FEDERAL GOVT AGREES IN PRINCIPLE TO SARAWAK’S WISH FOR DEVOLUTION OF POWER IN EDUCATION
KUCHING, Oct 26 (Bernama) -- The Federal government has agreed in principle to Sarawak’s desire for devolution of power in critical areas of education, said the Ministry of Education, Innovation, and Talent Development Sarawak (MEITD).
According to the ministry’s statement today, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof has instructed for an immediate committee to be set up between the Ministry of Education (MOE) and MEITD to share data on education in Sarawak.
“The data will be particularly on student drop-out and student achievement. This is in order for MEITD and Sarawak Economic Planning Unit to assess the effectiveness of the various state-initiated intervention programmes, as well as to assist the MOE.
“MOE director-general Datuk Pkharuddin Ghazali was tasked to initiate a discussion on legal matters pertaining to the devolution of authority for education, involving the Attorney General’s Chambers and Sarawak State Attorney General’s Chambers,” it said.
MEITD said the matter was discussed in a meeting chaired by Fadillah earlier today and it was also agreed that both the MOE as well the MEITD will meet to refine the details for matters which are operational and administrative in nature.
The meeting, among others, involved delegation of MEITD, MOE, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Finance and Education Service Commision (ESC) was made as a followup to the previous meeting on devolution of education to Sarawak which was held last August.
Meanwhile, MEITD said the issue of shortage of more than 3,000 teachers in Sarawak was also being discussed during the meeting.
“The Deputy Prime Minister has instructed ESC and MOE to urgently look into the matter and to propose solutions, including allowing interim teachers to be absorbed into the teaching profession,” it said.
Fadillah also requested all parties to submit detailed reports on the actions agreed within one month for it to be escalated to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 technical committee, it added.
-- BERNAMA
