If there’s one big reminder for the Ministry of Education, it’s about teachers who go on holiday without taking leave. They are physically somewhere in school but they aren’t teaching. So yeah, it’s the ‘big paid holiday.’
A former secondary school student in Sabah finally took actions in her own hands and filed a suit against her former English language teacher. This was because the teacher did not teach her class for about 8 months!
Nafirah Siman, 18, sued the teacher Jainal Jamran for not teaching English classes at SMK Taun Gasi, Kota Belud, Sabah in 2015.
She claimed that his absenteeism and failure to teach had caused her to fail the SPM English paper.
Source: Malaysiakini
In the suit filed through law firm Roxana & Co on 16 October, it named school’s headmaster Suid Hanapi, SMK Taun Gusi, the Kota Belud district education officer, the Sabah education director-general, the Education Ministry and the government as defendants.
Nafirah revealed that Jainal failed to turn up to teach between February 2015 and October 2015. He only came back for a week when officials from the Education Ministry and state Education Department visited the school.
According to Malaysiakini, a Fullbright senior English teacher assistant grantee seconded to the school and the school’s English Department head have lodged complaints as well.
However, no action was taken by any authorities, namely the Education Ministry, the state Education Department and the headmaster.
Source: The Star
Suid even tried to cover up the teacher’s disappearing act by asking him to fabricate his attendance to show that he was only away for two months.
He even pressured students to give the absent teacher ‘favourable comments.’
Nafirah is seeking a declaration that the defendants are in breach of their statutory duty under Education Act as his failure to teach violated her constitutional right for access to education.
She also seeks exemplary, general and aggravated damages including cost. The case has been fixed for mention on 19 November.
Nafirah should really be applauded for taking a stand!