Kota Kinabalu: It was an eye-opener for some 50 students from rural Keningau and Beaufort at the Education & Enrichment Expo 2025, recently, thanks to a special outreach initiative by the organisers.
The students were from St Maria Gorreti Girl’s Hostel, Binaong, Keningau and SK Batu 60, Beaufort two schools that face unique challenges.
For these rural students, it was a chance to discover new career paths and imagine a brighter future.
“For at least one weekend, these students saw new possibilities, new opportunities, and new hope,” organiser Pricella Fong said.
For many of the girls from St. Maria Goretti, living away from their parents at a young age is already difficult — and most do not even own a mobile phone.
“On one hand, it keeps them focused on their studies, but on the other, it means they’re missing out on digital skills that today are almost basic requirements for jobs,” said Fong.
At SK Batu 60, which has only 75 students, classes are frequently disrupted by floods. Teachers often spend as much time on gotong-royong repairs as they do in classrooms.
Fong said prior to the visit many of them had limited exposure to career paths beyond becoming teachers, nurses, or doctors.
“It’s not that they lacked ambition, but simply because they’ve never been exposed to other possibilities,” she said.
Fong stressed that while discussions often revolve around “big development plans” for Sabah, the reality is that many children in rural areas still struggle with the basics of quality education.
“Until this gap is bridged, it’s difficult to talk about true progress,” she added.
The expo, held over the weekend, brought together students, educators, families, and education providers in an interactive setting designed to inspire and empower.
