Concern over declining academic results

0
Manyin (third left) confers with Rev Philip Tauk.

Manyin (third left) confers with Rev Philip Tauk.

SERIAN: Tebedu assemblyman Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong has called for urgent action to be taken to stop the declining academic performance in some schools in Serian.

He said he was informed that SMK Taee, for example, has one of the worst academic performances statewide, which is worrisome since it is located in a Bidayuh majority area.

“There will be implications from this situation if left unchecked. The students, who are mostly Bidayuhs, will find it difficult to enter universities and other institutes of higher learning if their academic results are not up to mark,” he said when officiating at the Pre-Christmas Fellowship Dinner at Kampung Bantang here on Saturday.

Manyin acknowledged other schools like SMK Tarat for maintaining the best results in Serian District and SMK Tebakang, which is known for its good academic results.

The Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) chief advisor hopes the Bidayuh community will continue to prioritise education as the way forward.

“The Bidayuh population numbers only about 200,000, and we cannot afford to be weakened by matters such as political differences. For now, we should continue to build up our community and education is the way to achieve it,” he said.

Meanwhile, the dinner saw the attendance of more than 700 people from the 14 chapels under the St John Taee Parish jurisdiction, including nine chapels under the Tebedu state constituency.

Manyin, who is also Minister of Infrastructure Development and Communications, said the arrival of Christian missionaries of Roman Catholic, Anglican or Seventh-Day Adventist denominations in Serian had enabled the Bidayuh community to receive formal education in the early days.

Citing St John Taee Parish as an example, he said the Anglican Church in Kampung Taee will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year, and it was the existence of this church which had enabled Taee to be the first Bidayuh village in Serian to receive education.

He also shared his experience from being baptised a Catholic in his home village of Kampung Pichin where there was a missionary school, and the nine years serving as an altar boy when he was studying in St Teresa Primary School Serian and St Joseph School in Kuching.

“As Tebedu assemblyman, I am always fair to all churches, irrespective of denominations. I pray in their churches, and ensure these churches receive an equal amount of government grants. After all, we all worship the same God,” he said.

In his speech, Kampung Bantang headman Ehsap Saeh hoped that Manyin, who was recently confirmed to be renominated in the next state election, will continue to receive support from voters in Tebedu.

He said support for Manyin will ensure continuity of progress not just for Tebedu, but for the Bidayuh community as a whole.