KUCHING: Sarawak Teachers’ Union (STU) agrees that full-time wardens be employed at boarding schools so that teachers can focus on their teaching role.
STU president Macky Joseph (pic) said this in response to a recent article in which the National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) had claimed that teachers who also undertake warden duties at fully-residential schools are severely overworked.
“In addition, wardens face a lot of difficulties getting sick pupils to a clinic especially in the rural areas where the hostels are typically in poor condition.
“Also, the dilapidated hostels pose a serious risk to both pupils and wardens,” he told New Sarawak Tribune.
Macky advised boarders to express problems encountered to the school administration concerned for a better consensus.
STU also urged the ministry to take note of the comfort of school boarders and to ensure that teachers are not overloaded with work as their core job is teaching.
“It is a prudent move to submit a memorandum requesting a revision of the warden’s duties and proposing some solutions to the minister,” he said in support of NUTP’s plans to do so.
NUTP president Aminuddin Awang had highlighted that teachers who were doing double duty as wardens were forced to work round the clock, seven days a week, as they had to shoulder more than 50 duties when their shift commenced in the hostels.
He also expressed the union’s hope that full-time wardens would be employed to allow teachers to focus on their core duties as well as their families.
