Mary urged to confirm closure of Teachers Education Institutes
KOTA KINABALU: Parti Warisan Sabah has urged Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Mary Yap to confirm if the Teachers Education Institute (IPG) Keningau was indeed true to be turned into a vocational college while IPG Tawau into a polytechnic.
“I doubt that there is any need for another vocational college in Keningau and polytechnic in Tawau,” said Warisan vice president Junz Wong.
“Why convert IPG to a college again when there is already one existing technical school in Keningau?” he asked.
“We have many vocational training schools and polytechnics in Sabah,” he pointed out, citing as examples Giatmara - a training school with many branches in Sabah.
“This is managed by a government-linked company and costs are borne by the Rural Development Ministry, ILP in Sepanggar under the Higher Education Ministry, MySkill training school under the private sector, Polytechnic di Sepanggar under the Education Ministry, technical school in Keningau under the Higher Education Ministry.
“So why doesn’t the Education Ministry work with the Sabah government to upgrade all these vocational schools and polytechnics?
“My reliable source has confirmed, which I stand to be corrected, that the only IPGs closing in Malaysia, are in Sabah.
“I want Mary Yap to confirm or deny this.”
Junz said a Warisan Sabah government will make it a priority to upgrade IPG with more allocations and budget with faculties and facilities to let the staff and lecturers stay there to produce high quality teachers.
“Sabah must insist to keep our IPGs and continue to train Sabahans as teachers to replace in due time the 14,000 teachers who are teaching in Sabah,” he added.