SIBU: The Sarawak Teachers Union (STU) held a meeting with the Sarawak Education Department recently.
Its secretary Chung Fui San revealed that a total of 13 issues were raised.
According to him, the issues were on school operations, student vaccination, teacher workload, teacher transfers between districts and states, social issues in schools, examinations, ICT needs in schools, condition of school buildings, and asking the Ministry of Education (MoE) to extend teacher contracts by offering positions fixed to them as well as Teaching and Learning (PdPR) at Home.
Chung explained that STU had faced various challenges over the past two years, particularly the issue of PdPR as a result of the pandemic.
“However, we express our appreciation to all teachers for their hard work and sacrifice to ensure that students do not lag behind in their studies over the past two years,” he said during the 19th STU Sibu Division Annual General Meeting here.
He thanked the teachers who were willing to buy ICT equipment with their own money to ensure that their students can follow classes online.
Speaking on other matters, he said STU was also working with Swinburne University of Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak School of Business and Regal College as strategic partners.
Meanwhile, Sibu STU chairman Yong Sie Hing called on Deputy Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government, Michael Tiang Ming Tee to address traffic congestion in schools.
He said teachers also acted as traffic controllers, sunbathing and exposing themselves to danger during the peak hours of school sessions.
“Hopefully, MPs, assemblymen, councillors and the police can find a way to overcome this problem so that teachers can focus on their real job, which is to teach.”
