REWARD: Kristoffer hands over an award to a STPM student. With them, from left, are Therence Galau and Ujai Sambau.
KAPIT: A well-known businessman has advised Form 5 and 6 students who are not academically inclined to pursue technical education to fuel the state’s industrialisation drive after completing their studies.
Dato Kristoffer Nyuak Bajok said the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) alone was expected to create 1.3 million jobs in the coming years, and since Kapit is within the SCORE area, local youths must tap this opportunity.
“Unless our youths are armed with various types of skills, the state would need to employ foreign workers. If that happened, it would be a great loss to us because Kapit is in the SCORE area,” he said as guest-of-honour at SMK Selirik’s annual prize and award-giving ceremony yesterday.
Kristoffer, who is Information System Sdn Bhd’s managing director, urged students to properly plan for their future to reap the fruits of development evolving in the country. They must study hard, develop high moral values and always have a thirst for knowledge.
To teachers, he said he always hold them in high regard.
Without my teachers, I wouldn’t be successful today. I always remember and respect my teachers who educated him.
They imparted to me knowledge and skills, good discipline, self-esteem and good moral conduct.”
On SMK Selirik, Kristoffer said he was glad the school was able to do well academically and in co-curriculum activities.
“I would like to commend the school, under your principal Ujai Sambau, for registering excellent public examination results and are active in co-curricular activities. These bode well for the future of the students.”
Kristoffer also spoke of the need for parents and the community in general to work closely with the school.
At the function, he gave RM7,000 to the school and later gave away prizes and awards to deserving students.
Meanwhile, Ujai, in his speech, thanked his teachers for their dedication in helping the school do well.
“SMK Selirik is determined to become a school of excellence, to produce quality studentswho can think critically, have high patriotic spirit and good moral values.
“We want to excel both academically and in cocurriculum activities.
Ujai said SMK Selirik recorded in the 2012 SPM GPS (school quality ranking) a score of 6.39, as compared to 6.28 in the previous year. The school is ranked fourth in Kapit Division, but tops in Kapit District.
During this year’s Kapit Inter-School Sport Meets, SMK Selirik grabbed nine golds to emerged fourth best among the competiting schools. In 2012, its students only managed to garner three golds.