By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, June 23: Schools have been urged to equip students with a deeper understanding of Sarawak’s history, identity and contemporary development, including the formation of Malaysia, the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and Sarawak’s constitutional rights, as these important subjects are not adequately covered in existing school textbooks.
Deputy Premier and Batu Kawa assemblyman Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian said educators play a crucial role in complementing the national curriculum by imparting knowledge that would help students better appreciate Sarawak’s unique position within the Federation and contribute to building a stronger sense of identity and nationhood among future generations.
“Students should have a proper understanding of the formation of Malaysia, Sarawak’s position within the Federation, MA63, the non-negotiable rights and safeguards accorded to Sarawak, as well as Sarawak’s development achievements and future direction. These are all important areas of knowledge for our students,” he said in a statement today.
Dr Sim said this after visiting schools within his constituency and presenting education grants to Chinese primary schools, national primary and secondary schools, as well as independent Chinese secondary schools.
He noted that the current Malaysian school curriculum provides only limited coverage of Sarawak’s history and related matters, making it necessary for teachers to supplement classroom learning with additional information and perspectives on the State.
At the same time, Dr Sim, who is also Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government, stressed that the Sarawak government places great importance on education and regards Chinese primary schools and independent Chinese secondary schools as integral components of the State’s education ecosystem.
“Over the years, the Sarawak government has consistently provided financial assistance and even allocated land to support the development of Chinese schools.
“The Sarawak government has also been providing annual grants to independent Chinese secondary schools. Since 2014, a total of RM102 million in allocations has been channelled to these schools, reflecting the Sarawak government’s commitment to treating all communities fairly and ensuring that no ethnic group’s educational needs are neglected,” he said.
He added that the Sarawak government is investing substantially in the implementation of its Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES) to ensure every student has the opportunity to pursue higher education.
“In this regard, I hope teachers will continue to devote themselves wholeheartedly to nurturing students so that every child can play a meaningful role in Sarawak’s nation-building efforts,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Sim disclosed that a total of RM13 million had been allocated to schools within the Batu Kawa constituency between 2016 and 2025.
The schools that received education grants on this occasion were SJK Chung Hua Rantau Panjang, SJK Chung Hua Sungai Tapang Ulu, SJK Chung Hua Sungai Moyan, SJK Chung Hua Syn San Too, SJK Chung Hua Kim Choo Seng, SJK Chung Hua Batu Kawa, SJKC Stapok, SJKC Sungai Tapang Kuching (MJC, Batu Kawa), SK Rantau Panjang, SK Jalan Arang, SMK Batu Kawa, SK Stapok, SK Garland, SK RPR Batu Kawa, SM Min Lit and SMK Jalan Arang.
Dr Sim emphasised that education remains one of the key pillars of Sarawak’s development agenda.
Through sustained investments in human capital, educational assistance and inclusive policies that promote equal opportunities, he said the Sarawak government is committed to building a knowledgeable, skilled and united society as the State advances towards its goal of becoming a developed and high-income region by 2030. — DayakDaily
