Transforming 70-year-old IPGK Kent into a heritage building

The Kent Teachers Training Campus (IPGK Kent) has great potential to become a heritage building with its 70-year history as the first teaching campus in the state.

The campus was established in 1952 in Tuaran and was inaugurated by Her Royal Highness Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent.

To this day, the IPGK Kent continues to preserve and store antique objects, such as the first camera the college ever used, video recorders, projectors, and paper compressors, among other things.

On Wednesday, Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Environment Datuk Joniston Bangkuai visited the campus in conjunction with its 70th Platinum Jubilee Celebration Ceremony.

He toured the campus and visited galleries exhibiting old education-related artefacts, including scrolls and certificates, newspaper clippings, trophy awards, and nostalgic photographs.

“Given the campus’s rich history, IPGK Kent has the makings of an educational tourism offering,” he said at the event.

“It has been brought to my attention that the campus intends to make its Kent Education Heritage Centre a state heritage site. As Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Environment, I will do my best to bring attention to this matter within the state government.

“I regard it as a good effort as it will cement Tuaran’s position as the oldest centre of excellence in teacher education, in addition to its already-established status as a tourist hotspot,” he remarked.

Additionally, Joniston strongly suggested the campus administrator put together paperwork on that matter.

At the event were IPGK Kent deputy director Datin Dr Rosnah Edinin; Head of the Department of Academic Excellence Harun Sarail; Head of Student Affairs Department Amidy Malagob; Head of Social Science Studies Department Dr Jais Abdul Hamid; and Kent Alumni Association president Adnan Ibrahim.

According to Dr Rosnah, IPGK Kent, Malaysia’s fourth teacher education institute, has successfully produced approximately 18,500 teachers who have served all over the country.

She added that the state government’s commitment to support and strengthen the old campus site as a National Education Heritage site would make it one of the district’s landmarks.

“Certainly, this can stimulate the local economy and become an ideal tourist attraction,” she added.