St Mary’s Primary School receives award

KUCHING: St Mary’s Primary School here received the HighPerforming School (SBT) Award from Minister of Education Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid in Putrajaya on Wednesday (March 15).

In his speech, Mahdzir said the recognition lays a solid foundation for all award recipients.

“Therefore, these schools are not only responsible for maintaining and improving excellence, but can also lead other schools to enhance the effectiveness of their management to improve their respective academic and co-curricular achievements,” he said during the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) monthly assembly.

“MOE expects each SBT and SKK (Cluster Schools of Excellence) will always support the hopes and aspirations of national education to produce students with a strong national identity. Therefore, the approaches of the schools and methods of working need to change to focus primarily on student outcomes.”

He called on schools that received recognition to work even harder to maintain the level of excellence achieved.

“The potential development of the school should also be given priority, such as improving the professionalism of teachers, student outcomes and a conducive school environment,” added Mahdzir.

Among those present at the assembly were MOE secretarygeneral Datuk Seri Alias Ahmad and director-general Tan Sri Dr Khair Mohamad Yusof.

Meanwhile, a press release yesterday said the SBT award recognises schools that have the ethos, character and unique identity to excel in all aspects of education.

Headmistress Janet Tikut thanked the school board of management, parent-teacher association, St Mary’s Alumni, former headmistress Liaw Hui Lin, teachers, staff and all Marians for making it possible for the school to reach yet another impressive milestone.

The SBT award is the school’s highest achievement since receiving the SKK Award in 2009.

St Mary’s is the first primary school in Kuching and the third primary school in Sarawak to receive the award.

Three secondary schools in the state have also received the same recognition.

To date, there are 140 HighPerforming Schools nationwide.