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KENINGAU: The theme "25 Years of Upholding Excellence" holds much meaning to the Institute of Teacher Education Campus (IPG) Keningau as it depicts its path of growth from a remote college to a centre of educational excellence for the interior of Sabah. The institute's Director, Lim Sai Kiow @ Penny Lim said success after success over 25 years has been the cornerstone of its continuing drive towards excellence.

"In 2009, IPG Keningau was designated as the Centre of Excellence for Indigenous Pedagogy, Sabah Zone, thus making indigenous pedagogy the niche of this institute which led to the establishment of the Department of Indigenous and Interior Pedagogy this year," she said.

Its responsibilities include streamlining the Project Model Pensiangan-Salinatan, Indigenous or Interior Pedagogy, the Kadazan Dusun Language and the socio-culture of the interior, she said.

"The Project Model Pensiangan Salinatan is a pride of IPG Keningau because it was an idea first mentioned in 2004 as a result of awareness and commitment towards educational excellence for children in the interior," she said.

She said the former Director General of Education, the late Tan Sri Abd Rafie Mahat, on a visit to Pensiangan and Salinatan on July 29, 2003 spoke on the need and the importance of giving due attention to remote or interior schools.

"The institute was entrusted to prepare a concept paper on the Project Model Pensiangan-Salinatan to be discussed at ministerial level, and it became a national project undertaken by all Institutes of Teacher Education across the country in 2004," she said.

Lim said the objectives of the project are to increase teachers' knowledge and to enhance teachers' skills in managing indigenous pedagogy as well as to inculcate an excellent work culture among teachers.

She said, based on those objectives, several programmes have been planned, including courses for teachers and headmasters in the interior and district supervisors.

The project, which focuses on four core subjects namely Malay language, English language, Mathematics and Science, has evolved from an initial 12 schools in 2004, to 15 schools in 2008, she said.

"The project, which lasted for six years in selected schools showed positive results, especially in the 2008 UPSR performance," she said.

In terms of courses, students and staff, the passing of time saw the institute aligning itself to the current changes and development in education.

According to Lim, in 1985 IPG Keningau started off with only the Kursus Perguruan Asas (KPA) at certificate level, followed by Kursus Diploma Perguruan Malaysia (KDPM) in 1996.

"In 2006 Keningau Teachers Training College was upgraded as an educational institution providing teacher training at degree level, where post-SPM students who enter the institute undergo a preparatory course for three semesters and pursue a degree for eight semesters at the same institute," she said.

She said the college is now known as an institute, and is currently offering Post Degree Teaching Courses (KPLI), Preparation Course for Bachelor's Degree in Teaching Programmes (PPISMP), as well as Bachelor's Degree in Teaching Programmes Course (PISMP).

Holiday courses (KDC) such as j-QAF, LPBS-KDPM, Kemas, SKM-KPLI and PGSR, as well as In-Service 14-Week KDP OUM Course and Bestari courses are also conducted at this institute, she said.

She said today the institute is home to 80 lecturers, 83 support staff and about 797 trainees undergoing full time and part time courses, and as of this year, the institute has trained about 12,000 teachers.

Increase in the number of courses and options from time to time has demanded an increase in facilities and upgrading of existing facilities, which include a pre-school block, Physical Education Department block and a premises for Pusat Latihan Kokurikulum (Pulako), a resource centre and residential blocks for lecturers.

"The Teaching School Programme which started since January 27, 2003 is a collaboration with selected neighbouring schools," said Lim.

She said, among its objectives are to provide quality education to students in participating schools, strengthen the knowledge and practice of teaching and learning of school teachers, would-be teachers and lecturers through educational research.

"This programme began in SK Menawo, Keningau, with four main subjects namely Malay Language, English Language, Mathematics and Science," she said.

According to her, the programme, which required lecturers to move in pairs or individual basis, ended after six years in SK Menawo, and in 2009, SK Penagatan was selected as the adopted school.

Meanwhile, she said, the Institute has adopted various improvement measures to enhance and improve the quality of services in order to ensure that the objectives of quality are met in accordance with the aspirations of Institute of Teacher Education and the Ministry of Education.

"For this purpose, starting in 2001, it has implemented a quality management system and was awarded the MS ISO 9002:1994 certification in June 2002.

"Later in the same month, it was awarded the MS ISO 9001:2000 certification and currently, the institute is implementing a quality management system in compliance with MS ISO 2001:2008 standard," she said.

In terms of achievement, Lim said the IPG Keningau was awarded the Ministry of Education Innovation Award for its Project Hari Bunga in 2000 and in 2001 the institute was runner-up at the State Level Landscape Competition.

"We also won a third place award for our financial management at the Anugerah Pengurusan Kewangan dan Perakuanan for the Institute of Teacher Education and College Matriculation category, in conjunction with the Ministry of Education Quality Day Celebration in 2008," she said.

IPG Keningau, previously known as the Keningau Teachers Training College is the highest educational institution in the interior and is one of the four teacher training institutes in Sabah.

Its construction in 1982 at a cost of RM32 million was completed in 1984 and efforts to obtain a suitable site were made possible through the initiative of Tan Sri Suffian Koroh, the Deputy Chief Minister at the time.

Its location in interior Sabah is made accessible from Kota Kinabalu via the 145km Keningau-Tambunan-Kota Kinabalu route or alternatively the 100km Keningau-Kimanis-Kota Kinabalu route.

Built on the summit of Bukit Langsat on a 40 hectare site which is four and a half kilometres from the Keningau town, it serves as a hub of knowledge for the interior, and its unique site inspired the then Minister of Education to call it "University of Keningau".

The first batch of 236 students came in on Feb 4, 1985 under the Kursus Perguruan Asas programme.

Of these, about 137 students underwent the primary school training course for Malay and English Studies whilst 98 students underwent the secondary school training course for Malay Studies and History, Geography and Malay Studies, English Studies and Geography, and Mathematics and Science.

A total of 164 trainees came from Sabah, 47 from Peninsular Malaysia and 23 from Sarawak.

Facilities in this institute include an administrative block, a block of classrooms, a lecture hall, a main hall, a resource centre, four residential blocks, four blocks of flats for staff, a mosque, a gymnasium, sports facilities such as a football field, hockey field, basketball, tennis, sepak takraw courts and a track.

In addition to educational activities, many sports and social activities involving schools, the district education office and the local communities are carried out.

This year sees Keningau Institute of Teacher Education reaching its Silver Jubilee celebrations, held on a large-scale with the theme '25 Years Together Upholding Excellence' from April 16 to April 23.

At the helm of the institute for the past 25 years were seven principals and directors, with Hj Jikal Gabie being the pioneer who led the administration in 1985 with 16 academic staff and several support staff.

He laid the foundation that shaped the direction of the college, and his retirement on Feb 10, 1993 left a vacant spot which was temporarily filled by the Deputy Principal at the time, Hj Adenan Hj Wagimin.

March 1, 1995 saw the arrival of the new administrator of the institute, Hjh Aminah Hj Musally, a local from Keningau, who was always concerned about local education issues.

The mission and vision statements of the institute as well as the motto "Sepakat dan Kolektif Menjulang Kecemerlangan" are the result of her ceaseless efforts to develop the training institute.

In 2001 she handed over the post to Mary Teresa Kinajil from the State Education Department.

Years of experience heading a sector in the State Education Department proved valuable in her quest for excellence for the institute especially in areas of administration and implementation of programmes with the local community.

She also mooted the idea for the Pensiangan-Salinatan Project and Teaching School, programmes that are still carried out to this day.

In 2005 she was transferred to Institute of Teacher Education Campus Kent as the principal and was replaced by Aron Warso, and during his tenure, the post of principal was re-designated as director.

A former school principal, district education officer and the fact that he is from Keningau, helped Aron to forge ties with local communities in implementing programmes in the institute.

Upon his retirement in 2006, the director post was filled by Jame Alip, who with his years of experience as a principal, division education officer and in the School Inspectorate Division, brought new ideas to thrust the institute to greater heights.

For example, projects such as "Gapaian Kinabalu" and "Kembara Merdeka" in conjunction with the Merdeka Month, were derived from his ideas.

Jame was promoted to the post of Director of Sports, Arts and Co-curriculum, the Ministry of Education in 2008, and from September 2008 to the present, Institute of Teacher Education Campus Keningau is helmed by Penny Lim.

A former Deputy Director, Institute of Teacher Education Campus Gaya, with years of experience as principal of several schools in Sabah, she continues the tradition of excellence by implementing various improvement efforts, particularly in the areas of administration and implementation of academic and co-curricular programmes.