Body to continue devt programmes for schools
SIBU: The Sarawak United Association of Private Chinese Secondary School Management Boards will continue its development programmes for Chinese private secondary schools across the state.
Its president Temenggong Dato Vincent Lau said in the past, many activities like sports had been organised for these schools.
“Last year, we ran a dialogue with all school management boards for the first time. It was very successful.
“The management boards and school principals are vital in the development of these schools,” he addressed those attending the association’s annual general meeting (AGM) here on Sunday.
Lau, who is also chairman of the United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia ( Dong Zong), said in Peninsular Malaysia, many private Chinese secondary school management boards would hold many training sessions for members to understand the national education system better and to plan ahead for the benefit of the students.
On another matter, Lau said the process of identifying a land for Sarawak United Association of Private Chinese Secondary School Management Boards was still on-going.
According to him, the state government had earlier allocated for the association 2,000 hectares of land near here at the border of Kalimantan, but they later discovered that the land was of no economic value.
“We then requested for the state government to exchange it with another land, to which the government – under the leadership of then- chief minister Datuk Patinggi Adenan Satem – had initially agreed.
“Much later, we found a piece of land in Bintulu and submitted a proposal to the present Chief Minister ( Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg) suitable for the exchange. However, we found out from the Land and Survey Department that the land (in Bintulu) was classified as a ‘ forest reserve’.
“We had held a discussion with him (Abang Johari) about the matter, and he agreed that a more suitable land should be sought, with the help of the Land and Survey Department.
“During that meeting, he expressed his hope that the matter could be settled within six months,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lau said Sarawak remained the state in Malaysia with the most number of private Chinese secondary schools – at 14, versus the total of 60 nationwide.
He also observed that this year, there was an increase of 149 students over last year’s 8,426 students of private Chinese secondary schools in Sarawak.
There was an increase of 700 private Chinese secondary school students all across Malaysia over last year’s total of 84,604 students, he added.
In this regard, Lau stressed that Chinese education must be developed, in view of the Unified Examination Certificate ( UEC) being well-recognised by many universities around the world.
Last year, we ran a dialogue with all school management boards for the first time. It was very successful. Temenggong Dato Vincent Lau, Sarawak United Association of Private Chinese Secondary School Management Boards president