Students protest teachers’ dismissal
KOTA KINABALU: A convocation for seniors at an independent Chinese school here was disrupted when a group of students marched into the hall protesting against the dismissal of 10 teachers.
Prior to that, attendees at the event, held at the Kian Kok Middle School on Friday, were already taken aback when a teacher who was giving a farewell speech voiced her dissatisfaction over the termination of the services of several colleagues as well as herself.
According to several parents who attended the convocation, as the teacher was speaking, a group of 20 senior students walked into the hall carrying placards asking the school management to explain why the contracts of their teachers were not renewed.
After chanting that they were against the termination, the students then left the hall.
Videos of the incident had since been circulated on social media.
When contacted, state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun, who was also in charge of education, said hired teachers school were bound by the terms of their employment.
He noted that the management boards of independent Chinese schools had the authority to determine various policies, including staff recruitment and student enrolment.
School officials have so far declined to speak about the incident though the board was expected to issue a statement on the matter today.