Kalamanathan and those attending the special prayers in conjunction with the Teachers’ Day celebration
KOTA KINABALU: The Education Ministry will ensure that the teaching of Tamil language will be continued in the selected schools in Sabah.
Deputy Education Minister Datuk P Kamalanathan said that if there was a request to increase the number of schools with Tamil language classes, the ministry would also give due consideration.
“In the meantime, because we appreciate the concerns of parents in their children learning their mother tongue, we will strengthen and continue to support the teaching of Tamil language in primary and secondary schools in Sabah,” Lalamanathan said this when met after a special Teacher’s Day prayers held at the Sri Pasupathinath Alayam Temple in Bukit Padang here on Monday night.
SK Lok Kawi and SK St Agnes Likas and in Labuan, he added that as far as the ministry was concerned, it would not neglect the need of learning Tamil language in schools and it was ready to improve on the service if there was a need to do so.
On the setting up of a Tamil school in Sabah, Kalamanathan said that it would depend on the need of the local community.
“If there is a need, the Education Ministry will give due consideration. At the moment there is no request for a Tamil school in Sabah but we have given the emphasis that Tamil is taught in identified primary and secondary schools,” he stressed.
Kalamanathan also expressed his appreciation to all teachers in Sabah as they have played a huge role in shaping the students in the state.
The deputy minister said he was impressed with the achievement of teachers in Sabah especially those from the Indian community serving in the state.
Most of them are from Peninsular Malaysia and they have made Sabah their home as they have served in Sabah for more than 10 years.
“I am also impressed with their ability to build the nation and to me the Sabah Indian Teachers have been carrying this responsibility well. It is my hope that they will be able to strengthen their spirit to ensure that new teachers posted to Sabah will do well by giving them the support and guidance so that they also can carry out the responsibility entrusted on them,” he said.
Meanwhile Sabah MIC Liaison chairman Datuk V Jothi in his speech earlier said that teachers are kind, patient, hardworking, dedicated and understanding professionals that mold children’s lives in a positive direction.
“We entrust our children with the teachers and they affect their lives on a daily basis. Thus, Teacher’s Day is a day for honoring teachers and recognizing the lasting contributions they make to our lives,” he said.
“I am also made to understand that this particular event is the first of its kind to be organized by the teachers in Sabah to strengthen ties among the Indian teachers and at the same time to showcase the strength of the Indian community,” Jothi said.
This, he pointed out, was in line with the 1Malaysia spirit which reflects and nurtures the interest of the Indian community to step into a new era of nation building.