SK Ulu Lubai, toast of S’wak
SOUVENIR: Beatrice Chealsie Gawan (centre) and Calvin Roger Juan (right) present an Ilang (an Iban warrior’s sword) to Muhyiddin.
LIMBANG: Two Sarawak schools have made it to the list of the nation’s top performing schools.
The schools, SK Ulu Lubai in Limbang and SM Sains Miri, found themselves in the coveted position as they have impressed the Federal Ministry of Education.
Following the recognition, SK Ulu Lubai has become an overnight sensation because, as a primary school in the interior of Limbang, it was relatively unknown before yesterday; while SM Sains Miri, a boarding secondary school in the heart of Miri City, has been known and seen as a pathway for students hoping to go into medicine and engineering.
The two schools were included in the list of the second batch of 23 Top Performing Schools after the initial 20 listed in 2010 under the NKRA of the Ministry of Education to promote schools par excellence and distinction last year.
SK Ulu Lubai was the toast of the Education Ministry for its outstanding performance and initiatives, including networking linkages with universities and schools in United Kingdom and Singapore.
SK Ulu Lubai won the Gold Medal Award for Commonwealth Education Good Practice Awards, Finalist Commonwealth Education Good Practice Awards 2009 (Malaysia Government and Commonwealth Secretariat), and was nominated for Unesco Education of International Best Practices 2010 competition.
Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of Education, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, said this multiple awards winning school and top performer was a reflection of the leadership and their commitment to the development of infrastructure and facilities.
CONGRATULATIONS: Serina Sauni of SM Sains Miri (right) receiving the certificate of recognition from Muhyiddin. Looking on at left is Jabu.
“SK Ulu Lubai is a very ordinary remote school as far as infrastructures and facilities are concerned. But it is extraordinary in terms of performance, winning two international, five national, 14 state and 46 division awards,” he said at the school yesterday. He went on to announce 13 other secondary schools and 10 primary schools nationwide that had all made it to the nation’s top performing schools’ list.
The 13 secondary schools are Sekolah Menengah Imtiaz (Terengganu), SMK Jalan Empat (Selangor), Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman (Perak), Sekolah Berasrama Penuh Integrasi (SPTI) Gombak (Selangor), SBTI Pekan (Pahang), SM Sains Alam Shah (KL), SM Sains Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra (Kelantan), SM Sains Miri (Sarawak), SM Sains Seri Puteri (KL), SM Sains Selangor (KL), SM Sains Tengku Abdullah (Pahang), and SM Sains Muar (Johore). SK Ulu Lubai, under the charge of headmaster Jaul Anak Buyau, led the list under the primary schools category.
Jaul was responsible for turning parents to become the strongest backers of the transformation of the school. As a result the school went on to bag the top prize in Council of Commonwealth Education Ministers (CCEM) Best Practices award.
The other nine schools are SK Convent Muar (Johor), SK Seri Biram (Pahang), SK Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin (Kedah), SK Setiawangsa (KL), SK (Girls) Methodist Kuantan (Pahang), SK Sultan Ismail (Terengganu), SK Jalan Tiga (Selangor), SJK© Perempuan Cina (Penang) and SJK© Lick Hung (Selangor).
All the respective school principals and headmasters travelled to Ulu Lubai for the awards presentation ceremony. The awards included a RM0.7 million incentive paycheck to the schools.
The minister also announced incentives of RM1,000 and RM700 each to the teachers of the secondary and primary schools concerned.
SK Ulu Lubai is tucked in the middle of the jungle at the farthest reaches of Lubai River, about 55km from Limbang. It is accessible by an abandoned logging road, river and on foot.
But despite that it beat many contemporary schools with its network that includes University of Bristol, Kingsford Community School and Deptford Green School in UK and Jin Shan Primary School of Singapore in 2009-2010.
“SK Ulu Lubai and other schools announced today prove that success is achievable if we believe in our capabilities to create success, and I hope all will sustain the success,” Muhyiddin said.
Also present at the function were Muhyiddin’s wife, Puan Sri Noorainee Abdul Rahman, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu and his wife Dato Sri Empiang, Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Seri Shafiee Apdal, Second Minister of Planning and Resource Management Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan and his wife Datuk Dayang Morliah, Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi, Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department Datin Fatimah Abdullah, elected representatives and community leaders.
