Reading Yam Siew Mei's insights on teachers were really unnerving as she had the guts to say something that has been in the minds of East Malaysians for a long time, including myself. She wasn't apologetic in her article rather she was blunt enough to share our common feelings towards our fellow Malaysians from the West. She succinctly pictured what had happened and sadly continues to happen in the teaching world.
Among others, she claimed that most of them are fresh graduates who have no prior teaching experience and to make matter worst they are sent to places alien to them for their 'real training' before returning back to their homes. Such indeed is the scenario based on what the Education Ministry's claim as shortages of local teaching staffs in both Sabah and Sarawak. The lame excuse by the ministry is no longer valid since every year our local universities and teachers training institutes produce increasing number of local teachers and yet those greens are still being posted here. Such is indeed a mental torture for them as they are being separated from known faces and familiar grounds. Yes, they should realised that they may be posted far from home and indeed they verbally and in writing agreed to such condition. Yet again we are human and human are known for their weaknesses. Being in a foreign place among unknown faces surely added up to the pressure hence the name calling.
In her article, Ms. Yam has correctly points out the reason for those teachers' misleading and degrading views on us. Advertisements meant for foreign tourists picturing the lush greenery with people wearing loin clothes and holding blow pipes are indeed scary for the faint hearted. Nonetheless, living in the 21st century where we are no longer living in seclusion with the advent of Internet and other communications gadgets should be the best answer to those teachers. In fact, they themselves are highly educated and such misleading and unjust prejudices should never have occurred in the first place. Being intellectuals they should know the difference between the reality and what they see from the advertisements.
Based on my experience, some of the local tourists from the Peninsular have done some basic background checking of what they are expecting when they come here. These are not those computer savvy people but ordinary folks just like most of us. Thus, when they actually arrive here, there's no more of the culture shock craps we are used to hear. Therefore, those teachers especially should do likewise to prevent from emotional stress which in the end caused them to start doing terrible things to our students.
Admittedly, such horrible scenario is becoming a thing of the past, a self indulging history for everyone to learn from. Teachers irrespective of their origin should always remember their sacred calling and the students who are desperate to gain something from someone who are supposed to be knowledgeable and having impeccable attitude. Saying or accusing those West Malaysian teachers of bad behaviour per se is unjust as local teachers themselves are partly to be blamed since they too are unwilling to be relocated far away from their hometowns. Some, despite of their own origin from the rural areas too are unwilling or reluctant to be sent to their place of birth.
As Ms. Yam and many of us feel that teaching is indeed a sacred calling irrespective of the place or location, all teachers especially those in Sabah should strive to deliver only the best for their students. Teachers should be blind to location in the first place. Nonetheless, being humans they too need comfort and convenience therefore the relevant authorities should on their part do their best to accommodate the needs of those teachers. Asking them to sacrifice all the time is improper if nothing is done to improve their living and working conditions. Continuous efforts as planned under the Education Development Master Plan should be implemented while improvements to it are done along the way. Relocating schools to nearby and existing facilities should be the priority rather than building schools in the remote areas where basic facilities like electricity and living quarters for teachers are scarce or even non existent. Students too will tremendously benefit from such when they are accorded with comfortable hostels and healthy food which some may not have access to in their places.
As a final note, all these may remain grandiose plan without the co-operation from all including parents and the society who should remember that the task of educating children is not the sole task of teachers but should be shared together since they are the biological parents.
Among others, she claimed that most of them are fresh graduates who have no prior teaching experience and to make matter worst they are sent to places alien to them for their 'real training' before returning back to their homes. Such indeed is the scenario based on what the Education Ministry's claim as shortages of local teaching staffs in both Sabah and Sarawak. The lame excuse by the ministry is no longer valid since every year our local universities and teachers training institutes produce increasing number of local teachers and yet those greens are still being posted here. Such is indeed a mental torture for them as they are being separated from known faces and familiar grounds. Yes, they should realised that they may be posted far from home and indeed they verbally and in writing agreed to such condition. Yet again we are human and human are known for their weaknesses. Being in a foreign place among unknown faces surely added up to the pressure hence the name calling.
In her article, Ms. Yam has correctly points out the reason for those teachers' misleading and degrading views on us. Advertisements meant for foreign tourists picturing the lush greenery with people wearing loin clothes and holding blow pipes are indeed scary for the faint hearted. Nonetheless, living in the 21st century where we are no longer living in seclusion with the advent of Internet and other communications gadgets should be the best answer to those teachers. In fact, they themselves are highly educated and such misleading and unjust prejudices should never have occurred in the first place. Being intellectuals they should know the difference between the reality and what they see from the advertisements.
Based on my experience, some of the local tourists from the Peninsular have done some basic background checking of what they are expecting when they come here. These are not those computer savvy people but ordinary folks just like most of us. Thus, when they actually arrive here, there's no more of the culture shock craps we are used to hear. Therefore, those teachers especially should do likewise to prevent from emotional stress which in the end caused them to start doing terrible things to our students.
Admittedly, such horrible scenario is becoming a thing of the past, a self indulging history for everyone to learn from. Teachers irrespective of their origin should always remember their sacred calling and the students who are desperate to gain something from someone who are supposed to be knowledgeable and having impeccable attitude. Saying or accusing those West Malaysian teachers of bad behaviour per se is unjust as local teachers themselves are partly to be blamed since they too are unwilling to be relocated far away from their hometowns. Some, despite of their own origin from the rural areas too are unwilling or reluctant to be sent to their place of birth.
As Ms. Yam and many of us feel that teaching is indeed a sacred calling irrespective of the place or location, all teachers especially those in Sabah should strive to deliver only the best for their students. Teachers should be blind to location in the first place. Nonetheless, being humans they too need comfort and convenience therefore the relevant authorities should on their part do their best to accommodate the needs of those teachers. Asking them to sacrifice all the time is improper if nothing is done to improve their living and working conditions. Continuous efforts as planned under the Education Development Master Plan should be implemented while improvements to it are done along the way. Relocating schools to nearby and existing facilities should be the priority rather than building schools in the remote areas where basic facilities like electricity and living quarters for teachers are scarce or even non existent. Students too will tremendously benefit from such when they are accorded with comfortable hostels and healthy food which some may not have access to in their places.
As a final note, all these may remain grandiose plan without the co-operation from all including parents and the society who should remember that the task of educating children is not the sole task of teachers but should be shared together since they are the biological parents.
"Indebted to all my teachers for what I am today"
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