Let’s do it earlier

3

William Ghani Bina

KUCHING: Vocational education for those who are psychomotor-skill inclined (a domain which includes physical and motor [muscular]skills) should start from Form 1 and not from Form 3 as currently practised.

Sarawak Teachers’ Union (STU) president William Ghani Bina said this resolution was adopted at STU’s 21st biennial delegates’ conference here yesterday because it was felt that starting vocational training from Form 3 was “a bit too late for children who lacked academic interest.”

“It is a waste of time for students who are interested only in vocational education. So, we urge the Ministry of Education to start it as early as Form One,” he told reporters covering the conference which was held at Wisma STU.

Ghani opined that starting vocation training early would be a win-win situation for both students and government, especially now that the state needed more skilled technicians to fuel the mammoth Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) in the coming years.

“If SCORE wants qualified personnel, get the locals and train them to take up the jobs (available). It is better to hire Sarawakians who are more committed because Sarawak is their state.”

Another resolution urged the ministry not to endorse the proposal of permitting students to use information and communication technology (ICT) gadgets in school.

“It will bring more harm than good if the usage of mobile phone is allowed in school. A lot of issues can crop up. What if students start posting messages and pictures on Facebook or texting in class?”

Meanwhile, another resolution called on the government to adopt a more integrated approach for human resource planning, recruitment, placement and promotion so that “the best brain is recruited for the teaching profession.”

“We are not trying to challenge Bahasa Malaysia, but teachers must be English-proficient in order to stay competitive in the global arena.

“This is, in a way, to ensure that our children can pick up the international language so as to enable them to work outside Malaysia.

“Better still, they should also be taught Chinese and Tamil. This will enable them to work in Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, India, Europe and the United States. A long term programme must be put in place.”