STU Kuching gives education incentives to 108 members’ children at AGM

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KUCHING: A total of 108 students were given education incentives at Sarawak Teachers Union (STU) Kuching Division’s annual general meeting (AGM) yesterday.

Of the total, 44 were those who fared well in last year’s UPSR, 10 in PT3, 48 in SPM and six in STPM. They were all STU Kuching members’ children.

According to secretary general Yong Ing Thung, the annual education incentives were held in each division. They recognised the students’ efforts in last year’s public examinations and encouraged them to perform better in the future.

“The recipients should be thankful that their parents and teachers who have done great things for them including encouraging them to work harder in their studies.

“However, other than rewarding them for their academic excellence, we are also working towards a less exam-oriented approach for our children. We are looking at how the members’ children can be groomed to think on a higher level, not merely memorising information.

“The monetary incentive will not last long, but the certificates will remind them of their achievement and can be used for application to higher education in the future,” he said before officiating the AGM.

According to Yong, STU hopes to achieve 30,000 membership within the next seven years.

The union currently has about 24,000 registered members, out of more than 40,000 teachers in the state.

“We have many attractive benefits for union members, including very affordable insurance coverage so we hope teachers who have yet to register do so soon.

“Currently we are working on a children’s education plan. We are discussing with our insurance provider. Under this plan, members’ children will be covered until they are 19 or 20 years old, should anything happen to the member,” he said.

He added that STU will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in September this year.

“We will have the grand finale in September, but right now we have many activities lined up as part of the celebration,” he said.

Also present were STU Kuching Division chairman Abdul Aziz Abdul Wahab, annual education incentives presentation and AGM organising chairperson Chung Fui San and others.