KUCHING: The Bidayuh community must always place the strongest emphasis on the education of their children in order to ensure their future wellbeing.
In making the call, Assistant Minister of Public Health Datuk Dr Jerip Susil, said only through proper and good education would the community be able to progress and on a par with the other communities.
“As we continue to progress and develop, we ought to continue giving the strongest emphasis on education because education will determine our future in facing the challenges ahead,” Dr Jerip stressed at a unity night held at Kampung Karu, about 36 kilometres along Jalan Puncak Borneo on Sunday.
As such, Dr Jerip, who is Mambong assemblyman, urged parents to stress on the importance and emphasise on education to their children.
The Mambong assemblyman pointed out that the area was now enjoying better infrastructure, provided with basic amenities like water and electricity supply, and internet facilities.
“Having enjoyed all this, it should not distract the people, the majority of whom are Bidayuh, to focus on education,” he asserted.
He assured that as an elected representative in the area, he would continue to focus on education by giving incentives to school children who excel in public examinations in order to motivate them to perform better in their education.
He cited as an example the launching of UPSR model papers as among the efforts undertaken by him to enable Primary Six pupils in the constituency to excel in their studies.
At the function, Dr Jerip distributed the UPSR model papers to pupils of SK Puruh Karu and presented RM20,000 to the school Parents Teachers Association (PTA).
He also presented donations to 99 flood victims, the elderly, less privileged people from the village and past village chiefs in appreciation of their contributions towards the development of the village.
Present were Walikota for Samarahan Datuk Peter Minos and Serian Resident Dahim Nadot.