Saturday, December 11, 2010

THE FATE OF A FIXED DEPOSIT STATE


Evidence of Sabah being a 'FIXED DEPOSIT'


PUTRAJAYA: Ten national schools have been selected for a pioneer project under the Trust School programme to help improve teaching and learning methods. The schools, located in Johor and Sarawak, comprise high, average and low-performing schools.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said Yayasan Amir, a foundation under Khazanah Nasional Berhad, would monitor the schools to find out what they were lacking in and how they could improve their teaching methods.

The schools are SK Bandar Baru Uda (2), SK Kampung Layau, Kota Tinggi, SJK (T) Kangkar Pulai, SMK (FELDA) Semenchu, Kota Tinggi and SMK Gelang Patah in Johor; and SM Sains Kuching, SK Kg Empila, Samarahan, SK Combine, SK Tabuan and SMK Bandar Kuching (2) in Sarawak.

"This project is still in its early stages, and monitoring of the schools is required. If implemented nationwide, there might be problems in monitoring them and determining the standard, quality of teaching and management.

"That is why only two states were chosen in the initial stage," he said after launching the Yayasan Amir Trust School Chain yesterday.

Also present were Khazanah managing director Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar and Yayasan Amir chairman Raja Tan Sri Arshad Raja Tun Uda.

Muhyiddin, who is also the education minister, said the programme was to improve the students' academic and non-academic performances.

He said of the 10 selected schools, five were low-performing schools, three medium and two high-performing schools.

He said besides Khazanah, there were a few other companies and banking institutions that were interested in participating in the programme by adopting other schools as their Trust Schools.

However, he said this could only be done after the implementation of the pioneer project, which would be used as a benchmark.

Muhyiddin also said the schools under the programme would continue to receive government aid.

"For example, for low-performing schools, we will provide assistance, but Yayasan Amir will look into what can be done, like providing computers.

"To improve the learning of English, Mathematics and Science, an expert could be hired to coach students.

"This way, the selected schools will have an edge and we hope there will be improvement in performance."

Earlier in his speech, in line with a decision reached at the National Economic Action Council meeting, chaired by the prime minister in June last year, he said the Education Ministry had been given the mandate to develop the Trust School initiative with Khazanah.

He said the Trust Schools were not elite schools, but selected government or government-aided schools jointly managed by the private sector and the school administration, under the Education Ministry.

"In terms of school management, the ministry will give freedom to the administration, teachers and the private sector to decide on certain matters, like curriculum, finance and acquisition, staff management and flow chart report, apart from preparing guidelines on accountability to avoid over-lapping of function and duties."

Meanwhile, Azman said Khazanah had allocated RM100 million for a five-year period to carry out the programme.


While it somehow a relief to see that the school selected were at the top and bottom extreme which might have meant that there are no such schools in Sabah but it still raises few eyebrows. Sabah, which they always claim as their Fixed Deposit is once again left out in the list and thus is deprived of the much needed help to elevate the level of education.


Being one if not the poorest state in the nation necessarily means that Sabah is in dire need of any assistance from both the government and the private to improve on the level of education which is part of many reasons why Sabah though being the second largest state, is still languishing behind the rest.


Oftentimes, we have heard, read and watch the dire condition of many schools all over the state making learning process a very appalling and onerous experience. This certainly contributes to Sabah being at the lower rung of many if not all public examinations. The students are finding it hard even to go to school and now they have to endure inconducive learning environment. Yet, Sabahans have been returning them time and again to power.


Sabahans should think about their unconditional and in some parts, unwavering support to the ruling coalition. They need to be adventurous and be like their Chinese counterparts when it comes to electing the next government. They have been on the losing end far too long!

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