Long journey to school no problem for teacher Anderson

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KUCHING: Teacher Anderson Nyelang Skinner Pilang, 30, has to travel for about eight hours from his house to get to the school he is serving, but he does not consider that as an ‘obstacle’.

DEDICATION: Anderson showing the transcript of his Post Graduate Teaching Course.

DEDICATION: Anderson showing the transcript of his Post Graduate Teaching Course.

He said he had taken everything in his stride because of his love for teaching and to educate the rural kids.

Anderson, who was awarded the Best Post Graduate   Teaching  Course (Nov 2007 intake) yesterday, said the distance from his house at the Nyemungan junction, Lubok Antu, to Pengkalan Murat, usually takes an hour.

The best route from Pengkalan Murat to the school is by river and that takes another seven hours by speedboat.

“I was quite worried at first, knowing that I have to go through eight hours of journey through the river from my house. But after teaching for almost three years in that particular school, I do not plan on moving  to  the city,” said Anderson, an Iban.

Nyelang said the distance and the sacrifices he had to make as a teacher in the rural areas did not affect the relationship he had with his wife.

He said he usually communicated  with  his wife and children via the Internet which was available in the school.

His advice for new teachers  is   that   they  should always remember why they had wanted to become teachers in the first place.

“Initially it is always hard to accept the surroundings, the village, the people and communicating with the villagers. But you will get used to it after some time,” he said.