On 12th February 2022, the committee members of Sarawak Research Society (SRS), Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) Kuching, Responsible Borneo (REBORN), and UCSI University hosted a workshop on Responsible Community Engagement Program. The workshop was held at UCSI University Sarawak Campus from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. This workshop is a collaboration with these said institutions together with Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts (MTCP) Sarawak, and SJK Chung Hua Taiton and SJK Chung Hua Paku in Bau District. This workshop serves as a community engagement initiative which aims at educating teachers and students in rural areas about responsible tourism through education.

 

This workshop addressed two agendas: (1) Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), which was delivered by Chairperson of the RCE Kuching Mdm Mukvinder Kaur Sandhu, and (2) Responsible Tourism Module, which was presented by the RCE fellows. The first agenda, ESD, aims to promote awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as educate teachers on how to apply the SDGs through education. The second agenda, Responsible Tourism, seeks to familiarise teachers with the idea of responsible tourism as well as the 5R concepts (Refuse, Reduce, Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose). The participants were also exposed to an interactive e-learning module using the online portal ‘PANDei e-Pelancongan’.

 

This half-day workshop was attended by members of the RCE Kuching, REBORN, as well as principals and teachers from two said primary schools in Taiton and Paku Towns. Participants from RCE Kuching were Ms Adlin Baizura Binti Ariffin, Ms Genevie Ruran Mikal, Ms Sherrymina Kiching, Ms Ida Ingko, and Ms Franscesca Enchang. Participants from the SRS was SRS Chairman Assoc. Prof. Dr Hiram Ting together with the members of REBORN, including Mr Nicholas Tiong, Ms Andrea Le, Ms Magdalyn Chan Wan Ting, Ms Sharon Esther Donny, Mr Wang Hanyu, Ms Mandy Chen Wei Xing, as well as Treasurer of the Hwa Gong Bau Historical Society Mr Lucas Lim Tee Kiat. Representatives from SJK Chung Hua Taiton were school board member Mr Henry Liew, Principal Mr Pui Poh Chong, and schoolteachers Ms Wong Ling Nee, Mr Liew Show Jin, Ms Then Chin Fah, and Mr James Chin Fah. Representatives from SJK Chung Hua Paku were Principal Mr Choo Nyit Shin, and two teachers Mr Bong Kok Sin and Ms Voon Yit Sam.

 

With this opportunity, we would like to express our gratitude to the Education Department of Sarawak (JPN) for allowing us to conduct this program and workshop.

 

Another great day. More to come.