Sands China said in a statement on Wednesday that its senior executives led 20 Sands Cares Ambassadors to Jiangxi Province’s Xiushui County on Tuesday for the handover and unveiling ceremony of Aoyi Primary School, for which construction was jointly funded by the integrated resort (IR) operator and China Civil Engineering Construction Company (Macau) Ltd. (CCECC).
Aoyi is a town located in Xiushui County. The area is characterised by its rural landscape, agricultural activities, and local culture.
According to the statement, the school was previously located at the bottom of a hill and had limited space, with “an insufficient number of functional classrooms and sports facilities that failed to meet standards, potentially endangering students, particularly during storms”.
The primary school’s new location covers around 3,900 square metres in Xiushui’s Huanggang town, including a construction area of about 1,700 square metres, the statement noted. It allows school-aged children in surrounding villages and towns “critically needed access to education”, the statement pointed out.
Sands China Ltd Executive Vice Chairman Wilfred Wong Ying-wai was quoted by the statement as saying: “The Aoyi Primary School construction project represents our proactive response to the national rural revitalisation strategy and serves as a crucial step in aiding the Macau Special Administrative Region government’s efforts in rural revitalisation in Jiangxi’s Xiushui County.
He added: “We firmly believe that by improving the foundational educational resources there, we can not only create a more conducive learning environment for local children but also establish a robust groundwork for the county’s long-term economic and social development, which holds profound significance.”
CCECC Assistant General Manager and CCECC Hong Kong and Macau Branch’s Managing Director Yang Song added: “I hope that Aoyi Primary School will continue to excel, further nurturing the profound bond between Macau and Xiushui, and playing a role in fostering more outstanding individuals for our nation!”
The Sands China delegation toured the school after the ceremony, with its “ambassadors” also presenting items including gift packs of school stationery and sports equipment. They also interacted with students in the new campus’ classrooms and playground, while the trip also included a visit to students’ families in a village in the nearby mountains, where gift packs containing food items and household essentials were also given out.
Moreover, a visit the Qiushou Uprising Xiushui Memorial Hall also took place on Monday.
This handout photo taken on Tuesday and provided by Sands China on Wednesday shows the brand-new, purpose-built Aoyi Primary School in Jiangxi Province’s Xiushui County.
