Petronas-built MRSM campus welcomes first batch of students
RANAU: The MARA Junior Science College (MRSM) Ranau welcomed its first batch of students on Monday, marking a momentous start for the college in empowering the community through access to quality education.
It was a hive of activities as students and parents made a beeline for the brand-new campus, eight kilometres from here, amidst the cool morning breeze during the registration for the new academic year.
The MRSM Ranau campus, developed by Petronas at a cost of RM132 million, is the result of a collaboration with the Sabah State Government and MARA in powering knowledge by enhancing access to quality education among Sabah students and stimulating interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
General Manager of Petronas Sabah and Labuan Regional Office, Siti Ayu Abdul Wahab said,“We are excited to witness the realisation of our vision as the first group of students embarks on their educational journey at MRSM Ranau.”
“It is indeed a historic occasion as this marks a new chapter in our commitment to support the aspirations of the Sabah State Government in developing the human capital potential of young Sabahan talents,” she said.
Principal of MRSM Ranau, Ismail Badri said, “We are excited to welcome the first batch of 200 Form 1 and Form 4 students to our MRSM Ranau family. It is heartening to see the smiles on the faces of the students and parents.”
He said that MRSM Ranau is different from other MRSMs due to its conducive environment, which is located near the foot of Mount Kinabalu.
“The combination of the environment, experienced teachers, and the facilities provided by Petronas hopefully will produce holistic and highachieving students.”
The campus spans over 26,000 square meters, providing ample space to accommodate up to 450 students. It is equipped with various facilities including administrative building, academic block, resource centre, student dormitories, student centre, dining hall, multi-purpose hall, pavilion, surau, staff residence, teacher’s residence, ancillary buildings, and sports facilities that have been carefully planned to meet the needs of students, teachers, and campus management.
At present, MRSM Ranau has a staff strength of 46, including 27 teachers, 16 support staff and three management members.