Helicopters Help Build A School

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31061, 17 May 1966, Page 8

Helicopters Help Build A School

(N .Z.P. A.-Reuter) SINGAPORE. Kelabit children in a remote village in the highlands of Sarawak are now attending a new school—thanks, largely to the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm.

A Navy spokesman in Singapore said that Wessex helicopters of 848 Naval Air Commando Squadron had ferried in thousands of wooden tiles and large quantities of stone and timber to help with the construction of three new buildings. The new school has been built in Bareo, in the Kelabit highlands, where the 848 Squadron has a helicopter detachment. With Indonesian confrontation threatening the lives of, many border villagers, several communities were resettled in the large Bareo valley, about 40 miles from the dangerous border areas. This caused a big increase in the number of schoolchildren and the old school building was not big enough to accommodate them. The 300 children now have their classes in the three new school buildings, and boarders, who comprise over half the pupils live in the old school house. Food Problems Naval helicopters have also flown in rice and pigs to help the school’s food problem. When the school term ends, boarders have a long trudge through the jungle to reach their longhouse homes. For many, the journey takes up to : four days. The Navy squadron also

assists the Kelabits by running a “flying bus service.” Whenever a helicopter is on operational duty near a longhouse, queues of villagers can be seen waiting for a lift. Mercy missions are another service which the Navy renders to the villagers. Helicopters fly sick Kelabits to the army medical officer at Bareo, or the 100 miles to hospital in Brunei.