Tuaran resort empowers rural students
Published on: Thursday, February 20, 2020
By: Lorena Binisol
TUARAN: Shangrila’s Rasa Ria Resort in Tuaran through its corporate social responsibility is committed to helping promote the development of the local communities in schools, in this instance, SK Pukak in Kiulu. It is the 5th school chosen to receive the benefits with Bursary Awards to 23 best achievers under Rasa Ria’s Embrace Programme.
Its Communication Director who leads the CSR project, Regina Sulit, said the bursary project was in the form of book vouchers presented to the best students who did well in their examination the previous year.
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The event also coincided with launching of its Highly Immersive Programme (HIP) for English Language.
“HIP is a programme introduced under the Ministry of Education to help improve English language proficiency of students through increased exposure to English,” said Regina.
The school is also the first out of 86 in Tuaran district to launch this programme.
Regina revealed the early launch of the programme was made possible due to the availability of the English Zone space jointly built in October 2019 by volunteers from Rasa Ria Resort together with the teachers and parents of the school.
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Aiming at improving on education and infrastructure work, Regina said they are committed to providing better facilities to enhance the students’ studying environment which would enable them to achieve better results.
“We are doing a long-term project focusing on the students and their wellbeing, it is all for the good of our younger generation,” said Regina.
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Present to deliver the award was the resort’s General Manager Fiona Hagan and witnessed by Tuaran Education District officer representatives.
Over the years the resort had embraced five schools in Tuaran district and nearby areas for “adoption”. They were SK Laya-Laya, SMK Sri Nangka, SK Lapasan, SM St James and recent one being SK Pukak, Kiulu.
Started in the 60s, SK Pukak has 103 students who mostly come from the rural places in the vicinity.
Fiona conveyed gratitude to the school for their readiness to participate in the HIP programme which they regard as a good platform for the student’s exposure and experience.
“Every time we speak about SK Pukak to our guests and staff, we have many volunteers who wanted to join in because they love to feel welcome, love to see the children and love to work in every faculty in the school that’s focusing on education.
“The guests want to do something more meaningful and benefitting the community. Our hotel guests are more than happy to participate in such voluntary work that involved the wellbeing of the people,” she said.
“With this English programme being implemented here, it adds to the value of the school, accommodating through conversation, singing and simply sharing the culture.
And with the school implementing Tuesday as the English speaking day in a week, we, in the resort would implement the same for our staff as well. You have inspired us to do the same thing for a good cause.
Putting English in your environment is a way to expose our young children to be more vigilant of the surrounding, to be alert on their education and create greater awareness on many things,” said Fiona.
She added that with the facilities provided, she hoped students would apply and practise their English conversation on a daily basis. They would gain more confidence and would have more high self-esteem, said Fiona, who added that the resort would take every effort to assist the community through their csr programmes.
By supporting the community through school children, Fiona foresees that in the future these people would become more loyal and responsible.
“We are able to harness their talents and help develop their keenness to work in hospitality industry,” she said.
She said touching the hearts of the people (community) is so important where it leaves good deeds in them as well as making difference in their life.
“Rasa Ria will continue to support other such endeavours that help promote the development of the local communities as a whole.”
Headmaster Goromon Rongot thanked the resort for choosing his school for the programme.
“We have to work hard, including myself, in order to achieve our goals in life. I admit that I am also lacking in English proficiency. Therefore, I must work hard to improve it accordingly.
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