By Olivia Miwil
Olivia@nstp.com.my
Pictures by Olivia Miwil
SEMPORNA: Teachers of Sekolah Kebangsaan Pulau Mabul here are trying their best to have children here to at least finish primary school.
The school senior assistant Hamran Jupuri said most of the children attended the school with aim to learn basic skills such as reading, writing and arithmetics.
"The school is a stepping stone for them to look for better jobs.
"However, not all of them could afford to continue going to school due to several reasons including unaffordablity of annual fees," he said, referring to some of undocumented children who have to pay additional RM120 per year to study at government schools.
Hamran added that there are only small percentage of villagers that work with resorts while the rest are earning average of RM200 per month as fishermen.
A mathematics teacher Amir Han, 25, who is also from here said that it is a challenge for them to assure villagers that education could change the children's future.
"Usually, during the first year, many of them would come to school but as they grow up, their numbers are decreasing.
"Some of the kids prefer to follow their parents to go fishing and do other activities instead of going to school.
"As their families are mostly at the island, these kids are also afraid to further their studies at boarding schools at mainland," he said, adding teachers always have to think of interesting activities to attract villagers coming back to school.
Both teachers were met during Bank Rakyat's corporate social responsibility dubbed as" Nuri Nutrisi" which aims to reach out children and motivate them to come to school.
The bank's Marketing and Communications chief Nizam Sani said the programme is in line with the bank's aspirations to be part of United Nations' Sustainable Development goals to eradicate poverty and hunger;to promise good health and wellbeing; to provide quality education and clean watern as long as to reduce inequality issues.
Besides supporting food allowances for a year to 30 underprivileged pupils from the school, the bank also contributed three water filter machines to the school, Surau Pulau Pelancongan Nur Rezky, as well as at a makeshift school for stateless children in the village.
The bank has also contributed funds to modify the "surau" and class to become tourist attractions.
"Yayasan Bank Rakyat is also providing additional classes for free every Saturday to assist pupils to prepare for their examinations," he added.
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