The school session this year will be brighter for pupils and teachers of Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) St Martin in Kota Samarahan because after 10 years, the school finally operates on its own building.

Although the new building, located in Uni Central in Kota Samarahan is rented for a three-year term, it is sufficient to give comfort to the 1,003 pupils from the first day of school up to Year Six and 41 teachers (including the headmistress) as they no longer need to cramp as they did when they were squatting previously.

The original location of SK St Martin was at Kampung Merdang Gayam, but since 2006 the school session had to be carried out on a sharing basis at SK Jalan Muara Tuang.

Sarawak Education Department director Rakayah Madon said the Education Ministry had approved the application to rent the building for the comfort of the pupils and teachers.

She said SK St Martin, which was previously a government-aided school (SBK), now had the government school status and operated as other national schools in the state.

“The rental is expected to last for three years, at the same time the new site for the school has been identified for the construction of the new building in future.

“I thank the Education Ministry which helped in providing and approving the renovation of the shophouse into a temporary school building,” she said when met at the school today.

Rakayah and the Samarahan assistant district education officer, Abdul Latip Bujang, carried out an inspection on the school to look at the proceedings on the first day of the school session and the requirements for improvements.

Commenting further, she said based on feedback, the guardians were happy with the location and the new building although it was on a rental basis for the time being.

- Bernama