KUCHING: Most teachers use their own money to conduct home-based Teaching and Learning (PdPR), says Sarawak Teachers Union (STU) president Adam Prakash Abdullah.
He added that teachers were spending more recently because they had to provide special data for PdPR.
“They also need to buy devices while some buy special software to provide interesting and effective lessons for students.”
In rural areas that did not have Internet coverage, he said teachers would photocopy materials and distribute the homework to students.
“STU believes that today’s teachers already understand the process of PdPR and there are no problems in terms of its implementation.
“The only thing that’s a burden is the cost to provide PdPR materials, which is often borne by teachers.
“After that of course, there are teachers who will take the initiative of riding motorcycles to send and pick up their students’ homework.
“This has happened in the past and will happen again because there are schools that are too far inland,” he said on Tuesday (April 27).
Therefore, STU requested that the government and the private sector, especially telecommunication companies, assist teachers in their PdPR endeavours.
Adam stressed that STU was not complaining but simply inviting all parties to contribute to the success of PdPR.
“STU wants all parties to care about the children’s education and not leave the responsibility to teachers alone.
“So in this difficult situation, we hope that there will be assistance that will be channelled to teachers in ensuring that our country’s education system can achieve success in any situation.”
Meanwhile, Sarawak Bumiputera Teachers Union (KGBS) president Ahmad Malie said KGBS did not deny that many teachers were using their own money for the sake of their students’ education.
KGBS would like to again raise the proposal that teachers be given a one-off special allowance of RM1,500 every year.
“KGBS would like the government, especially the Ministry of Education, to consider this proposal.”
