Teacher Intake

Call to review teacher intake

State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun urged the Education Ministry to review its teacher intake programme in Sabah.

He said Sabah loses about 700 senior teachers from the teaching circuit every year when they are re-posted to the peninsula.

The standard practice is that peninsula teachers after serving three years in the State would request to be transferred back to their hometown.

"In their place are junior teachers fresh from the training institute and this is one of the barriers to Sabah's education progress," he said, when representing Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman at the Institute of Teachers' Education Sabah Campus Zone Convocation 2011 in Wisma Muis, Tuesday.

Because of this Sabah would not be able to challenge its counterparts such as Terengganu where education progress is concerned. He suggested that the Education Ministry approve applications from particular areas.

"As long as the candidate qualifies, just accept him because we know that he will never leave Sabah. If the applicant is from Nabawan and applies to be posted in Nabawan, just accept it. With this, we are ensured that the senior teachers will remain in Sabah," he said.

He reiterated that Sabah is not against teachers from Peninsular Malaysia serving in the State.

Throughout his formative years, Masidi said he came to know many dedicated peninsula teachers who continued to serve in Sabah despite the opportunity to be transferred back to their home state.

To ensure that education in Sabah progresses, the authority concerned must take the necessary action.

Failure to do so would ensure Sabah's education level remains as it is. He said education in the State would forever be lagging behind its counterparts in the peninsula if this matter were not addressed.

A total of 296 teachers received their diplomas in various fields namely Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL), mathematics, J-Qaf school-based teachers training, physical education and health, Islamic studies, counselling guidance, visual art, Chinese education and pre-school.

Story Arrangement By: Harry George
Sources: Daily Express
Picture: Google Image

Teacher In Sabah

Avoid teacher transfers

The relatively poor academic achievement in the State is due to peninsula teachers being transferred to Sabah in huge numbers annually and then leaving the State when their time is up.

"More than 20 per cent of teachers are from outside the State," State Education Director, Datuk Dr Muhiddin Yusin, said, adding that about 700 to 1,000 teachers choose to be posted to their own State after completing their contracts here.

"Newly recruited teachers are normally those without experience.

Hence, the importance of keeping teachers with experience," he said.

One step that has been suggested to remedy the situation was for priority to be given to locals in the recruitment of teachers for Sabah, Muhiddin told reporters after attending the State Teacher's Day celebrations here.

"The proposal had a positive reaction from the Ministry during the recent Open Registration for Teachers, especially from interior such as Bangi Island, Tenom and Telupid.

"They have since carried out interviews in rural areas of Sabah to find suitable candidates to be trained as teachers," he said.

Speaking after launching the Teachers Day Celebration here, Thursday, he said about 20 teachers were issued with show cause letters for abseentism.

Stern action would be taken against those caught involved in other endeavours without prior permission from the school, Muhiddin said.

He acknowledged the increased passing rate in the UPSR, PMR, SPM and STPM in 2010.

For SPM, those scoring A were 152 compared to 95 in 2009. Sabah, for the first time achieved a passing rate of 94.87 per cent in 2010 compared to 92.54 per cent in 2009 in the SPM national level.

Arjunan A/L Selvamani (SM Sung Siew, Sandakan) received the Best Student Award 2010 national level.

While Syivero Patrick (SMK Kota Marudu) received the Best Student STPM 2010 national level in the rural category.

Story By: Harry George

Sources From: Ministary Of Education

Picture: Google Image