KUCHING, March 21: Jaul Bunyau, revered for his more than two-decade tenure as headmaster of SK Ulu Lubai in Limbang, stands as an exemplary and highly dedicated educator who has transformed the school into a beacon of academic excellence.
His leadership not only introduced innovative pedagogical methods but, most importantly, fostered strong parental engagement.
Senator Rita Sarimah Patrick Insol emphasised that under the headmaster’s leadership, the school received numerous accolades and recognitions for its achievements, including international acclaim.
“High-quality social and economic capital is crucial for developing a country and enhancing its competitiveness on the world stage and this outcome is the result of high-quality education,” she told the Dewan Negara when debating the Royal Address yesterday (March 20).
Jaul retired on July 15, 2023 and left behind a legacy of educational excellence.
Notably, a 2019 report from Malaysiakini highlighted Jaul’s achievement of being awarded the Sarawak Chief Minister Award for his instrumental role in propelling the rural school into a high performing institution.
Central to Jaul’s strategy was the implementation of the “Ai Kitai” (our water) initiative, drawing inspiration from the traditional Iban custom of communal gathering, albeit without the inclusion of ‘tuak’ (alcoholic beverages).
Instead, the programme fostered active parental involvement in monitoring and guiding their children’s academic progress in longhouses, ensuring completion of both household chores and homework.
Through this, parents ensure that televisions will not be turned on in longhouses until 9.30pm.
Additionally, Jaul initiated the ‘Segulai Sejalai’ programmw, inviting parents to partake in classroom teaching experiences, alongside the introduction of the ‘dictionary as friend’ policy, mandating English usage both within the school premises and at home.
As a testament to these initiatives, the school celebrated an uninterrupted streak of having a 100 percent pass rates in the English subject in the Primary School Achievement Test (UPSR) from 2003 to 2018.
Rita, reflecting on her own education in rural Sarawak during the 1960s and early 1970s, emphasised that every student upon completing Primary Six could not only read, write and count but “speaking lagi” (speak English).
“Why could the school produce students who mastered the basic of reading, writing and counting? The answer lies in the dedicated, diligent, and genuinely passionate teachers who taught there,” she said in calling the Ministry of Education (MOE) to reassess the criteria for teachers trainee selection by following world-class standards such as observed in Singapore.
Situated amidst the lush jungles along the farthest reaches of the Lubai River, approximately 50 kilometres from Limbang town, SK Lubai defies its remote location by amassing an impressive array of accolades.
By 2019, the school had won a staggering 227 awards and recognitions, including 40 at the international level, 20 nationally, 44 at the state level, and 115 at the district and divisional levels.
Notable honours include the Commonwealth Education Good Practice Awards in 2009, the Johan Wenhui Awards for Educational Innovation in 2011, Excellent School Awards 2007 and the designation as Cluster School of Excellence 2007 and a High Performing School in 2011, among others. — DayakDaily
