Teacher oh Teacher!

*This is one of the many issues that close to us and those in the education field. Just wanna share with you guys*

THE STAR, Wednesday December 30, 2009
Unhappy over rural posting

I AM a new graduate teacher. I was recently posted to a national-type primary school in the interiors of Sarawak.

This posting came as devastating news to me. After completing a three-month stint there without any basic amenities, it snuffed out my passion to teach.

One question that rings loudly in my mind is: Why does the Ministry of Education send the entire league of Johoreans to Sabah and Sarawak, and bring teachers of other states to occupy the schools in Johor?

Until today, I still cannot think of a good reason to justify the rationale behind the Ministry of Education’s drastic move.

The school holiday is drawing to a close. Unlike other teachers who are armed with all kinds of preparations for their charges, I am not in the mood to do anything at all.

I am reluctant to go back to teach in Sarawak. I really hope to be with my sick parents so that I need not worry about them, thus enabling me to give my very best towards the development of my pupils.

DISGRUNTLED TEACHER,Batu Pahat.

----- REPLY FROM THE MINISTRY-----

THE STAR bertarikh 30 Disember 2009 – UNHAPPY OVER RURAL POSTING

Ministry of Education (MOE) would like to refer to an article by Disgruntled Teacher, Batu Pahat, published in THE STAR dated 30th December 2009 on the issue of UNHAPPY OVER RURAL POSTING.
When you signed up to become a teacher, it was to serve the needs of the children of the nation, whatever colour or creed and wherever the children needed you.

It is not a privileged for you to serve at the doorstep of a school next to your home or in your hometown. I feel saddened by your words …. “It snuffed out my passion to teach!” My simple answer to you is, “You are in the wrong profession!”

Becoming a good, committed teacher takes a lot out of the person who gives, but if it takes only 3 months for the flame to be smouldered, then you are definitely in the wrong profession. We teachers are supposed to help the children grow through a sound education; more so for these children who are in the rural and interior areas. ;They are the ones who need the kindness, patience, guidance and the lasting passion of a committed and giving teacher to help them.

With regard to your facts, they are wrong!. For your information, the biggest number of teachers serving in the interior of Sabah and Sarawak are actually from Kelantan and Terengganu. These young teachers have been serving these states for many years. Many have done so for more than three or five years.

Secondly, among the many teachers the MOE has been sending to Johore, teachers who already have families, senior teachers who have had to sacrifice leaving their spouses and children to give their services where needed, according to their option’s. Many of them are English Language teachers. If they, in their settled scenarios can deliver where needed, what excuse have you got as a young teacher not to give your services to the children who need teachers so badly? If the young teachers do not help to serve in these critical areas (together with other local seniors), do you expect the MOE to uproot the settled seniors to place them there? This is your “national service” to the children of the nation. Please remember that.

And, it is not that the MOE has not addressed this issue, by taking many more locals to serve in their home state specifically for Sabah and Sarawak. The MOE has increased intake of locals in 2009. There are two Teacher Training Institutes specifically IPGM Miri and IPGM Keningau that handle this issue. This has been done to address the critical need for the teachers in the rural and interior areas of Sabah and Sarawak.

Finally, in line the Ministry’s objective to narrow the gap between the less priviledged and the more fortunate; the rural and the urban, we in the MOE, have to do justice to the children, who so badly need our help, so, to you `cikgu’ please remember this. Yes, the children in Johor do need you, but these children in the interior need you more. However, you seriously need to change your attitude towards teaching as a profession. It is not a bed of roses. It is giving to those who need you most. Remember our tagline should be “Children first in Education” as in many other nations in this world.

CORPORATE COMMUNICATION UNIT
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION MALAYSIA
5 JANUARY 2010

source: http://www.moe.gov.my/

p/s: get ur intention right before u do something.or anything. kalau niat kita betul, i'allah we'll be able to face whatever comes our way.

Day Eight in TwentyTen...

It's been a week. Time flies so fast. really. Alhamdulillah, all went well so far. Much more to come. Fear not the unknown. And lets face the music.
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counting the days for practicum...