Sands China opens the Aoyi Primary School in Jiangxi Province

Senior executives from Sands China Ltd led a group of 20 brand ambassadors on a visit to Jiangxi Province’s Xiushui County as it formally handed over the Aoyi Primary School on Tuesday, 10th September.

Construction for the school was jointly funded by Sands China  and the China Civil Engineering Construction Company (Macau) Ltd (CCECC).

Representatives from the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao Special Administrative Region, Sands China team members and volunteers, CCECC, the Policy Research and Regional Development Bureau of the Macao SAR, the Education and Youth Development Bureau of the Macao SAR, and Aoyi Primary School were all on hand for the formal turnover and inauguration.

Sands China executive vice-chairman Wilfred Wong said of the endeavour:  “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 Macao SAR government’s efforts in rural revitalisation in Jiangxi’s Xiushui County. We are thrilled to take part in this project, and to partner with CCECC to enhance the educational infrastructure in Xiushui County.”

Wong added that Sands China firmly believes that it can create a more conducive learning environment for local children by improving the foundational educational resources in the region. At the same time, it also seeks to establish a robust groundwork for the county’s long-term economic and social development through the construction of schools and other initiatives. 

He concluded by saying: “We hope that the connection between the two places will endure, and through this project, we can extend the caring spirit of the Sands Cares Ambassadors, demonstrating a sense of patriotism and love for Macao.”

More room to learn

The original school building was located at the base of a hill. As a result, the campus had limited space, as well as an insufficient number of functional classrooms and sports facilities that failed to meet safety standards, potentially endangering students, particularly during storms. 

This prompted involved parties to relocate the Aoyi Primary School. This new location covers an area of about 3,900 square metres in Xiushui’s Huanggang town, including a construction area of about 1,700 square metres. 

Also, the addition of the school gives school-aged children in the surrounding villages and towns critically needed access to education.