Wong (third left) presents a school uniform voucher to a student while (from left) Stanley, Azmi, Awang Yusup and Chong Kung look on.
SIBU: A total of 150 school children from 21 schools in Bawang Assan state constituency here received school uniform vouchers from Yayasan Sarawak yesterday.
Minister of International Trade and E-Commerce Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh said this year, the state government has increased the allocation to RM4 million a year, with each recipient given RM200, whereas before that the allocation was RM2 million and recipient each received RM100.
“The government’s commitment this morning (yesterday) reflects the intention to lessen the schooling expenses of parents through provision of school uniform assistance.
“Besides, the government has allocated a big sum to ensure the continuity of education for students, including infrastructure facilities, scholarship assistance, 1Malaysia voucher and many others to enable students to study with ease, both mentally and physically.
“We are proud as Malaysians in general and Sarawakians in particular for having a state and country that give priority to
those groups that require assistance,” Wong, who is also Second Finance Minister, said during the School Uniform Assistance voucher-presentation ceremony at SK Agama here.
Also present were Yayasan Sarawak director Azmi Bujang, Sibu district officer Awang Yusup Awang Mostapha, Sibu district education officer Wong Chong Kung, Temenggong Stanley Geramong and Pemanca James Sembilan.
Wong, who is Bawang Assan assemblyman, noted that since 2000, Yayasan Sarawak had been entrusted by the state government to supply school uniforms including shoes and bags to students throughout the state.
Touching on ICT, he said it was a new way of doing things in line with the emphasis by Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg on digital economy.
“We have no choice but to adopt IT if we want new ways of doing things and this requires learning as much English as possible besides Bahasa Malaysia,” he added.
On a related matter, he said Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong had instructed all elected representatives to adopt a school for the learning of English.
Wong also mentioned that Bahasa Malaysia, being the national language, must be mastered before learning other languages such as English.
In a press release handed out to reporters, the school uniform vouchers are given to school children based on e-Kasih
data, whose family income is RM500 and below, students with special needs (OKU), and rural students.