KUCHING: SK Jalan Ong Tiang Swee (SKJOTS) will not be having its weekly assembly and curriculum activities under the sun anymore with the completion of the school’s new hall costing RM350,000.
The construction of the new school hall was made possible through contributions from various sources including the Chief Minister’s Office, assemblymen, parents and also the public.
The school Parent-Teacher Association (PIBG) managed to realised the project after it collected close to RM300,000 to start the hall’s construction in May last year and was completed in September without delay.
Speaking during the opening ceremony, Assistant Minister for Rural Economy (Interior Areas) and Plantation, Datuk Francis Harden Hollis said that he was happy with the completion of the school hall and hoped that it would benefit all the students and teachers.
“I hope that the hall can be used to foster closer ties among the parents, teachers students.
“With this hall available various programmes and activities can be organised to help the students to improve their study such as be holding motivational talks, seminars and many others,” he said.
Francis also thanked the PIBG committee members for their hard work to make the building of the school’s new hall possible. He also urged the PIBG to come out with the construction cost on the school’s toilets, stage and a laboratory.
“For the laboratory, if there is one, then we will upgrade it but if there is none, then we will build it,” he said.
He also announced a grant of RM30,000 for the PIBG for its next construction projects and another RM10,000 from Minister of Local Government, Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian.Others who donated to the school PIGB were Sadong Jaya Assemblyman, Aidel Lariwoo (RM45,000), ex-Marudi Assemblyman Sylvester Entri (RM60,000), Chief Minister’s Office (RM80,000) and anonymous (RM10,000).
Established in 1966 and named as ‘Local Council Aided School’ by the Kuching Municipal Council then, under the support of the Education Department.
The school derives its name in 1973 from a prominent businessman in Kuching, Ong Tiang Swee as the school was built on his land. In 1998, the school was upgraded to a Grade A school.
Also present were Sadong Jaya assemblyman Aidel Lariwoo, SKJOTS principle Alijah Ali and SKJOTS PIBG president Liza Jimmy.
