Corpun file 22537
The Borneo Post, Kuching, 12 August 2010
"Expedite guideline on discipline in schools"
KUALA LUMPUR: The National Union of Teaching Profession (NUTP) has urged the Education Ministry to expedite the issuance of new guidelines and regulations to protect teachers in tackling indiscipline among students, which is getting more critical.
Its secretary-general Lok Yim Pheng said the matter was discussed in a series of meetings with the ministry, teachers' union, academicians and parents in 2007, but still no news had been received on it.
"The guideline on school regulations had been discussed a long time ago, but until now it is still not ready and we are still waiting," she told Bernama when contacted here Tuesday.
Lok said in handling the problem of indiscipline among students which was getting more critical, NUTP felt there was a need to appoint more male teachers and head disciplinary teachers in schools as a new promotion avenue.
"To qualify, those teachers in the DG44 grade can be promoted to the post in the secondary schools and from DG32 for primary schools," she said.
However, she said, as a preparation, those offered to the position had to attend an intensive training on the aspect of law and the way to handle disciplinary problems before they started work.
Lok said the union had also suggested that the authority to cane students be given back to the teachers in order to control students who were having chronic disciplinary problems.
"Conditions can be imposed but the authority to cane has to be restored in order to control on a small number of "hardcore" students who like to create problems in their schools," she added.
She said it was important the matter be given attention to provide safety protection to the teachers against a small number of students whose "bold" action had presently caused concern.
"A number of students sometimes acted too aggressively to the extent of causing injury especially to women teachers.
"Last week, a teacher in Sarawak was attacked by an aggressive student," she added. -- Bernama
Copyright © 2009 The Borneo Post. All rights reserved.
Corpun file 22536
The Borneo Post, Kuching, 13 August 2010
"Certain teachers are authorised to cane"
By Peter Boon
SIBU: Sarawak Teachers' Union (STU) clarifies that the authority to cane students was never taken away from teachers but only those with written approval can mete out such punishment.
Its president William Ghani Bina said every teacher was a discipline teacher and he or she could punish students, with exception of caning.
Citing the circular letter no: 10/2001 dated Sept 24, 2001 signed by the then director-general of Education Tan Sri Rafee Mahat, Ghani said: "Every teacher is a discipline teacher and caning is allowed in extreme cases such as fighting in school.
"As such, disciplinary matters are not confined to principals, headmasters or discipline teachers."
He, however, explained that only those teachers with a written approval from principals or headmasters could carry out caning.
According to Bernama, National Union of Teaching Profession (NUTP) secretary-general Lok Yim Pheng reportedly said the union had suggested that the authority to cane students be given back to teachers in order to control students who were having perennial disciplinary problems.
Ghani explained that caning was not to punish students but to educate them, unlike in prison.
"In school, we cane to educate students to make them aware of their mistakes and guide them towards the correct path. Therefore, we hope parents too can play their role by working closely with us and educate their children," he said.
"It is better to be caned by a small rotan than a big one in prison," he joked.
Ghani said a student could be caned not more than three times a day.
Turning to the teachers, he urged them to deal with minor disciplinary matters on their own and not refer everything to the school head.
"Otherwise, principals and headmasters will be tearing their hair out in coping with mounting work.
"The serious or extreme cases must be referred to the principal or headmaster for further actions," he advised.
Copyright © 2009 The Borneo Post. All rights reserved.
