Adam Parkash Abdullah
KUCHING (June 7): Home-based teaching and learning (PdPR) should be considered as the way forward for today’s education, so that the teachers could make proper teaching plans, rather than doing it impromptu.
In pointing this out, Sarawak Teachers Union (STU) president Adam Parkash Abdullah said proper planning would make the PdPR effective at all times, and not just based on the trend of the Covid-19 spread.
“The PdPr could possibly be a part of the schooling norms for at least the next several years and thus, more thinking should be put into it so that it would no longer be an impromptu arrangement; rather, it would be a well-planned and a more structured process,” he told The Borneo Post here yesterday.
Adam said by doing so, the teachers and the students would then see PdPR as a part of the school routine, and should be able to adapt to the situation.
“The teachers can also make proper arrangements for teaching and learning, and also foresee the challenges ahead to ensure that all students would get access to learning,” he added.
At the same time, he said the STU welcomed the announcement made by the Minister of Education regarding the extension of the PdPR until this July 17.
Meanwhile, Adam also reiterated the call to Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) to list teachers under the priority list for Covid-19 vaccination.
He regarded the present time as ‘a good time’ for the teachers to receive vaccination as they could go to the vaccination centres without causing any disruption to their teaching schedules.
“We hope that the government would support our call, in the best interest of the children and the teachers in schools. Despite the lockdown still in force, we can still see the emergence of new clusters, which is not a good sign.”
Earlier yesterday, Education Minister Datuk Radzi Jidin said the PdPR would be extended for 25 days upon the reopening of the school term this June 13 for Group A (Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu), and June 14 for Group B (Perlis; Penang; Perak; Selangor; the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan; Negeri Sembilan; Melaka; Pahang; Sabah; and Sarawak).
“This (directive) applies to all schools, including public and private, expatriate and international schools, registered under the Education Ministry,” said the minister in a statement.