‘Don’t transfer Peninsula teachers wishing to stay on’

Teachers from Peninsular Malaysia who wish to continue serving at SMK Baleh should be allowed to do so.

Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing said teachers from the peninsula who work hard and have adjusted well to life here are very much appreciated.

“There are teachers from Peninsular Malaysia who want to stay here. Let them stay here at SMK Baleh. If they want to stay, let them be. These are the teachers who are willing to teach. Allow them to stay, don’t force them out,” he said during SMK Baleh’s parent-teacher association ( PTA) annual general meeting (AGM) recently.

He suggested that promotions for such teachers should be given within the school.

“I have seen one or two teachers from Peninsular Malaysia over the last few years who were very keen teachers in SMK Baleh, but when I went there, they were transferred. They received the transfer order. And they said, okay, the Ministry of Education wanted to transfer us out of SMK Baleh. They have to be transferred.

“But if they want to stay, please allow them to stay because this kind of teacher is what we want because they have the patience to teach. Let them teach, it doesn’t matter where they are from. This is my advice to the Education Department to allow them to stay if they want to stay, especially those from Peninsular Malaysia,” he explained.

He added that SMK Baleh is currently short of 10 teachers.

Among those present at the AGM were Hulu Rajang mMember of Parliament Wilson Ugak Kumbong, Kapit Resident Joseph Belayong Punan, Bukit Mabong District Officer Douglas Pungga, Kapit District Officer Elvis Didit, Temenggong Tan Kian Hoo, Saiful Anwar – who represented Kapit District Education officer Gawan Ringgit, and Kapit OCPD DSP Freddy Bian.

SMK Baleh – the only secondary school in the Baleh state constituency – has some 400 students in Forms 1 to 5.

It is located at Nanga Gaat, which is around two hours by express boat from here.