Empiang (second left) presenting the incentive to the mother of Nicholas Lidang, who scored a CGPA of 3.59 in last year’s STPM, as Senorita (right) looks on.

KUCHING: Good education remains a crucial agenda for the Ibans, given that many are still lagging behind other communities when it comes to having good academic qualifications and technical skills.

As such, Sarakup Indu Dayak Sarawak (SIDS) chairwoman Dato Sri Empiang Jabu called on all Iban parents to ensure that their children work and study hard so that they would have a better future.

“Parents should monitor their children all the time and give them proper guidance, so that they will know what are their children’s strengths and weaknesses.

“If your children performed well in their academic studies, let them go as far as they could. However if they did not, then they could go for technical skills, which could also give them a bright future,” she said before handing out cash incentives to children of SIDS members who excelled in last year’s public examinations.

Empiang, who is wife of Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu, said while it was understandable that lack of money and resources could be a challenge for Iban children to go after their dreams, the government had plenty of financial aids to help those wanting to pursue education.

“Good academic results would, more or less, help a student to pursue any course or direction of his or her choosing, but for those who underperformed, they may find another alternative in technical skills.

“The state is moving towards industrialisation by 2030. If our human capital cannot contribute to it academically, then we can do so by way of skills.”

Empiang advised young Ibans who are still studying to observe great discipline, know what they wanted to do, be highly competitive and also be communicative, especially with their parents.

“To the young ones, you must be diligent, prepared to compete and be street-smart to be ahead from the rest; just like the adage: ‘Time and tide wait for no man’,” she reminded.

Later, Empiang was accompanied by SIDS secretary-general Datin Senorita Linang to present the incentives to 27 children.