SABAH SUPPORTS EDUCATION PROGRESS

KOTA KINABALU: The state government is very supportive of education development.

And, it is continuing to work closely with the federal government to ensure that there are sufficient schools and institutes of higher learning in the state.

In order for Sabah to play a positive role in the nation’s development, a workforce that is knowledgeable is needed.

“And to achieve this, schools play a crucial role in early education development followed by higher learning institutes,” Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman said at the SJK ( C ) Chung Hwa Likas Culture Nite yesterday.

In his speech read by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai, Musa also said the state government allocated millions of ringgit annually to independent and national type Chinese schools apart from mission schools.

“SRJK Chung Hwa Likas is one of the recipients that has benefited from this government policy,” he added.

Musa said Sabah was also thankful to the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak who annouced that RM100 million each would be allocated to Chinese, Tamil and mission schools as well as Mara institutes when he tabled the 2012 Budget recently.

“The decision clearly demonstrates both governments’ sensitivity to the needs of the various types of schools in efforts to uplift the overall standard of education in the country,” said Musa who is also Finance Minister.

The state government, he added, also aimed to bridge the regional divide in places where higher education was not available, and for this reason, Sabah has developed an education hub in Sandakan which was now offering courses in sustainable agriculture under Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).

He said other higher learning institutions were also coming on stream soon.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister said the government was proud thatSRJK Chung Hwa Likas has continued to excel in academic and extra-curricular activities.

“This is due to a combination of a good school administration system, hard work of the school board of directors and strong commitment from the Parents Teachers Association with each component carrying out its responsibility with diligence,” Musa said.

He also said under the leadership of chairman Kong Yu Kiong, the school’s PTA has done well in terms of providing for the pupils’ welfare, teachers’ training as well as the various needs of the school.

On the gala concert, he said it was a platform for growing children to learn values such as the need to cooperate with one another and the importance of punctuality.

“It is also a way for children to learn techniques to express their thoughts which then encourages them to articulate their thinking both in school and later when they become adults and look for jobs in a world that is increasingly competitive.”