‘Proposal for Sarawak to have its own Education Ordinance needs in-depth study’
SIBU: The suggestion about Sarawak government enacting its own Education Ordinance meant to empower its Education, Science and Technological Research Ministry, requires an in- depth study that should also cover the legal aspects and include whether the Sarawak Legislative Assembly ( DUN) could pass it.
Assistant Minister of Education and Technological Research Dr Annuar Rapaee while agreeing that the ministry could be rendered ‘powerless’ without such ordinance, also acknowledged that based on the constitution, matters relating to education are under the federal government.
“We can’t implement what we want; it is true as what our Education, Science and Technological Research Minister ( Dato Sri Michael Manyin) always says – ‘ we can only supplement and complement, but we can’t implement some policies’.
“The enactment of such proposed ordinance is better than the proposed deal by PH ( Pakatan Harapan) of taking over the responsibility of education as part of the package of the 20 per cent from oil profit, which have the risk of not ( having) enough ( allocation) in future. Only by the enactment of this ordinance, could we have full autonomy on education
“On whether or not we need to have our own ordinance, we need to do a detailed study including the legal aspects as education is under the federal list. In fact, we have our Sarawak Research Council Ordinance – but not the education part that is required by the Education, Science and Technological Research Ministry,” he said in response to the question raised by some members of the public regarding the suggested ordinance.
Dr Annuar, who is Assistant Minister of Housing and Public Health, was speaking to reporters after launching the Fifth Edition of ‘ Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) Intensive Clinic 2018’ at University College of Technology Sarawak ( UCTS) here yesterday.
Adding on, he said the needs of Sarawak would have to be taken into consideration when studying the suggestion for Sarawak to enact its own Education Ordinance.
“Sometimes, different states have different needs; Sarawak’s needs, for instance, may differ from those of Perlis.
“Moreover, Sarawak is more towards industrialisation given our plentiful resources. If we follow the current pace, we might not be able to catch up; we might need our own ways of doing things.
“All of this needs to be studied in detail, especially the legal part,” Dr Annuar opined.
On the SPM Clinic, Dr Annuar – also Nangka assemblyman – said the 10-week free tuition programme for 250 Form 5 students was run by Sibu Bumiputera Graduates Association ( PGBS) in collaboration with Nangka Service Centre and UCTS.
Forty- five specialist teachers were assembled to provide tuition on core subjects, he added.
According to him, the programme has benefited some 1,000 students since its introduction five years ago.
In this regard, he called upon the students to use what they had learnt from the programme to excel in their SPM examinations.
PGBS chairman Abang Fairul Syarmil Abang Mohd and UCTS director of research and development Prof Salfarina Abdul Gapor were also present at the event.