BETONG: Rural parents should continue with the practice of getting their children to be boarders at schools.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said such practice offered them a lot more benefits and privileges.
He said this when officiating at the annual dinner of the SK Nanga Gayau in Debak on Saturday.
“The main benefit is the more conducive study atmosphere especially in the evening. If children stay at their longhouses, there are just too many distractions.”
As boarders, he added they 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 to help them improve,” he said.
“They will have their libraries and computer laboratories as well. Of course, their daily meals are all taken care of,” he said.
Uggah said based on his observation, many students now tend to stay in their longhouses rather than their school boarding houses. People, he said, were now enjoying better roads and had their own cars to send and fetch their children after school each day.
He also advised parents to regularly check on the performance of their children with teachers.
“This is a crucial part of the education process. Parents must be in the know about their children’s progress.
“They can then advise their children if they have not been serious at all in their studies,” Uggah said.
On students preparing for their UPSR this year, he hoped that more courses to help them do well would be organised here this year.
Uggah, who is also the Moderni-sation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development Minister said with modern farming as a new source of employment yielding lucrative income now, a fertigation system model would be set up at the school to show the children and their parents its superior benefits.
At the function, he announced a grant of RM100,000 to the school development fund and another RM30,000 grant to the parent-teacher association of the school.
A political secretary to the Chief Minister Dr Richard Rapu and the school headmaster Bulia Sigan were among those present.
