KUCHING: Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) Chung Hua Debak, formerly known as Min Zhi Primary School, which is now over 60 years old, is in need of funds for rebuilding.
Located on a small piece of land by the Rimbas River, the school was established in 1993 by three local residents — Zhang Xiu Lie, Gu Yau Mu and Chen Fu Chai — to cater for the educational needs of the children of the early Chinese settlers who were mostly village shopowners and farmers.
In 1950, the school board decided to relocate the school to its present site as its proximity to the river posed a danger to the pupils. However, it took the Chinese community in the town seven years to raise enough funds to build the new school.
It started with a school block of four classrooms and a small staffroom and as time went by, new blocks were added.
The school in its present form was completed in 1957, but the years have taken its toll and the school is in need of long overdue repairs.
Present population of the school stands at 170, of which 24 percent are Chinese and the remaining are non-Chinese. The school welcomes pupils irrespective of race, and the teachers work tirelessly to build a good learning atmosphere.
The school committee chairman David Chong said the children and parents deserve a safe, welcoming and quality environment.
“To raise funds for the rebuilding of the school, the school board and a group who call themselves ‘I am Debakian’ recently formed a ‘school rebuilding committee’,” he said.
He said the project will be divided into two phases costing RM3 million each and so far, the committee has raised RM500,000.
“The first phase would comprise a three-storey building housing 12 classrooms, three administrative rooms and a student activity centre. The existing dewan (hall) will be temporarily modified to accommodate the staff and pupils.
“The second phase would include a block for teachers’ quarters, dining hall and fencing. It would also cover internet facilities and computers for online teaching,” he said.
Chong said the fund-raising committee will be applying for financial assistance from the state and federal governments, local assemblymen and other supportive organisations as well as appealing for donations from the public.
“We hope to raise another RM5,500,000 in the next two years. The projected completion of the Pan Borneo Highway in two years’ time will provide easy access to the school for the nearby villagers to enrol their children,” he said.
He said the future plan is to provide boarding facilities for the students as the school is expecting its population to increase gradually.
“We are appealing for your kind support and be a partner to the Debak School Rebuilding Fund campaign,” he said.
For further information, contact SJKC Chung Hua Debak school board chairman Lim Ming Hai at 010-4087828; Debak Kapitan Tan Xiao Ping (013-5608722), school board treasurer Kho Cui Yek (010-8298415); chairman of the fund-raising committee Goh Hee Seng (013-8189888); or advisor to the school rebuilding committee Chew Boon Shen (016-8863805).
