We were told to take blame for absent English teacher, says student

Jason Santos Jason Santos Updated 5 years ago · Published on 1 Nov 2018 6:00PM · 6 Comments

18-year-old student Siti Nafirah Siman says Suid Hanapi, the principal of SMK Taun Gusi, Kota Belud, instructed her and her classmates to sign a testimonial paper taking the blame for their teacher’s absence from class for a period of seven months. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, November 1, 2018.

THE 18-year-old girl who is suing her English teacher said she and her classmates were instructed to sign a testimonial paper taking the blame for their teacher’s absence from class for a period of seven months.

In an email reply to The Malaysian Insight’s questions on her case, Siti Nafirah Siman said Suid Hanapi, the principal of SMK Taun Gusi, Kota Belud, was the one who told the students to sign the document.

She said Suid had instructed them to sign the papers sometime in August 2015, seven months after Siti’s English teacher, Jainal Jamran, had been absent.

“But does it even matter? The teacher never did come to teach us for the rest of the year.

“Unless we signed papers with words favourable to Jainal, the assigned English teacher, and claimed it was our fault for his almost seven-month absence, Suid said he would not give us a replacement teacher,” she said in the email, which was sent via her lawyers.

Siti said she and her classmates refused to sign the letters.

Jainal is the first defendant, while Suid has been named as the second defendant in her suit. Other defendants include the Kota Belud district education officer, state education director, director-general of the Education Department, the Education Ministry, and the federal government.

Despite her complaints over the absenteeism to the Education Department, Siti said none of the senior officers sent to the school in August 2015 were willing to listen to the students’ story.

“Instead, they refused to meet us (the students). Only the principal came sometime in October and told us to sign the testimonial papers,” she said, referring to Suid.

In the suit, Siti is seeking a declaration that the defendants are in breach of their statutory duties under the Education Act by failing to ensure that she was taught the subject during the period of absenteeism, and this violated her constitutional rights to get education.

She also wants a declaration that there was a breach of duty and misfeasance in public office. – November 1, 2018.

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Comments

  • This is a clear cut case - dereliction of duties and failed responsibilities by the teacher, principal, education department officers and the education ministry that provides oversight in such matters.
    If you analyse it carefully, the crimes include abuse of power, corruption & dereliction of duties..
    Maszlee, what are you going to do about this..
    Remember, this is only one reported case...
    There could be similar cases in rural areas that go unreported.
    The ball is in your court Maszlee and we are all watching..

    Posted 5 years ago by TTs Take · Reply

  • Let us see some heads rolling. 1. The State education Director under whose watch this type of headmaster existed or was promoted. 2.The headmaster of the school where a national examination or SPM class pupls were deprived a fair chance in life. 3. This irresponsible absent teacher. We need to thank the students and TMI for highlighting this problem.

    Posted 5 years ago by Shaikh karim · Reply

  • Let us see some heads rolling. 1. The State education Director under whose watch this type of headmaster existed or was promoted. 2.The headmaster of the school where a national examination or SPM class pupls were deprived a fair chance in life. 3. This irresponsible absent teacher. We need to thank the students and TMI for highlighting this problem.

    Posted 5 years ago by Shaikh karim · Reply

  • http://www.sabah.edu.my/semtasi/staf/jainal.htm

    It says he was a discipline teacher,,huh!

    Posted 5 years ago by Julian Nagelsmann · Reply

  • It is heartening to see our students standing up for what is right instead of being bullied into submission as is more often the case. Maszlee should take this matter more seriously instead of just worrying about the colour of our school shoes. Malaysians cannot and should not tolerate such blatant abuse of power by a head master in forcing his students to "lie" and cover up for a "no show" teacher. How can Jainal's not showing up in class be the children's fault? Suid Hanapi should be sued along with the Ministry of Education to underscore the seriousness of this case, no ifs or buts.

    Posted 5 years ago by Roger 5201 · Reply

  • When I was in school a long time ago the school admin will always make arrangements for replacement teachers when a regular teacher was absent or indisposed..

    Posted 5 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply