PENSIANGAN-SALINATAN

The last 2 days I was deep in the interior of Sabah - a place where few have ventured. It was to look into our project of bringing quality education to the interior of Sabah. Not many people are willing to serve in the interior and as such, many of the teachers there were mainly untrained (temporary teachers). Project Pensiangan-Salinatan started in 1999 as a community project with the aim of capacity building for these untrained teachers. At the same time, we also conducted education camps for the students sitting for the primary six exams. The schools benefited as the institute also donated books and clothes to the children. There were some improvements in the exam results and then district education of the interior division began to ask for the project to be extended to other schools. In 2003, the Director-General of the Ministry of Education and the director of Teacher Education Divison visited Pensiangan and Salinatan to see for themselves the impact of the project in improving education in the interior regions. They were impressed with the results and directed all teacher institutes to implement such similar projects. Hence the project went nation-wide and was called "Project Model Pensiangan-Salinatan". When I took over, after much brain-storming, I decided that the project should be extended to Babalitan villages and that our modus operandi would also to educate the community on the importance of education for their children.(apart from just capacity building). The reason being that parents would often take their children away from school each time during planting season or when there is a 'pesta' such as marriages or funreals or other feasts. The children would be away from schools for weeks. many of the childen do not go beyond standard six. many of the girls were married by the time they turn 14 or 15 !! It's an endless cycle of poverty.

We started our journey from Keningau and after 2 hours' journey, reached the jetty at Salaron. The assistant district education officer (Encik Ampalus) was with us (1st on left). Mr. Patrick, our project co-ordinator, standing right in front (right). Mr Johan (next to me on the right speaks the Murut language

The boat ride took more than an hour and some parts were treacherous. At some points, the boatman had to get out to pull the boat over rocky sections of the river. We saw some boats abandoned by the river banks - they had hit the rocks and were damaged.

On arrival, we were greeted by the village headmen and the chairman of Headmasters' Association, all of them Muruts

Among the activities ( apart from lectures, we taught the villagers how to make compost - that would save them on the cost of buying fertillizers). The response was enthusiastic.

The children all took part in the project - all eagerly helping to cart the dried leaves etc...

At the same time, the women took part in cooking competetion. They taught us how to cook food using traditionl methods.

In the evening, we took part in the boat race. The villagers of course won, hands down !!

That night, the villagers entertained us with their cultural dances. The children choir sang "I had a dream" . Beautiful voices. This was our first visit to the village and we wanted to network and build bridges with the community. We don't want to come upon them as trying to impose but as partners in education. There are many things we can learn from the community as well that we can use to devise an education module suitable for this community. Our institute has been tasked to develope indigeneous pedagogy and this is our fist step. To understand the community (To be continued....)