Use IBS to build more classrooms — STU

0

SIBU: Sarawak Teachers’ Union (STU) hopes that the Industrial Building System (IBS) to rebuild rundown schools in the state can be extended to double-session schools, which require new buildings to overcome overcrowding.

STU said this would certainly go a long way in making the school environment more conducive for teaching and learning.

“Should this IBS project be extended to double-session schools, more problems can be solved.

“Overcrowding in a number of schools especially those with double-session is one of the issues. A lot of schools will benefit – the teachers, students and parents. In terms of teaching and learning in the classrooms, teachers will be  more focussed as the classrooms are not crowded.

“Besides this, it is easy to have activities not only for the students but also the teachers. Right now, teachers in a double-session school are fighting for space especially when they have club meeting or other activities either in the morning or afternoon,” union president Jisin Nyud lamented yesterday.

Another issue that needed to be looked into, he added, was transportation for students, especially when both parents were working.

He said this situation happened particularly when the parents had children attending both sessions, which required them to be sent and picked up in

the morning, afternoon and evening.

Because of that, he pointed out, most parents would be forced to miss their lunch.

“The recent issue is the launching of the new Secondary School Standard Curriculum (KSSM) and revised Primary School Standard Curriculum (KSSR) in 2017, where we have problems with the double-session schools.”

He said even though school heads may have the autonomy on the arrangement and the time allocated for subjects, students in the afternoon session would still have to reach home late in the evening.

“With this kind of issues cropping up, how can we say the need for new building is not urgent? So if the IBS can solve these problems, then the ministry should extend this project to all the schools that need this kind of project.”

He was commenting on the recent Bernama report, which quoted Ministry of Education director-general Tan Sri Dr Khair Mohamad Yusof as saying that the ministry always took note of the calls made by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem for rundown schools in Sarawak to be rebuilt and upgraded.

Khair Mohamad reportedly said they had identified 183 schools in the state which could be rebuilt using the IBS, which would save time and costs, and was also safer. On this, Jisin said: “STU welcomes the upgrading of schools in Sarawak using the IBS replacing the old and dilapidated buildings.”

Concerning the ministry’s plan to connect electricity supply to 50 schools located within a one-kilometre radius from the power grid by 2017 and another 58 schools in 2018, he said this was long awaited especially with the introduction of ICT subjects and the online system.

“We really appreciate what the Education Ministry is doing and it is never too late for the ministry to act on this matter. STU hopes that with the urgency for new buildings and electricity, the next utmost important course of action for the government is to put infrastructure issue as priority in this coming national budget and the increase of budget for schools in Sarawak.

“This year where budgets are tight and shrinking, school heads find it hard to spend the school money due to much uncertainty in the upcoming budget,” he remarked.