MIRI: Countless initiatives have been taken by the Sarawak government to help students pursue higher education.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said these initiatives included financial assistance via scholarships given to low-income students to overcome the problem of dropouts.
“The state government has always been committed to helping students in their studies by introducing various financial initiatives and we will continue them,” Awang Tengah said during Yayasan Sarawak Award Presentation 2019 for excellent students in the Miri Division at Curtin Malaysia campus here yesterday.
His text of speech was read by Women, Family and Childhood Development Assistant Minister Rosey Yunus.
Awang Tengah emphasised that such initiatives had proved the state government’s commitment to education even though it was under the purview of the federal government.
He called on the foundation to continue its proactive role to reduce the number of dropouts in Sarawak.
Also present at the ceremony was Yayasan Sarawak director Azmi Bujang.
A total of 113 SPM and STPM students in Miri Division received financial assistance from the foundation for excelling in their studies.
Out of the 113, 86 achievers from 12 schools in Miri were present at the ceremony.
Meanwhile, 1,378 students statewide received their achievement awards from Yayasan Sarawak for their excellent performances in last year’s SPM and STPM examinations.
The awards presented were in the form of Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) savings certificates or Sijil Simpanan Premium (BSN SSP).
SPM achievers received BSN SSP worth RM500 each while STPM achievers were awarded RM700 each.
At the event, Yayasan Sarawak also gave away grants totalling RM30,000 to four secondary schools – SMK Baru Miri (RM5,000), SMK Dato Permaisuri Miri (RM5,000), SMK Suai in Subi (RM10,000) and SMK Bakong (RM10,000).
