Petronas hostel taking shape in Balambangan

Kudat: Construction has begun on a hostel funded by Petronas to improve access to education among Sabahan students in the remote area of Balambangan Island, off Kudat, and once completed it is expected to improve attendance in school among students in the area.The hostel is one of two education infrastructure projects announced by Petronas last year under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, to improve access to education among Sabahan students. The other is the construction of a Mara Junior Science College (MRSM) in Ranau, which is scheduled to begin soon, near the Ranau Sports Complex.

The 120-bed facility, known as Asrama Harian Luar Bandar, is being built within SK Balambangan Banggi's compound to provide pupils with a place to stay throughout the week during school days.

The school's senior administration assistant, Abdul Basith Iman Goy said it was difficult for the pupils, about 90 of them, to come to school especially during bad weather, and at times, attendance drop to as low as 20 students because of the difficulties of getting to school.

"They have to walk for hours or ride boats to reach school. Imagine children as young as six having to go through such obstacles daily.

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"We hope to place the students at the facility during school days and they only return to their homes during the weekend.

This way, they would not have to miss any classes and we can also monitor their academic performance more closely," he said.

The island has three villages, with Kampung Selamat being the nearest to the school.

The others are Kampung Batu Sirih where boats are the only means of transport, and Kampung Kok Simpul, the furthest of the three villages, where pupils need to trek through the jungle from as early as 5 am to arrive before school starts at 7 am.

Membes of the project team, including officials from Petronas, visited SK Balambangan Banggi recently and inspected the hostel's construction progress.

The facility, expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2019, will be equipped with two accommodation blocks - for male and female pupils - a dining hall, surau and other related facilities.

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Petronas has been supporting human capital development in Sabah through its various education CSR programmes.

Among its key education initiatives are the Petronas Education Sponsorship Programme, sponsorship of five Trust Schools in Kimanis, collaboration with five skills institutions under the company's Vocational Institution Sponsorship and Training Assistance, establishment of Kimanis Petroleum Training Centre and sponsorship of less privileged students in three MRSMs in Sabah.

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