WHEN Datuk Dr. Azhar Ahmad stepped into the role of State Education Department (JPN) Director in 2022, after serving in the Ministry of Education in Putrajaya, he embraced a formidable challenge — to uplift and transform the education landscape of Sarawak.
Tasked with driving progress in Sarawak’s education system, Azhar brought a wealth of experience from his previous tenure as JPN Director from 2018 to 2020.
His leadership has since led to remarkable successes, including a recent standout achievement in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) results, where Sarawak recorded one of its highest State Average Guide (GPN) scores of 4.92, with 726 students achieving straight As.
Under his guidance, initiatives like the Dual Language Programme (DLP) continue to flourish, alongside the advancement of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programmes that have empowered Sarawakian students to compete on national and international stages.
In a recent interview with Sarawak Tribune and Suara Sarawak, in conjunction with his retirement, Azhar reflected on his journey, sharing insights into his achievements, challenges, cherished memories, and hopes for the future of Sarawak’s education system.
SARAWAK TRIBUNE: What is your proudest achievement throughout your career in education in Sarawak?
AZHAR: To be honest with you, I could list down numbers of achievement throughout my career here, and among them are none other than the SPM achievement, best in recent years, alongside the achievement in co-curriculum such as the STEM competition. Not to mention achievement in sports. From there we can see the Sarawakian students are indeed talented and they are very good at it. Their achievement is being celebrated here by us.
One thing we must understand is that education and its focus is very broad. When people think about education, they think about only the learning aspect of it. However, education is all about our effort in developing the students holistically and comprehensively. That being said, we want our children to be good not only in terms of their studies but also in terms of their physical development.
SARAWAK TRIBUNE: Could you share the biggest challenge you faced while holding the position of State Education Director, and what do you feel has changed the most in Sarawak’s education since you started serving?
AZHAR: There are still indeed challenges that I have faced when I became the JPN director. One of them is the infrastructure of schools across the state, especially within the rural areas. But I am grateful the state and federal governments have been working to address this problem and I hope this will continue for the betterment of our education here.
In terms of changes, what I have seen is of course the education itself, in terms of the curriculum and its framework. The content of the knowledge has changed a lot, even our textbooks have also changed compare to the previous years.
One of the most surprising changes I have also seen is the building structure of schools here. They look even more beautiful, lively especially in terms of the colour scheme.
SARAWAK TRIBUNE: If you could change one thing in the state’s education system, what would it be and why?
AZHAR: If I could have one aspect to change in the education system, that would be the development of our human resource.
Sarawak is such a large state. So for us here it is very difficult to catch up with what is going on the ground, and we have to rely on the integrity and professionalism of our teachers. This is where in my opinion, we should use our resources in developing the teachers, empowering them, so that they can perform their tasks better. We should support them in terms of allocation and material even more.
SARAWAK TRIBUNE: Could you explain the steps taken to ensure better access to education for students in rural and remote areas? And how have you worked to address the shortage of teaching staff in remote areas of Sarawak?
AZHAR: Aside from much better education access and improving the infrastructure of schools across Sarawak, right now we are integrating digital technology in education. This is one of our ways to close the gap between cities, and rural areas through internet facilities.
From there, the students can access our study materials, which Ministry of Education (MoE) calls DELIMa. It is a digital initiative in the country where all learning materials can be accessed by teachers and students, as long as they have a computer and internet connectivity.
In terms of addresing the teacher shortage in remote areas, I am very grateful that MoE together with the Education, Innovation and Talent Development Ministry sees this issue as a serious one. That is why, we encourage our children here to participate in the teaching profession by organising roadshows in rural areas, universities and others.
SARAWAK TRIBUNE: How far has school infrastructure improved in the state, and what further efforts are needed to enhance it?
AZHAR: At the moment, we are on the right track in terms of improving the infrastructure of the schools across the state. In the cities, I was not entirely concerned, as it (infrastructure) looks good. It is still an issue at schools in rural areas. Despite that, the federal and state government continue to working on improving the infrastructure, developing new buildings for schools.
Since 2016, the government (federal and state) have spent almost RM4 billion, and that is just for physical upgrades.
SARAWAK TRIBUNE: What are your hopes for education in Sarawak in the future?
AZHAR: My hope is that it will be among the best of the best. Because Sarawak has strong aspirations, which is to become a developed state. Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has said it many times. But for us to be able to reach there, education is the key.
Because education is where we can begin preparing the human resource in fulfilling the development agenda set by the government.
I also hope for constant collaboration between JPN and stakeholders. There is a saying “it takes a village to raise a child” which means, in order for our education to be among the best, all parties must work together to achieve it.
SARAWAK TRIBUNE: What advice would you give to the education director who will replace you?
AZHAR: My advice is that this person understands the situation in Sarawak. Because here, the circumstances are very different, in terms of development and culture.
Sure, in terms of development of schools we are still far behind, but our strength is the unity among races and religious groups here. That is why, we do not have any issues, especially ones that would threaten the development agenda.
I also hope the new leadership would continue efforts to collaborate with various parties. In this matter, we should never ever do it alone.
SARAWAK TRIBUNE: What advice would you give to teachers in Sarawak to keep giving their best to their students?
AZHAR: There is this one song called “Fly Kenyalang Fly”, and it is the JPN’s theme song. If we dive deep into the lyrics and understand it, it is about uplifting the spirit of our teachers and education staff to continue their effort in uplifting education in Sarawak.
I always say this, if it is not us, who else is going to help improve our education right? That is why we must always have the drive to uplift and elevate education in our state. It is indeed a heavy responsibility, but that spirit must always remain.
