Firms help school’s recovery
SJK (C) Yuk Chai in Kuala Krai was one of the worst hit schools in Kelantan in the flood that inundated the state late last year.
Images of mud and destroyed computers showed only just a fraction of the damage and recovery works required at the school.
As the school sent out appeal for donations, two companies - QL Resources Berhad and Boilermech Holdings Berhad - decided to commit themselves to partner the school in its recovery and restoration efforts.
After assessing the damage, the companies and the school decided that the most immediate need was to restore the electrical necessities that were no longer safe for use after the flood.
QL and Boilermech carried out various recovery efforts to get the school back on its feet by rewiring the ground floor of the school building and installing new lighting and fans for classrooms on the ground floor.
The restoration involved 10 classrooms, two computer rooms, a parent-teacher association room, bookstore, students’ activity room, counselling and information room, table tennis room, prayer room, living skills room, three store rooms and toilets in three blocks.
These combined efforts are estimated to cost about RM130,000.
The restoration efforts enabled the current 356 pupils and 30 teachers of SJK (C) Yuk Chai to resume classes within one month.
“Our sense of social responsibility compelled us to go beyond monetary support to help the school recover from the disaster,” said Boilermech’s deputy managing director Chia Lik Khai during a visit to the school.
“We hope that our actions and efforts can create a positive impact for the school and children in the community.
“More importantly, we hope that our actions will inspire more support from the private sector and individuals to assist the disaster-affected communities in their long recovery.”
QL and Boilermech also sent a group of their staff and construction teams to SJK (C) Yuk Chai.
The installation took one month and the rewiring for the ground floor of the administration block is still ongoing.
The companies also organised teams to repaint the school, and contacted Kossan Paint (M) Sdn Bhd to help the school by donating RM10,000 for further repainting.
“SJK (C) Yuk Chai was badly hit during the recent flood in December 2014. We are on our way to full recovery,” said school headmistress Loo Ai Cheng.
“However, as everybody here in Kuala Krai was affected, we found it very difficult to secure the services of contractors to do the work required.
“Until the electrical power for the ground floor classrooms was restored and the rooms properly fitted with lighting and fans, we had to cram pupils from two classes into one classroom on the upper floor.
“With the manpower and financial support provided by QL and Boilermech, teachers and pupils were able to return their classrooms and resume their learning activities quickly,” she said.
Loo hoped more companies would come forward to partner the school in facing its challenges.
“More works is required at the school. Termites are also attacking one of our school blocks.
“We also hope to repaint the entire school with support from the community,” she said.