Deputy Premier to visit 18 schools in Batu Kawah to hand over operating grants

Dr Sim (centre) handing over the cheque to Stanley during a brief visit to SK Garland today (Jan 13, 2023). Also seen is Tan Kai (second left).

By Karen Bong

KUCHING, Jan 13: Deputy Premier Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian is visiting 18 schools in the Batu Kawah constituency today to hand over government grants to support the schools’ general operations.

The Batu Kawah assemblyman handed over a sum of grants to SK Garland’s headmaster Stanley Sagir this morning before the school’s Solid Waste Segregation and Recycling Programme prize-giving ceremony commenced.

“I would normally give out the grant at the beginning of the year because the Federal government’s allocation has yet to come in and could be expected in the middle of February.

“But this is the time the teachers and schools need funding. Otherwise, it would be difficult for them to carry out their day-to-day operations,” he told reporters before rushing off to visit other schools.

Accompanied by the political secretary to the Premier of Sarawak, Tan Kai, they also handed over several boxes of oranges to the school in conjunction with the upcoming Chinese New Year celebration.

Dr Sim spending some time speaking to SK Garland’s students participating in the eco-fashion competition today (Jan 13, 2023).

Meanwhile, SK Garland’s Solid Waste Segregation and Recycling Programme was organised in collaboration with Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) and Trienekens (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd.

It was aimed at building a real-life platform for students to put recycling into daily practice and learn the correct way to handle waste separation.

Through the programme, it hopes to nurture the value of sustaining natural resources among the school students and to engage students in recycling activities to build ownership of their disposal behaviour and increase their environmental awareness.

The joint programme featured several activities such as a 3R (recycle, reduce, and reuse) collection, awareness talk, colouring contest, innovation competition, eco-fashion competition and Amazing Green Race competition. — DayakDaily