Zahid: Academic achievement must be balanced with good personality development

He said educational institution was the most important instrument in building peaceful and harmonious society.

As such, he said it was no use for such an institution to have students who performed well in academics but remain uneducated in the actual sense of the word, as they could affect national harmony.

Ahmad Zahid said the education system in Korea, for example, had managed to help produce a good Korean society as it also involved national service-like training which emphasized in spiritual development.

"...their education system gives some sort of spiritual happiness to the people, the crime rate in the country is at the lowest level...this is what we aim for...to have an education system that can ensure good academic achievement as well as good personality development," he said when opening Sekolah Kebangsaan Sundar, about 30km from here today.

Also present were Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid, Deputy Home Minister Masir Anak Kujat and Sarawak Industrial Development, Resource Planning and Environment Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.

At the event, the deputy prime minister also announced an allocation of RM2.2 million for the installation of water pipe from Kuala Lawas to Merapok, and RM1.73 million for house repair work and construction of new houses here under the Housing Aid Programme.