Hoping no more corrupt headmasters, education officials
Published on: Wednesday, March 04, 2020
By: Mardinah Jikur
Misterine and Karunanithy speaking to the press yesterday.
SANDAKAN: State Education Director, Dr Misterine Radin, hopes there will be no more corruption cases involving school headmasters and Education Department staff in Sabah. She said integrity and responsibility in this regard is of utmost priority.
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“We don’t want a repeat of previous cases which have been prosecuted in court,” she said, adding that they view the matter seriously.
“As such, we also hold regular sessions with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in addition to programmes that provides continuous awareness to those in the Education Department on the importance of preventing corruption,” she said.
She said every educator needs to be more transparent and be able to set a good example to the public.
She said this after attending a Bicara Professional Awal Tahun Pengarah JPN programme involving Sandakan, Kinabatangan and Beluran at Dewan Sekolah Rendah Visi Sandakan, Mile 5, here, Tuesday.
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Also present was MACC Sabah Director, Karunanithy Y. Subbiah and education officers from all three districts, among others.
The programme also saw a briefing by Karunanithy, the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (Mampu), as well as presentations by sectors in the Education Department and exhibitions by the school.
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On the programme at hand, she said, it is the Education Department’s annual event for every zone in the State.
“We provide education and information to educators. We also invite the MACC to furnish information on the importance of avoiding corruption,” she said.
On other matters, she said, out of some 336 projects involving upgrade and rehabilitation of dilapidated schools in Sabah, a total of 151 projects has already been completed.
She said her Department also received cooperation from the State Education and Innovation Ministry in addition to their joint weekly meetings and monthly meetings with the Education Ministry to discuss on education development matters in Sabah.
Meanwhile, Karunanithy said Sabah MACC often receive complaints on false claims and using one’s position to obtain bribe, namely in providing contracts for work tenders to families involving Edcuation Department officers.
However, he said, it is not the department’s fault but of those who commit such acts.
There have been five to six cases involving school headmasters brought to court.
“Their actions negatively affected people’s perception towards other civil servants, particularly those holding similar posts,” he said.
He said it was, therefore, important that the practice of integrity among educators is maintained, while at the same time awareness programmes is carried out with other departments especially in disseminating information on the negative impact of corruption.
Karunanithy also advised principals and headmasters to remove the names of family companies listed for consideration in obtaining contracts at their respective schools.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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