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Kota Kinabalu: Four students from SM Tshung Tsin, here, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Sabah Government and Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor after receiving State scholarships under the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) scheme.

They are among the first 45 Chinese Independent School graduates in Sabah to benefit from the State’s recognition of the UEC on Oct. 1, last year, a historic first for the State.

Noah Liew Ee Ahn, who is now studying Accounting and Finance at Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology, said the scholarship made a difference. 

“We are grateful to the Sabah Government and Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor for recognising the UEC. This scholarship has greatly lessened the burden of pursuing further education and we would not be where we are today without this support,” he said.

The four, who are back in Sabah for the Chinese New Year, are studying in different fields and countries. 

Sze Xuan Xin is studying Medicine at Fudan University in Shanghai, Prudence Chin Yuin En is pursuing Traditional Chinese Medicine at Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Therese Sophia Lain Yi Ying is taking up Law at Help University in Kuala Lumpur.

Sze said the scholarship opened doors that were previously out of reach for many independent school students.

“We are now pursuing our education in various fields and some of us are doing so overseas. This would have been much harder, if not impossible, without the scholarship by the Sabah Government,” she said.

All four promised to return home and give back to the State after graduating.

“We pledge to come back to Sabah. What has been given to us, we want to pass to other young Sabahans, to show them that they too can pursue their dreams regardless of which school they come from,” said Therese.

“We hope to be able to contribute to Sabah, just as the Sabah Government has helped us. To give back to the State that believed in us,” Prudence added.

Meanwhile, Dong Zong Sabah Assistant Secretary Datuk Eliza Goh, herself a Chinese Independent School graduate, said the scheme filled a long-standing gap for students from such schools.

“There are so many students who had the potential to go far but lacked the opportunity. Especially if they are independent school students, they might not be prioritised when it comes to scholarships,” she said.

“It is really a life-changing move. I am grateful and very happy for our students, whether from Tshung Tsin, Kian Kok, any of the nine Chinese Independent Schools in Sabah,” she said.

Persatuan Permuafakatan Pejabat Pendidikan Daerah Tuaran Chairman Datuk George Teo who is also SJKC Chung Hwa Tamparuli Parent-Teachers-Association Chairman, noted that Sabah’s nine Chinese Independent Schools have around 5,800 students, reflecting just how wide-reaching the impact of this policy change could be for the community.

Also present was SM Tshung Tsin Sabah Principal Dr Chung Chin Hing, who is also Chinese Independent School Principal Association Sabah Chairman cum Chinese Independent School Principal Association Malaysia Vice President.