Premier mission school is short of RM6m to complete its building project

BUKIT PADANG – A premier mission school is still short of RM6 million to complete its building project.

St Francis Convent School, Sabah’s first school for girls, was built in 1922 for less than 100 students.  The continuous success of the school necessitated the construction of the secondary school in Jalan Kebajikan (Harrington Road) in 1959.  Currently, the school has an enrolment of 850 students within three blocks on a hilly 1.8 acre site.  This is more than double the 400 pax capacity of 11 classrooms for which it was intended.

The overall overpopulation, dilapidation and deterioration of the buildings with no room for expansion have resulted in the dire and urgent need for a new campus.

The groundwork for the RM12 million building located behind St Francis Convent Primary School in Bukit Padang, Kota Kinabalu, has already been laid.  The building works contractor, CL Contractor Sdn Bhd, has begun work on 7 Sept 2015 and is expected to complete construction by Sept 2017.

The project consists of two 4-storey blocks with a central atrium: one block of 22 classrooms with living skills workshops and a second block of science laboratories, administrative offices, staff room, library and special rooms.

The general public, ex-students and private corporations are urged to respond generously to the project to provide the best learning facilities and infrastructure for the younger generations by taking advantage of the tax exemption offered. There are three tiers for sponsorship, the first being the top tier whereby sponsors of RM88,000.00, RM60,000.00 or RM50,000.00 will have naming rights for classrooms, science laboratories, workshops and special rooms.

The middle tier is sponsorship of the wall of recognition with contributions of RM10,000.00, RM5,000.00 or RM3,000.00.  The final tier includes any amount a person is willing to contribute, either named or anonymously sponsored.  The fundraising committee accepts pledges in form of cash, cheques, direct bank transfers or ATM bank-in with proof of receipt.

All contributions to Tabung Pembinaan SMK St. Francis Convent (M) Alliance Bank Berhad Account Number 1019600101185048 are eligible for tax exemption as approved by Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri (LHDN) and official tax exemption receipts from 15 March 2015 to 14 March 2018 will be issued under the reference no LHDN. 01/35/42/51/179-6.5801.

For more details, please contact the following:
Fundraising Sub-Committee: Leena Toyoi (016-8362385)
St Francis Convent School: Chong Shat Muai (019-8620201)
Building Committee: Peter Chin (019-8808646)
Board of Management: Mary Gomez (019-8623168).