Unfair competition between Sabah, p'sula schools: Pairin

KOTA KINABALU, Jan 30 (Daily Express) -- Sabah schools do not stand a chance against the many better equipped schools in the peninsula to compete as high-performing schools.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan said facilities and infrastructures in Sabah schools, especially in rural areas, were poor, thus, creating a non-level playing field.

"We do not have enough of the necessary tools, facilities and infrastructures, so, from a competition point of view, how can this be fair to the schools in Sabah, or Sarawak, for that matter!" said Pairin, who is also Infrastructure Development Minister.

Reacting to the Government's list of 20 high-performance schools nationwide minus any from Sabah and Sarawak, he was, nevertheless, convinced Sabah schools would have fared much better if they knew such a list was being drawn up.

"Perhaps, had we been given an inkling on the said competition and the reward, we might have tried harder despite the many handicaps that Sabah schools have been facing all this while.

"As a Member of Parliament, I have been alerted in more ways than one by the very revealing information related by the newly-appointed Sabah Education Director (Dr Muhiddin Yusin)."

Backing State Minister in charge of Education, Datuk Masidi Manjun, on his request for a list of relatively high-performing schools in Sabah, Pairin said the list was timely in view of the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) launched by the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister's announcement on the 20 high-performance schools.

"It is clear that Sabah and Sarawak schools are no way near the picture at allÉthis is a pathetic picture and teachers in Sabah and Sarawak have described this as an insult.

"I admire the positive and brave attitude that Masidi put up in response to the scenario of how much reward and freedom, to spend and manage, within those 20 high-performing schools! This is the first time I have heard of such competition," he said.

Meanwhile, he suggested that, in order to address the shortage of trained teachers, local Sabahans be trained in the teaching profession so they can fulfil the requirement for fully trained teachers for Sabah, thus, saving the Government money, including through not having to spend to transfer them to the peninsula.

"This is not a new subject matterÉthere was a time when 1,000 teachers were trained and they were all sent to the peninsula. Our new Education Director pointed out that every three years we lose 500 to 700 teachers who return to the peninsula," Pairin said.

"If you provide for them other necessary incentives to serve in Sabah, I am sure they will serve and teach with full commitment and dedication."

He added they will be able to concentrate fully on their job knowing they have the responsibility in their hands to prepare and provide the future trained manpower requirement for the development of Sabah, as part of Malaysia.

Towards this end, he said it was time the National Key Result Area (NKRA) principle be applied to schools in Sabah and Sarawak, particularly schools in rural areas.

"I am particularly drawn to bring attention to the Federal Government and, in particular, the Ministry of Education, that the Sabah Development Corridor Blueprint has provided a commitment to develop the education hub for the Interior," Pairin said.

"That being the case, let us hope 'education for all', 'no rakyat will be left behind' and '1Malaysia, People First, Performance Now' will be a reality that we can all as Malaysians be truly proud of."