NEWS & UPDATES

BINTULU, January 3, 2018, Wednesday: Primary 6 pupils from several schools in Belaga preparing for their first year of secondary schooling in 2018 benefited from a school excursion to Bintulu organized by Sarawak Energy in partnership with Belaga District Education office recently. Their supplies and provisions were also sponsored by Sarawak Energy.

The trip was aimed at enhancing the academic performance of students in primary and secondary school in the area by giving them an incentive and exposing them to new experiences and motivate the pupils to strive for academic excellence.
 
More than 20 pupils from SK Abun Matu, SK Batu Keling, SK Long Gang, SK Airport, SK Punan Ba, SK Long Busang and SK Long Urun, accompanied by their teachers went on the trip.

As part of their excursion, the pupils and accompanying teachers were treated to lunch together with Hulu Rajang member of Parliament Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong, Murum assemblyman Kennedy Chukpai Ugon, Sarawak Energy’s Assistant General Manager for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Jiwari Abdullah and Belaga District Education Officer Nora Igang.

“The success of our children, especially those from rural areas will not be possible unless everyone puts their heart and soul in ensuring these goals are achieved. It is with knowledge and education that they could move forward in life,” Jiwari said in his speech at the luncheon. He also thanked the teachers for their hard work and dedication in nurturing the pupils.

Wilson reminded the pupils of the importance of education in shaping their future and encouraged them to pursue higher education.

“This is not the end of journey, but the start of a new chapter. Hard work, dedication and commitment alone are not enough without discipline,” Wilson said in his motivational address.

“In just a matter of time, all of you will be working after completing your studies. Please remember to give back to the community especially your own family who have sacrificed so much to provide the opportunity for education,” Wilson advised.

Murum State Assemblyman Kennedy called on the pupils and teachers to not take things lightly but to strive towards greater achievement to meet the challenges of an increasingly competitive world.
Both Wilson and Kennedy thanked Sarawak Energy and Belaga District Education office for their continuous efforts in educational enhancement programmes and other development initiatives for the local community.

“Education & Young People” is a key emphasis of Sarawak Energy’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) pillars. The energy developer and state power utility’s CSR initiatives and social investments are focused on areas affected by its projects, and communities in the Belaga District are part of this as the Murum and Bakun Hydropower Plants are located in the district.  By engaging and working with the communities themselves, Sarawak Energy has developed a suite of programmes that address community needs from their perspective.   

Initiatives under this pillar include ‘Adopt A School’ for SMK Bakun, academic workshops for students sitting for public examinations and youth training programmes.  Other activities organized by Sarawak Energy in the area include Fire Safety Awareness and Prevention Programmes for 15 longhouses in the Bakun Resettlement Area in Apau Koyan as well as contributing fire extinguishers and firefighting equipment to them last October. Sarawak Energy also organised a similar educational trip to Kuching for the students of SMK Bakun

Other support given by Sarawak Energy include providing immediate assistance to fire victims at Uma Badeng, Apau Koyan in June and sponsoring a group of artisans from Belaga to participate in this year’s Borneo International Beads Conference (BIBCO) in October.

Kennedy (seventh left), Wilson (ninth right), and Jiwari (eighth right) in a photo-call after the presentation of incentives for the primary six pupils from Belaga.

The pupils buying school shoes

All excited to try out their new school uniforms.