KUCHING, Mar 10: The Sarawak Initiatives (TSI) has proposed to Education, Science and Technology Research Ministry (MESTR) to enact Sarawak Education Ordinance to regulate education in Sarawak.
The NGO, led by its Chairman Datuk John Tenewi, had a meeting and a discussion with its minister Datuk Seri Michael Manyin, on Mar 5, 2020 to convey the proposal.
“Under Article 17 (a) in the Report of the Inter-Governmental Committee 1962 (IGC Report 1962), the jurisdiction on ‘Education’ effectively lies within the power of the Sarawak Government and Article 17(a)(i) clearly stated that ‘the present policy in the Borneo States regarding the use of English should continue.
“In view of this, there is a possibility of the need to establish a Sarawak Education Ordinance if there is none to regulate Education in Sarawak. That means the possibility of taking back education under the Sarawak autonomy,” said TSI in a statement yesterday.
TSI said it understood that there would be a lot of work to be carried out in Sarawak including the education infrastructure and attractive salary schemes that have to be put in place among other issues to be addressed, but these tasks were nothing compared to the political will to bring about change and give the people of Sarawak a high standard of education that they deserved.
“TSI believes there is absolutely no excuse for not bringing the best education to within the reach of all Sarawakians and it appears that the only way to make this happen and turn this dream into reality is to take Education under Sarawak autonomy.”
TSI also brought up the subject of education in the 21st Century where the learning process will be very different and challenging and preparations need to be put in place for the benefit of future generations.
“TSI proposed to organise an education seminar soon where invitations will be extended to the education experts from Finland and Singapore to share their experience and their planning of education for future generations in the 21st Century.
“Invitations will also be extended to the Cambridge Assessment International Education and the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) to come to share their knowledge and their view of education in the 21st Century.
“The Cambridge Assessment has been a trusted education partner in Asia Pacific for over 130 years. Sarawakians definitely do not want to be deprived of quality education that is within reach.”
On the five International Secondary Schools financed by the Sarawak Government which will cater for around 500 students, TSI welcomed the idea and suggested that any school using the English language as the medium of instruction and using the Cambridge syllabus should commence from Primary school formative years rather than from the Secondary school. —DayakDaily
