How do we conceptualise Nation State? revisiting teachers' day theme for 2009

"Guru Pembina Negara Bangsa" was made the theme for this year's teachers day celebration. I was requested to deliver a two-hour talk. There were two questions facing this theme:

1. Why teachers are given this responsibility: building nation state?

2. Do teachers equip themselves with the necessary social infrastructure?

The first 40 minutes of the schedule was a blackout which teachers, almost 500 in number patiently waited.

Addressing the theme, I used several examples supposedly self-explanatory: teaching as a universal profession- engaging beyond classroom and beyond racial demarcation. Teachers in Malaysia have already been addressing the profoundly promulgated 1 Malaysia buzz from PM. However, one may have forgotten all this while that has been teachers effort.

Being universal means to educate without any barrier: social or physical. Understanding UNESCO "Education for all, all for education". This, school heads all over Sarawak had to chance to understand when Sarawak Education Department organised the largest participation ever, (1300++ school heads) .

Long, long busy June

Quite hectic and busy month, June it is! I went for long leave since May 25 till June 14 and another four day-leave June 22-June 24. My daughter Lenny Suriyani's wedding went on beautifully well June the 5th. I personally solemnised the 'Aqad' with ustaz Sarbini Ekom as Qadi Rep from Majlis Islam Sarawak. The reception was held the following day at Islamic Information Center and in Bintulu Dewan Suarah June the 13th.

Many thanks to all who attended all occasions, may Allah swt provides us all with strength and excellent health.

A slight drawback for the long week when Sarbanun experienced another abdominal problem. She missed the night reception, traditional chinese tea-reception at Haizal's parents house, Kidurong. We came back to Kuching 14 June. She went to see Dr. Ng 15 June and was advised to undergo a surgery the following Monday, 22 June.

After the surgery she was on sick leave until 22 July.

Those are the slight 'turbulence' my family encountered in June after the months long preparation for Lenny's wedding. Our brothers and sisters from Saratok and Limbang joined hands to assist us with all the preparation.

I upload a few images recorded during the occasion.

From Good Shepherd to Penglayan

Another schools visit it is this week. I took the 0700 flight to Marudi yesterday. The flight was delayed for almost 40 minutes. Reached Marudi at 0736, after less than 20 minutes of flying. PPD Baram transported me directly to Good Shepherd elementary school after having breakfast with Suhaimi the driver. The school is just next to the runaway of Marudi airstrip. The is has been my fourth annual visit under the Memperkasa SK Program and Good Shepherd and Penglayan were the last two in my list for 2009 first round of visits for the program.

This is an interesting school indeed. Its locality reminded me of Sarawak Teachers' Training College 1976 where we were holding breath each time an aircraft took off and landed. The difference is the size of the aircraft. Marudi is only served with Twin-Otter 19-passenger aircraft while Sibu then was with fokker and some cessna.

Patrick Tait has his second round as school head at Good Shepherd. During the briefing I did ask this question: Anybody know why this school is called 'Good Shepherd'. I shared some of my Bible Knowledge with some of the teachers.

During the brief, yet meaningful visit, I had the chance to observe some of the learning sessions. Bennet (right) is an interesting boy, suspected ADHD (Attention Deficit Hypher-Active Disorder) year two-student. I managed to talk with him when Patrick brought me to the classroom. Now many would be aware that ADHD has been a worrisome among our students. Some teachers have been exposed to detecting the disorder, while the majority would not understand its existence.

At 0800 today, 14 May will proceed to SK Penglayan using PPD Baram Boat. Form Penglayan will take an express boat to Miri.Teachers at Good Shepherd busy responding to the survey
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SK Penglayan, 14 May 2009, Thursday, 0910 am.
14 May at 0800 we left Marudi to Penglayan, an hour journey by boat. Thanks to PPD Baram for providing the efficient transportation. The Deputy Minister of Education used the same boat two weeks ago when he was on Baram schools visits.
At Penglayan, Adree Lenjau and his teachers received us as usual right at the jetty. They were observing Thursday like any town school: on batik!
The dry season has provided us a clearer vision of SK Penglayan, reminding me of yet another critical problem faced by boarding school: H2O, that is! During lunch time, I jokingly told some of the teachers that I will "provide" some rain and asked one of them either she prefers 'L', 'M' or 'S' which she instantly said "L"! A few minutes after we started our lunch, we heard some rain drops hitting the zinc roof! That continued on when we left for our boat around mid day. The rain was a relief indeed as most teachers have dried up their reserve. Similar to what I sawat SMK Ulu Balingian on 23 April, all the toilet bowls were without clear water and all tanks meant for the toilets were also dried up.

At 6.15pm I managed to contact Razali Ibrahim the PK1 to verify about the rain. I was in great sigh that it did actually rain when I left Penglayan. The teachers were excited arrest as much of the rain as possible with their empty tanks.
Above: Some of the teachers including Puan
Norlida with her small boy followed us to
Kuala Baram for a brief boat tour.

Action Research for underenrolled elementary school heads in Sabah

Great experience! That was one of the comments from the 26 participants of the five-day action research course specially conducted for school heads of under enrolled elementary schools in Sabah. This is IAB's first such course. The course is of three phases where participants will be guided through to conduct action research based on their schools environment and situation.

School heads will be able to use action research to decide on professional matters pertaining to their school management. These will include teachers' career development, students' learning and academic performance, school physical development and school-community partnership.

The course was designed to provide school heads with insight awareness that professional decision making must be data driven. This will be made possible through professional data collection. Most teachers have in-depth knowledge about action research. Since 1988, the Ministry of Education has introduced action research curriculum in all teachers' training college throughout the country.

Now, more and more teachers are able to share their research findings through seminar presentation. Some districts throughout the country are quite active in organising such forum and make it their annual activity. In some districts, such forum is what they are waiting for so that they too could contribute to decision making especially on academic and curriculum matters.

From May 4 to May 8, the 26 Sabah school, heads have participated actively in all the activities we conducted. Dr. Abang Hut and myself were really amazed by their enthusiasm and participation. The works we provided were meant to guide them in two key areas prior to conducting the research, viz-a-viz reflection and item construction. At the end of the course they were guided to write a research proposal. Congratulation to all the 26 school heads in Sabah. I am confident that you will be able to conduct exemplary action research.

Kanowit revisited

The last time I came to Kanowit was in 2003 when I was invited as guest speaker in a parenting program jointly organised by Sarawak Foundation and Kanowit District Office. I spoke to about 300 parents from various villages in the district.

SK St Francis Xavier is listed for Program Memperkasa Sekolah Kebangsaan this year along with 82 other elementary schools in Sarawak. My first communication with Andrew Mail, the principal, about two months ago, was proven fruitful as my visit to the school today, 27 April 2009, is well received. Thanks to Tinggom, the assistant PPD who was kind enough to give me a lift from Sibu and return.

St. Francis Xavier is one of the oldest schools in Sarawak. Opened in 1883, it served as the main schooling system for the district and feeding two secondary schools in Kanowit town. Today it has a new building with almost 500 students with 35 teachers. I recognised a few faces around and one of them was the PK1, Tasiah Wen who was my college mate way back 1977 at STTC Sibu; Rosalind reminded our meeting at Berjaya Palace Kota Kinabalu 2007 during the National Seminar on Action Research.

I proudly share here that the principal, Andrew has just completed his Masters from OUM; one of the few Sarawak elementary school heads to have such qualification so far. Congratulation, Andrew and thanks for an excellent ride in the brand new Toyota-Innova.

After a briefing with the senior teachers, I was invited for lunch at a restaurant beneath Harbour View Inn. I was greeted by the co-owner of the Restaurant, Zainab Tambi who happened to remember and recognise me after I conducted a staff development program for SeDidik last year in Sibu. She served as Kanowit SeDidik Coordinator and opted for retirement recently. The lunch was her treat, terima kasih Zainab.

Having Lunch with Andrew and Tinggom

The long week..

This week has been a long one for me. Having lectured in the KKPP Group at RH Sibu, the eight hour stint was real engaging. The 39 participants Adeline managed to group were energetic, super active and contributing. This is the first KKPP group that ever printed their T-Shirt with IAB logo and their group's identity. Beautiful they were, red on black! Last night the group organised a special dinner which I and Adeline attended. It was a very well organised decent dinner from a KKPP group so far throughout the country!

The committee formed organised several interactive social activities during the dinner. Everyone made a fair contribution from some number for the Karaoke to balloon blowing.

Need to stress a point here!

After checking in at Tang Dynasty Kota Kinabalu 21 April 2009, I was left with barely 25 minutes to enter the lecture hall where 35 participants of Organisational Behaviour Course were waiting. Thanks to Dr. Abang Hut who managed the course, and like Adeline, managed to gather substantive number of course participants from all division in Sabah. I lectured for six hours, relieved of the night two-hour slot as all participant preferred only day lecture. It was hot and dry in KK for the past week I was told, and having endured the heat, the night was as forgiving as a mild winter in Perth.

I took the last flight from KK to Sibu 22 April. The Fokker aircraft was providing the the ten passengers a very luxurious journey! However, being too comfortable with the ample space, I left a bag with a pair of golf shoes! I only realised about the baggage which I placed in the cabin when returning from late night super with my nephew. Thanks to the excellent service of the lost-and-found department of the airline. I received the call from Sibu office that my left luggage was ready for collection at 11.00 am the following day; thanks to Sdr Ismail (Mas Sibu Airport) and Ms Hamimah (MAS Kuching Airport). That served as a great relief as I was due for Eastwood Valley Miri for Saturday Golfing with some colleagues from Brunei.

Status quo and new meanings.

The weeks 27 March to 7 April have been hectic ones to some. Driving weekly from Kuching to Saratok since mid February (something that I realised worth trying) has beed an interesting experience. I did not normally drive home that frequent for the last 20 years. But with some engagement, association with the alma matta, invitation for talks and wedding receptions all have coincidentally provided the new prospect to this 660km journey.
Each time I stopped over at Sri Aman Journey Break, I met quite a number of party people patronising the the food outlets. The place is now quite improved (minus the toilet, which need urgent repair). I realised that Lubok Antu has been the central focus over the weeks since the demise of the assemblyman for Batang Ai'.
Simanggang or second division as it was fondly referred to by veterans, could have witness more visitors even without by election nearby. The journey break facility made available at the junction serves as only a brief relaxation after a two-hour drive from the capital city. To proceed Sri Aman town one needs to spare 18 km for a return journey, which is to mean 'wasting' 20 minutes or so of the next journey.