(Kuching, Jan 5) Bandar Kuching MP and Sarawak DAP Chairman Chong Chieng Jen urges the state government to create a special program to re-employ retired teachers who can teach English, to help enhance the English proficiency of the younger generation in the local area.
Chong, who is also the Pulau Tikus state assemblyman, made this statement during a speech at the farewell dinner for the teachers and Deputy Principal Lee Hui Fen at Sungai Tapang Government Secondary School last night.
He pointed out that Sarawak is currently facing a shortage of English teachers, which poses a challenge for tuition teachers, tuition schools, and the several state-owned international schools that are emerging.
He revealed that Malaysians born before 1969 had the opportunity to receive education in English as a medium of instruction. The retiring teacher, Lee Hui Fen, is believed to have been trained in this manner. However, after 1969, English was gradually replaced by Malay as the primary language of instruction, making teachers with high English proficiency more scarce.
"I understand that the generation born after 1969 generally learned in the medium of the Malay language, while only those born before 1969 received an English-medium education. Therefore, retired teachers who have undergone English education and have rich teaching experience are a valuable resource for us."
Consequently, Chong strongly suggests that the state government provide a special re-employment program for these retired teachers who can teach English, allowing them to continue leveraging their English expertise after retirement to contribute to society, the state government, and the younger generation, thereby enhancing the English proficiency in Sarawak.
Chong believes that his suggestion not only helps retired teachers seek re-employment but also aims to improve the English skills of Sarawak's younger generation, laying a solid foundation for the future development of the state. Thus, he calls on the state government to seriously consider his proposal to address the current shortage of English teachers.
He stated that mastering a language requires constant application in a learning environment. If students are placed in an environment where English needs to be used in daily life, they will acquire the language more quickly.
"This is also why we still need these retired teachers; they can help create such a learning environment."
Chong, also the former Kota Sentosa state assemblyman, expressed his gratitude to Lee Hui Fen and other staff for their dedication to the growth and development of students over the years. At one time, Sungai Tapang School faced numerous problems, including lax student discipline and frequent incidents of fighting and vandalism. However, through the concerted efforts of teachers, the principal, and the parent-teacher association, the school's atmosphere has improved significantly, with better student discipline and improved academic performance.
On another note, Chong mentioned that his constituency's annual allocation is 4 million ringgit, which might seem like a significant amount at first glance, but this allocation needs to cover three state constituencies: Batu Kawa, Batu Kitang, and Kota Sentosa. In contrast, a GPS state assemblyman receives 7 million ringgit annually for each state constituency, which means the total allocation for three GPS state constituencies is 21 million ringgit, far exceeding his annual 4 million ringgit (to be shared among three constituencies).
Despite limited funds, he stated that he always gives priority to education and is committed to improving the teaching environment. Last year alone, about 70-80% of the funds were used for educational purposes, including promoting the "Primary School Digital Teaching Program" in the Bandar Kuching area, which involved installing smart TV teaching equipment in classrooms at various primary schools, widely welcomed by schools. Through this program, students can more conveniently access modern technology and information technology in regular classes without needing to pay a monthly fee to access computer courses, as they did in the past.
Chong informed attending teachers that after more than two years of active promotion, almost all Chinese primary schools in the Bandar Kuching area are equipped with these advanced smart TV tools, with only one Chinese primary school yet to apply for installation. Chong promised to continue advancing this beneficial digital teaching program for teachers and students this year, aiming to complete the installation of smart TVs in all national schools in Bandar Kuching within the year to ensure that every student can access advanced teaching tools that enhance their technology application skills.
He extends an olive branch, welcoming Sungai Tapang Government Secondary School to maintain close cooperation with him and his team. If the school has any educational facility needs, they can reach out to him and his team anytime, and he will do his best to provide assistance.
In addition, Chong also provided funding for the evening's activities, handing over the cheque on the spot to the school's Parents-Teachers Association chairman, with his consistent approach of "promising and delivering, both people and money present."