PTA members pose with Chairman of St Andrew’s Board of Governors Dato Paduka Job Lim (C), St Andrew’s PTA Chairman Datuk Ting (4th L), who is also the managing director of Cityneon Display and Construction, and principal Keasberry (4th R), for a group photo at the opening ceremony. Picture: BT/Daniel Wood

 

IT WAS a carnival-like atmosphere yesterday at the St Andrew’s School grounds as everyone involved with the school, from students to teachers and parents, participated in the school-wide Entrepreneurship Fair 2014.

Present as guests to officiate a brief opening ceremony were Dato Paduka Job Lim, chairman of St Andrew’s board of governors, Datuk Jack Ting, chairperson of St Andrew’s parents teachers association (PTA) and school principal Jane Keasberry.

Vice-chairperson of the PTA, Helen Kang, then took the guests on a tour of the fair, allowing them to examine closely the items on offer.

People had already streamed into the school from before 7am to set up booths and ready their wares, which ranged from food and drinks, to clothes and accessories. Off-beat entertainment and games such as face-painting and ball games could be found right next to computer gaming booths and popcorn machines.

Perhaps not so surprisingly, many of these 80 or so booths were manned entirely by schoolchildren, proving that not all young Bruneians are reliant on others when it comes to income and business.

Datuk Ting told The Brunei Times that the stalls were mainly run by students, but some were also assisted or managed by parents and external public parties.

“The main objective of this fair is to expose the students to the know-how of business. Some of these students are quite enterprising — the first stall is run only by Primary Four students! They already know how to produce their items, show them and even price it. To me, this is a very good initiative by the school and parents. We want students to be more enterprising,” said Datuk Ting.

The PTA chairperson, who is also the managing director of Cityneon Display and Construction Sd Bhd, hopes that the event would be held annually to promote the entrepreneurial spirit among students.