DURING a debate in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN), Tamin assemblyman Christopher Gira Sambang drew attention to the pressing issue of a shortage of Bahasa Iban teachers in Sarawak schools.
He pointed out that compared to other subjects, there was a significant lack of Bahasa Iban teachers.
Gira called on the government to address this matter urgently, as it had reached a critical level and required immediate resolution.
“Based on the results of a study this year, there is a need for 2,100 Bahasa Iban teachers in primary schools across the state,” he said on yesterday (May 18).
Furthermore, he highlighted the shortage of 26 Bahasa Iban teachers in secondary schools, which is expected to worsen as current teachers approach retirement.
He stressed that the shortage of Bahasa Iban teachers could become a significant education issue if not comprehensively resolved by the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the State Department of Education. He mentioned that the Sarawak Bumiputera Teachers Union (KGBS) had also raised concerns over the matter.
“I suggest increasing the number of teacher trainees for Bahasa Iban at the Institute of Teacher Education (IPG).
“Give priority to IPG graduates and individuals with an education degree from recognised institutions to fill the vacant positions.”
Additionally, he urged the MoE to increase the number of Bahasa Iban trainees from each IPG intake, aiming for at least 100 trainees annually until the shortage is resolved.
“Bahasa Iban should be prioritised by the MoE since the language holds significant recognition within the national curriculum.
“Failure to address this problem may hinder efforts to improve the proficiency of the Iban language among the younger generation.”
Gira also highlighted that Bahasa Iban was not solely an ethnic language used by the Iban
