Upgrade school, alumni association urged
I suggest that the alumni work together to upgrade SMK Bario from junior secondary to senior secondary, where we can also have Form 4 and Form 5. It has been 50 years, it’s been long overdue.
MIRI: The newly-formed SMK Bario Alumni Association has been challenged to help upgrade the school to include senior secondary classes.
State Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker and Mulu assemblyman Datuk Gerawat Gala said upgrading the school would benefit students in the area.
“I suggest that the alumni work together to upgrade SMK Bario from junior secondary to senior secondary, where we can also have Form 4 and Form 5. It has been 50 years, it’s been long overdue,” he said during the SMK Bario Ex- Students Reunion Dinner in conjunction with SMK Bario’s golden jubilee and the SMK Bario Alumni Association’s launching on Tuesday.
“This will prepare our students better, rather than getting them to go to Marudi or Miri right after they’ve completed Form 3, which can be tough for them. If they can stay an additional two years, they may have matured
Datuk Gerawat Gala, Mulu assemblyman
sufficiently when they leave for Form 6. By then, they will be more prepared to cope with the different environment as they will be studying and living in town.”
He said there would be enough students for senior secondary classes, especially once the new road from Ba Kekalan is completed.
“When the school first started in 1967, all the three classes (Form 1, 2 and 3) have about 60 to 70 students. Today I know there are more than 140 students there. The number has doubled, and once the road coming in from Ba Kelalan gets through, Ba Kelalan students can also come into Bario. So we can expect quite an increase in population,” said Gerawat.
He also called on the alumni to look into programmes to improve students’ academic performance.
“For instance, the alumni can have special English language programmes for them. There are a lot of groups willing to volunteer to help the students. If the alumni can identify these groups and match them with the students according to the requirements of the school, they can have development programmes for students.
“The same can be done for the teachers. Perhaps organise educational visits for them and so on. These are a few things you can do. We have gained and benefited in many different ways and it is time we give back before our time is up,” he stressed.
Gerawat also announced an RM15,000 minor rural project ( MRP) grant for the association.
During the dinner, the Inner Wheel Club of Miri donated RM5,000 to a longhouse in Long Seridan that was destroyed by a fire in April.