KUCHING: Out of 2,093 Iban language teachers in Sarawak primary schools, 325 of them are properly trained to teach Iban having attended the Program Ijazah Sarjana Muda Perguruan (PISMP) or other related courses.
This means 1,741 teachers currently teaching Iban language in primary schools do not hold the qualification to do so effectively.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said a similar issue also exists at the secondary school level.
“Of the 277 teachers teaching Iban, only 79 are qualified to teach the subject, meaning 198 teachers are either untrained or lack the necessary qualifications to teach Iban in secondary school,” he said.
He said this during the launching of the Curriculum Development for the Bachelor’s in Education in Iban Language Workshop here today (Jan 20).
Uggah said one of the key solutions for the issue is the establishment of a dedicated academic programme at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), offering a Bachelor of Education in Iban Language.
“I hope the workshop will provide more concrete proposals to improve teacher training and help ensure that future generations receive proper education in the Iban language.
“This programme would specifically train future educators to teach the Iban language and its culture at various educational levels, ensuring that teachers are not only proficient in the language but also well-versed in its culture context.
“In addition to creating a pipeline of qualified Iban language educators, it is essential that we also provide professional development opportunities for current teachers who may not have specialised training,” he added.
Speaking to reporters after the launching ceremony, Uggah expressed hope that workshop experts and Unimas would establish a standardised Iban language programme.
“Because there is not much of a variance in the language, from one riverine (area) to another, I think it is a lot easier for them to have a standardised Iban language
“The only challenge we have is to raise the level of Iban language to meet the technological development of the world today.
“We hope that the Iban language can be adapted to meet such technological development, especially in the world of Artificial Intelligence, medicine and others,” he added.
Uggah said by combining a specialised academic programme at the university level with comprehensive professional development teachers, it can lay a strong foundation for the future of Iban language education in the state.
