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- (From front fifth left) Chieng, Lu, Lau, Huang and Ting are seen during a photo call with students and staff.
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- A Yu Tian teacher gives a Wushu demonstration.
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- Huang (left) presents calligraphy by a Yu Tian student to Lau (right).
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- Yu Tian students perform a dance.
SIBU: SM Wong Nai Siong is currently hosting 13 students from its sister school Yu Tian Secondary School in Gu Tian (Kutien), China.
The students began their three-day learning experience at the school yesterday.
During a welcoming event, school board of management chairman Temenggong Datuk Vincent Lau said he hoped for greater partnership between the two schools.
“We can sit down and discuss together on the education policy and those students from Yu Tian, I hope you can see the good of this school and Sibu and promote them to China,” he said.
The school, which was established in 1967 by Foochow Association members, is the only Chinese-medium school in Malaysia named after a historical figure, he said.
“These 49 years were not easy, especially in the 1990s. We used to have about 500 students, but in the 1990s, our students dropped until we only had less than 100 students left.
“However, it was very fortunate that the board of management and the teachers were very committed, dedicated and cooperative in reviving the school,” he said.
Lau said SM Wong Nai Siong has since started to do well both academically and with co-curricular activities.
“The community can now see a different and better perspective of SM Wong Nai Siong,” he said.
There are 222 Chinese-medium primary schools and 14 Chinese independent schools in the state.
“Starting 2014, for the first time, the state government is giving us funds every year and that actually helped to lighten the burden of the board of management in developing the schools.
“In 2015, the state government took another step to recognise our UEC (Unified Examination Certificate), which benefitted
our students especially in furthering their studies locally,” he said.
Among those present were SM Wong Nai Siong school board of management vice-chairman Chieng Buong Toon, SM Wong
Nai Siong principal Lu Yew Hiuung, Yu Tian Secondary School principal Huang Fa Qin and Sarawak Kutien Association chairman Ting Teck Bing.