Teachers who ‘Lepak’ affect students’ future
Published on: Thursday, November 17, 2022
By: Cynthia D Baga
Abdul Shahril (at the back), Mohammad Hafiezzamani (right) and Nur Natasha together with their counsel Sherzali.
Kota Kinabalu: The incident where a teacher Lepaks or did not enter a class to teach his Form Four students five years ago, will bring an impact on the future of students’ job prospects.Abdul Shahril Abdul Sahar, 21, who is the seventh witness in the hearing of a civil suit against the English teacher and four others, said the incident will affect students when they are looking for jobs in the future.
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“For example, it is possible that my friend who is better in English will be hired than me when we are seeking a job.
“The effect on me is also that my friends from other schools have higher English skills than mine and that I felt lost and regretful for ‘JJ’ (the teacher) not entering our class and teaching us,” said Abdul Shahril.
Abdul Shahril testified before High Court Judge David Leonard Shim, in the suit filed by his three former classmates of SMK Taun Gusi, Kota Belud and the classmates namely, first plaintiff Rusiah Sabdarin, second plaintiff Nur Natasha Allisya Hamali and third plaintiff Calvina Angayung.
The trio had named the teacher Mohd Jainal Jamrin (Mr JJ), Hj Suid Hj Hanapi (in his capacity as a principal of the SMK Taun Gusi), Director General of Education Malaysia, Minister of Education Malaysia and Government of Malaysia, as the first, second, third, fourth and fifth defendants, respectively.
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They had claimed among others, that the teacher had failed to turn up in class to teach the subject for seven months in 2017 while the other defendants took no reasonable action despite being notified of the matter.
According to Abdul Shahril, he agreed that in 2017 he was a student who liked to waste time and was not interested to study but now he realised that teacher not entering class to teach students will affect the future and that he does not want the next generation will get the same fate like him.
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He added that even though he was not interested to study during that time but his other classmate wanted to learn and deserved to receive an education from ‘JJ’ who was supposed to perform his duty as a teacher.
Abdul Shahril further said that he did not want to blame ‘JJ’ for his failure in English subject but he wanted ‘JJ’ to be responsible for his action of not entering the class to teach.
He further testified that while in secondary school, he admitted that he did not care whether the teacher enter the class or not but after secondary school and entering college, he realised the effect of the absence teacher in class.
Meanwhile, the eighth witness Mohammad Hafiezzamani said the absence of a teacher in class affected his Form Four result in English subject.
He said he failed the final exam for English subject during his Form Four but passed in the SPM result because in Form Five the teacher Nurhaiza entered his class and taught them.
“Among the effects we suffer when ‘JJ’ did not enter the class, we did not get the proper education which we deserve as the English subject is among the important subject.
“The school should prepare a substitute teacher if the assigned teacher is unable to attend class,” he said.
Counsel Sherzali Herza Asli defended the plaintiffs and Senior Federal Counsel Mohd Hafizi Abd Halim Federal Counsel Fazrul Fardiansyah Abdul Kadir for the defendants. The trial will continue on Nov 23 this year.
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