The announcement was made during the opening ceremony of the school’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) Annual General Meeting held on Saturday.
“This allocation is part of our ongoing commitment to ensure that students have access to comfortable and conducive facilities, in line with efforts to enhance the quality of education in this area,” Billy said in his speech.
He also stressed that education is a vital agent of change in improving living standards and the socio-economic status of communities, and that it must be strengthened through strong cooperation between schools, parents, and the community.
The upgraded hall is expected to benefit both students and teachers in hosting various educational, co-curricular and community programmes.
Earlier the same day in Kampung Stenggang, Bau, Billy also contributed RM20,000 to SK St Teresa Stenggang in conjunction with its Annual Sports Championship.
The allocation was divided equally between the school’s PTA and the School Management Board to support administration and student development initiatives.
“As one of the mission schools in the Opar constituency, SK St Teresa does not receive full government funding.
“It is therefore my responsibility to help ensure the school’s needs continue to be met,” he said in his remarks at the event.
Billy also expressed gratitude for the school’s continued invitations to its annual sports event, which he described as an important platform for students’ physical and character development.
He urged the younger generation to take sports more seriously and to draw inspiration from national sprinting legend, Watson Nyambek, known as The Flying Dayak.