Start classes at 8am? No plans for that - Fadhlina

 

The Education Ministry has dismissed a proposal by a senior lecturer that school session in the Peninsula start at 8am.

Its minister Fadhlina Sidek said the issue of starting classes at 8am is not the ministry’s priority for the time being as there are more pressing issues at hand.

“We have listened to the suggestion but we also have to take note of what the parents have to say.

“We take into consideration views from all parties.

“But there is no decision today. There are many other issues that we need to prioritise,” she said after launching the 2023 National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) Grand Seminar at Sunway Putra Hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

Previously, it was reported that a senior lecturer from University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Anuar Ahmad had urged the government for schools in the peninsula to commence classes at 8am to alleviate the burden on teachers, parents and students.

Anuar was reported as saying that the government should be “compassionate to teachers, parents and students who had to wake up as early as 4.30am”.

For the record, most schools start at 7.30am.

Shortage of teachers

On NUTP’s request for the Education Ministry to reintroduce relief teacher positions to cover the shortage of teachers, including in Sabah and Sarawak, Fadhlina said it stems from the lack of teachers in the education system.

Therefore, she said her ministry is committed to tackling issues pertaining to the placement of teachers in schools as soon as possible.

“As I have mentioned before, in Sarawak 50 percent of the placement of teachers will be sorted out before March.

“This is before the commencement of school. As for other states, we will handle it as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, she gave her commitment that the incident that occurred in a school in Johor, which allegedly held an overnight SPM workshop for only Muslim students, will not happen again.

Should such an incident recur, she said the ministry will not hesitate to take action.

‘Discrimination not allowed’

“Discrimination is not allowed in the education system and we will ensure that this will not happen again.”

Asked if there will be any action taken against the school in Johor, she said she will leave the matter to the Johor education department to decide.

The Education Ministry had denied that the overnight SPM workshop in Johor was discriminatory after it was alleged that only Muslim students were invited to take part.

The ministry had said the workshop held at a hotel in Johor Bahru had been split into two separate sessions to avoid disturbing SPM candidates from the SMK Infant Jesus Convent who were celebrating the Chinese New Year.

The workshop had caused a stir on social media after it was alleged that non-Muslim students at the all-girls school were intentionally left out of the programme.

Meant for all races

In a statement responding to the controversy, the ministry said the workshop was meant for all races.

It added that the workshop was an initiative by the Johor Bahru District Education Office and was conducted in collaboration between the school’s Parent-Teacher Association, Parent Support Group and Parent, Community and Private Involvement (PIBKS).

The ministry did not mention the ethnicity or religion of the students who took part in the workshop on Jan 19 and 20, nor did it confirm or deny that this batch of students was all Muslims.

It did say, however, that a second workshop had been planned for Jan 26 and 27 for those who did not take part in the first session. - Mkini