Uggah: Govt mulling setting up English-medium private school
KUCHING: The Sarawak government is contemplating building a private school where English would be the medium of instruction.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas explained that such a move should improve the command of English among the younger generation, and is also in line with English being the official language in Sarawak alongside Bahasa Malaysia.
“The state’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Research is still working out its details,” he said when officiating at the annual dinner of Persatuan Alumni Dayak University Malaya (Padum) here on Saturday.
Uggah said the Dayak Cultural Foundation is also planning to sponsor Dayak students to enrol in existing private schools.
“It (foundation) is still deciding the criteria for selection of students for this (sponsorship). The foundation will also provide boarding for those selected,” he added.
On another matter, Uggah called on Padum, as an association representing Dayak intellectuals, to play a greater role next year in the field of education and agropreneurship.
“We need to promote academic excellence among our students. We also want our Dayak youths to take up agropreneurship.”
Uggah pointed out that while academic excellence would lead to a better life, modern commercial farming is now a new source of wealth.
“Our youths should not let go this opportunity to become agropreneurs as they have the advantage of land,” he said.
As such, Uggah believed that Padum – being a highly regarded association among the Dayak community – could certainly play its role along this line, such as by getting its members to help explain the government’s latest plans, policies and assistance on modern agriculture.
Uggah added as Minister for Agriculture Modernisation, Native Land and Regional Development, he has and will continue to advise Dayak youths to embark on modern commercial agriculture rather than the traditional subsistence type.
“We want to upgrade rural economy and banish the remnant of poverty. This is the bottom line of modern farming – to transform our rural areas and economy,” said Uggah, who is also Padum advisor.
Education, Science and Technological Research Minister Dato Sri Michael Manyin, Mulu assemblyman Dato Gerawat Gala and Senator Dr Nuing Jeluing were among those present at the dinner.