AWARDED: Mawan presenting the ‘Program Nilam’ gold award to Nazira while (from left) Hamidon, Peter, Dagang and Lau look on.
SARIKEI: Students should pay attention to education to guide them in their growing up process, said Social Development Minister Tan Sri William Mawan when he officiated at the annual certificates and prize presentation ceremony of SMK Sungai Paoh, near here yesterday.
Mawan said that the education package extended to students was specially tailored to ensure they grew up into successful individuals and able to contribute towards nation-building.
Mawan, who is also a Senior Minister and Pakan assemblyman, expressed concern that the current trend showed that today’s students, being exposed to global culture through the Internet, were susceptible to a wider range of negative influences.
“Our greatest fear is that if these negative trends are left unchecked, all the development we have achieved would be destroyed,’ he pointed out.
Mawan therefore urged teachers and parents to keep on reminding their children to steer clear of the negative materials and concentrate in utilising the Internet as a source to enrich their knowledge.
To the school, Mawan said that he was pleased to be informed of the balanced performance of its students in academic and co-curricular activities.
Principal Lau How Ting, in her speech earlier said that the school had done quite well in public examinations and in sports.
In PMR, the school attained 63.84 per cent overall passing rate with a 3.02 school average grade (GPS), she said, adding three students scored 8As; one 7A, 1B, five 6As 2B and five 5As 3B.
In SPM, the school’s overall passing rate was 95.50 pct with a 5.78 GPS she disclosed, adding two students scored 7A 3B.
Besides, 72 were selected to continue to Form six; three were accepted for matriculation, three were offered places to pursue diploma courses in public institutions of higher learning and 31 were offered technical and skill courses.
In sports, the school finished fifth in the divisional-level school sports council athletic meet; was the divisional champion in the Sarawak Foundation Gold Cup football tournament and English Drama; first runners-up in divisional under 15 football and Sayembara Bicara Berirama competitions.
On top of that, the school produced two players to represent the state at the national-level school sports council football competition namely Mohd Sahadan Mokhtar (U18) and Paulus Legan (U15).
Another positive development recorded by the school this year was the approval given by the education ministry to open Lower Six (Art Stream) classes, she said, adding, the classes would accommodate students from SMK Belawai as well.
During the function, students who had done well in their studies, co-curricular activities and contributed to the school in various ways were rewarded with certificates and simple prizes.
Among them were Bellary Collin who won this year’s Exemplary Student Award, Mohd Sahadan Mokhtar (Best Co-curriculum award) and Nazira Hassan (Anugerah Emas Program Nilam).
Also present at the function were political secretary to the Chief Minister Peter Howell Jilan, assistant divisional Education Officer Dagang Bungsu and PIBG chairman Hamidon Gani.