By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Nov 8: Batu Kitang assemblyman Dato Lo Khere Chiang has described the Education Ministry’s (MoE) co-teaching model to be implemented nationwide in 2027 as a ‘rushed response’ to issues that require careful planning, piloting, and evaluation in selected schools first.
In a statement, he said that to implement it nationwide without a pilot run risks wasting public funds and causing unnecessary disruption to teachers and students.
“Co-teaching, when implemented properly, has merits. But the two-teacher, three-subject model being proposed does not address the problems it claims to solve. The minister (Fadhlina Sidek) argues that three subjects can be taught simultaneously, and that, if necessary, two classes may even be combined. This is said to make lessons more ‘creative’ and supportive of weaker students.
“However, combining classes increases class size. Teaching multiple subjects simultaneously increases cognitive load and classroom noise. Coordinating two teachers magnifies teachers’ workload rather than reducing it. Effective teaching requires clarity of leadership and classroom continuity.
“Every teacher has a distinct professional style, and placing two teachers together risks conflicting cues, hesitation, and blurred responsibility. In practice, one teacher can dominate while the other withdraws—neither outcome benefits students,” he said.
Lo added that where co-teaching is successful internationally, it supports one subject, one class, one lesson at a time—often focusing on students with special learning needs—and while multidisciplinary teaching exists, it is usually as occasional project work, not daily instruction.
Sarawak, on the other hand, he said, has consistently taken a measured and context-based approach in shaping its education policies—such as when UPSR was abolished, instead of following for the sake of uniformity, the State introduced the Primary Six Dual Language Programme Assessment Test.
Additionally, in Sarawak, Bahasa Malaysia and English stand together as working languages, as the State has consistently made it clear that proficiency in the English language is not a cultural threat, but rather a global tool vital for science, technology, industry, investment, and innovation.
“Under our Premier (Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg), Sarawak has taken responsible and future-focused steps, including providing free tertiary education supported by study stipends, ensuring that financial barriers do not prevent our young people from advancing.
“Sarawak should not be compelled to adopt federal proposals simply because they originate in Putrajaya. We have the responsibility to evaluate and choose what is best for our students, our teachers, and our future,” he said.
It was previously reported that the MoE will roll out a new co-teaching approach in 2027, featuring two teachers in a single classroom as part of an upcoming nationwide curriculum reform.
Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the reform aims to balance academic achievement with moral integrity, discipline, and good values. — DayakDaily
