Xu Lai Primary School was established in 1924 by Lau Kah Tii who contributed the land. Rev James Hoover contributed a few hundred dollars towards the building of church and school. By 1924, there were many children born to the first few batches of Foochow pioneers who arrived in 1903.
The original wooden school was built on two acres of land donated by Lau Kah Tii.
By 1927, the student population almost doubled which also coincided with the prosperity brought by rubber boom in Sarawak. The school developed well under the headship of Tang Yu Dong. However when Sarawak saw economic depression in 1929, the school suffered some setbacks. However the school maintained its prominence as an education centre for children.
When the Japanese came, English could not be taught as a subject. The school was closed for about 3 years.
Looking back an ex teacher there said that the school fared well even through the Depression and it was the community spirit that kept the staff and the school going.
After the war, the school continued to developed with the construction of a new concrete block. The block was dedicated to the memory of Mr and Mrs. Lau Kah Tii.
Later the school was moved to Sibu because of political upheaval in the country side.
The entire school building was abandoned in the 1970's. Today it is a splendid town school in its new state.
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