SFCSS building project receives support from state govt

KOTA KINABALU – St Francis Convent Secondary School Building Project received support from the State Government and a government-linked company recently.

In his speech given at the second Franciscan Night on 16 April 2016 at the Hakka Hall here, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman, the guest of honour, said:

“The State Government acknowledged this effort to raise RM12 million to make this a reality.  The government had approved RM1 million towards this initiative, payable over four years, with the first payment made last year.”

He added that government-linked company Sabah Credit Corporation (SCC), through its Corporate Social Responsibility programme, had also contributed RM1 million towards the building fund.

He urged the private sector to support this effort as “education is key to nation building.”

In her speech, the SFCSS Board of Governors Chairperson Mary Florence Gomez thanked all who are involved in the construction and updated those present on its progress.  She said,

“The construction of the school is progressing fast and we are informed that by November 2016, the building construction works will be completed and we will have to settle the whole contract sum of RM6,700,000.00. However, we cannot stop there as we have to continue collecting funds for the external works such as the construction of the roads, drains, car park, and fence and contributions to the relevant authorities and so we will need another RM5 million plus for these works so that the new secondary school can open for business by June 2018, and, I am sure with the cooperation of the Board, the Alumini, the Parents Teachers Association and all our well wisers, we can and will make it.”

The Franciscan Night was part of the fundraising efforts by the Alumni of St Francis Convent Schools to meet the target date of the completion of the building project.  One hundred and six tables were sold out at RM1,000 per table by class years.  Contributors of various amounts took part in the ribbon cutting ceremony which raised an amount of RM78,000.00.

Among the invited guests were Archbishop John Wong, Adviser to the Schools Management Board; Toh Puan Rahimah Stephens, patron of the Alumni; Datuk Vincent Pung, SCC CEO and wife Datin Rubina Malim; Sr Cecilia Liew fsic, Adviser of the Building Committee;  Datuk Hjh Jainab Datuk Seri Paglima Hj Ahmad Avid, Minister of Community Development & Consumer Affairs; Datuk Amir Kahar Tun Mustapha, Inspector General of Projects Sabah and wife Datuk Aminah Ambrose, president of the Alumni and organiser of the 2016 Franciscan Night; Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau, Federal Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation; and Puan Chong Shat Mui, principal of SFCSS.