The Borneo Post

Ambiance conducive to learning

Deputy Chief Minister encourages rural students to become boarders, says environmen­t much more beneficial to their studies

- By Yunus Yussop reporters@theborneop­ost.com

BETONG: Rural parents should continue with the practice of getting their children to study in school as boarders.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said by becoming boarders, students would stand to gain a lot more benefits and privileges.

“The main benefit is the more conducive studying atmosphere especially in the evening. If children are to stay at their longhouses, there will be just too many distractio­ns,” said Uggah when officiatin­g at the annual dinner of SK Nanga Gayau in Debak on Saturday.

He added that as boarders, students would be taught discipline and proper time management.

“There will be time for them to study, rest and take part in school activities. There will be teachers to give them extra classes for them to improve their understand­ing in subjects that they are weak in,” he said.

Uggah said besides the extra classes, the boarders would also have access to the school’s library and computer laboratory, plus the daily meals would be provided by the school. Based on his observatio­ns, he said many students now tend to stay at their longhouses rather than becoming boarders.

He attributed this preference to

The main benefit is the more conducive studying atmosphere especially in the evening. If children are to stay at their longhouses, there will be just too many distractio­ns.

Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Deputy Chief Minister

the fact that many rural families now have their own vehicles to send and fetch their children from school every day.

On another note, he also advised parents to regularly check the performanc­e of their children with their teachers.

“This is a crucial part of the education process. Parents must be in the know of their children’s progress. They can then advise their children if they are not serious in their studies,” he added.

Touching on this year’s Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah ( UPSR), Uggah assured all that more courses and workshops would be held to make the pupils better prepared for the primary school-level examinatio­n.

BINTULU: Those appointed to several important posts in Progressiv­e Democratic Party ( PDP) during the party’s triennial general assembly (TGA) in Bintulu on Saturday have been reminded to put the party’s interest above all else.

“During the TGA, we have made some appointmen­ts on several important posts – to the deputy president, secretary general and supreme council members, congratula­tions!

“But don’t be too carried away, because the appointmen­t comes with a responsibi­lity and heavy task. Don’t just want the positions in the party but not doing the job,” organising committee chairman of the TGA, Datu Dr Penguang Manggil, said when speaking at the presidenti­al dinner on Saturday.

The Assistant Minister of Local Government also appealed to the appointed supreme council members to assist the elected representa­tives in serving the people.

“Don’t leave it to the YBs (elected representa­tives) alone to do the job, you play a part, you play a role. Party members should also help so that PDP can be respected by others,” he said to over 1,000 delegates attending the dinner.

Penguang, who is the party’s vice president, said besides the

Don’t leave it to the YBs (elected representa­tives) alone to do the job, you play a part, you play a role. Party members should also help so that PDP can be respected by others.

appointmen­t of the party leadership including the grassroots leaders the TGA is a very important platform for party members to voice out and bring up issues on the ground to be discussed, deliberate­d and decided on for the future of the party.

However, he cautioned that misstep, wrong choice and wrong action could badly affect the party.

“Unity is the basic foundation for any organisati­on to be strong, we must unite,” he added.

According to him, he had spoken to party president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing on the party’s direction in Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and even though PDP is only a small party in the new coalition, he believed that GPS is the best platform for PDP to get back seats that traditiona­lly belong to the party.

“In this area, I wish to appeal that we must use our good sense of public relations, don’t argue openly that we want this and that. We just do our job, and do it well, only then we can ask what are ours,” he cautioned.

He agreed with the view by party president during the TGA that the political landscape and challenges were now different.

“Politics today is very complicate­d because we are dealing with educated people who will voice out what they want.

“It is not what we want actually but what the people want, our strength is based on party members and our numbers at the grassroots level,” he said, adding that PDP will be working together with other component parties of GPS to fight for Sarawak’s interest and rights.

Datu Dr Penguang Manggil, Assistant Minister of Local Government

 ??  ?? Tiong (second right) poses for a wefie with party members attending the dinner.
Tiong (second right) poses for a wefie with party members attending the dinner.
 ??  ?? Datu Dr Penguang Manggil
Datu Dr Penguang Manggil

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