Group Managing Director of TDM Berhad, Datuk Mohamat Muda, (two right) planting palm trees donated to SMK Pelong estate. (pix by NAZDY HARUN)

16/08/2017 (New Straits Times) - A school in Setiu is now nearly independent of financial assistance from the district Education Department to run its activities.

This is attributed to the innovative ideas of its teachers as well as the Parent-Teacher’s Association, who decided to transform 0.8 hectares of idle land into oil palm smallholdings.

Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Pelong is now a shining example of how a rural school can turn its idle assets into a money spinner.

The idea to develop the land started in 2012 with about 1,000 oil palm seedlings worth RM15,000 donated by state-owned TDM Plantations.

Last year, the first harvest of small bunches of fruits yielded RM5,500 worth of gross sales.

This year the PTA is expected to earn more as the fruit bunches becomes much bigger, heavier and more productive.

“We had no idea of what to expect of this project. It was touch and go with a lot of trust given by the teachers to the PTA, which was tasked with managing the smallholdings and the income derived from the harvest,” said SMK Pelong PTA chairman Mohamad Saad.

Mohamad said the oil palms were initially planted on a 0.4 hectare land which belonged to the school. This year, another 1,000 trees would be planted on another 0.4 hectare.

Looking ahead, Mohamad said when the second phase starts producing fruits in four years, there is a strong possibility that the PTA could earn more than RM10,000 per harvest from the 0.8 hectare smallholdings.

“After deducting costs for labour and fertiliser, the PTA will have more than enough funds to conduct activities for both the teachers and students as well as organise community projects related to education involving villagers.

“In fact, we will be supporting the costs for tuition for students who will be taking examinations this year,” he said, adding that a majority of the students in SMK Pelong came from poor families whose parents are rubber tappers and odd-job labourers.

His deputy Abdul Rahman Abu Bakar said TDM Plantations donated all the oil palm for both the first and second phase.

“It will cost us RM30,000 to buy 2,000 trees. But we are thankful to TDM Plantations for the donation. Our costs are only related to maintenance, including hiring local youths to harvest the fruits and apply fertiliser.

“This programme benefits the villagers in more ways than one, although empowering education is the main objective,” he added.