CARTOON REVIEW : Temporary Teacher

 

The issue of  ignorance and denied attitude of the Penang Education Office to pay the tiny salary to the temporary teachers who have taught in Chinese primary school for three months has again bring the attention of the public. Up most top cartoon was published in Nanyang Siang Pau on 21/2/88 depicted temporary teacher was treated as spare tyre of the Chinese primary school as the replacement when the qualified teacher shortage often happen here. The second cartoon was published in Nanyang Siang Pau on 14/9/92 depicted the school headmaster has to approach door to door looking for the suitable candidate to fill up the temporary teacher position as if he is the salesman due to poor respond to the post. The two articles below described my ambition to become a teacher was not materialised eventough I attended post graduate Diploma in Education in University Malaya after having served as a temporary teacher in Chinese primary school for almost two years due to no posting for science stream teacher in the first year graduation. The entry requirements were tough as many unemployed graduates looking for stable jobs in the midst of reccession in year of 90's. Out of 20,000 applicants, only 2000 graduates were taken in after deliberate interview by the dean and professors. I was called to serve as a chemistry teacher in Kuala Terengannu Technic School in the second year after graduation but it was too late as I was used to the working environment as a chemist in one of the public listed company. Being a temporary teacher before, I realised the heavy responsibility to the students in exchange for tiny salary. Please don't take advantage over them, they should be given chance to be a qualified teacher.

Isu berkenaan dengan sikap tidak endah dan penafian Pejabat Pendidikan Penang untuk membayar secubit gaji kepada guru sandaran yang telah mengajar di sekolah rendah Cina sekali lagi menarik perhatian orng awam. Kartun paling atas dipaparkan di Nanyang Siang Pau pada 21/2/88 menonjolkan guru sandaran dianggap sebagai tayar simpanan sekolah rendah Cina sebagai pengganti semasa kekurangan guru terlatih yang kerap berlaku di sini.Kartun yang kedua dipaparkan di Nanyang Siang Pau pada 14/9/92 menonjolkan gurubesar terpaksa tampil ke hadapan dari pintu ke pintu mencari calon yang sesuai untuk memenuhi jawatan guru sandaran andaikan sebagai jurujual kerana sambutan yang kurang memerangsangkan. Dua rencana yang berikutnya menerangkan cita-cita saya menjadi guru tidak kesampaian  walaupun saya menghadiri kursus Diploma Lepasan Ijazah Pendidikan di Univrsiti Malaya setelah dua tahun berkhidmat sebagai guru sandaran di sebuah sekolah rendah Cina hampir dua tahun kerana tiada jawatan guru aliran sains selepas tahun pertama tamat pelajaran. Syarat kemasukan agak sukar kerana ramai graduan yang menganggur dahagakan pekerjaan yang stabil di tengah-tengah kemelesetan ekonomi pada tahun 90an. Daripada 20,000 pemohon, hanya 2,000 graduan yang diambil masuk selepas pertimbangan temuduga oleh dekan dan profesor. Saya dipanggil bertugas sebagai guru kimia di Sekolah Teknik Kuala Terengganu pada tahun berikutnya tetapi telah terlambat kerana saya telah biasa dengan persekitaran kerja sebagai ahli kimia di sebuah syarikat awam. Sebagai guru sandaran sebelum ini, saya sedar tanggungjawab yang berat terhadap murid-murid ditukar dengan secubit gaji. Mudah-mudahan jangan mengambil kesempatan terrhadap mereka, sebaliknya mereka sepatut diberi peluang untuh menjadi guru yang terlatih.

CARTOON REVIEW : Rare Earth

This cartoon was published in Public News dated 8/7/87 when Asia Rare Earth issue proposed by BN government was hotly debated, it depicted the new born distorted baby, resulted from the mother who was exposed to the radioactice ray of  rare earth while she was pregnant, would want to take revenge against the minister who had agreed to such a proposal and denied the danger of radioactive ray towards the health of human being. It has proved to be true when a single parent mother come forward recently sighed with crying that the hardship she has gone through to bring up one out of  the eight who is mentally and partial bodily retarded child resulted from her work with Asia Rare Earth when she was conceived this child to support the livelihood of her children. Nearly 24 years has past, the same issue was proposed once again by the same government. Will our government still sturbborn to proceed on with this proposal without considerate the objection of the people? Be repentant!

Kartun ini dipaparkan di Berita Awam pada 8/7/87 semasa isu Asia Rear Earth yang dicadangkan oleh kerajaan BN tengah hangat diperdebatkan, ia menonjolkan seorang bayi yang baru dilahirkan diherotbenyotkan, akibat daripada ibunya yang terdedah kepada pancaran radioaktif rare earth semasa hamil, bayinya berhasrat membalas dendam terhadap menteri pada masa itu yang bersetuju dengan cadangan tersebut  serta menafikan bahaya radioaktif terhadap kesihatan manusia. Ini terbukti benar apabila seorang ibu tunggal baru-baru ini bertampil ke hadapan mengeluh dengan tangisan betapa sengsaranya memelihara salah seorang daripada lapan anak yang terencat akal dan sebahagian badannya akibat bekerja dengan Asia Rare Earth semasa ibu ini mengandung anak tesebut demi menyara anak-anak mereka. Hampir 24 tahun sudah berlepas, isu yang sama dicadangkan sekali lagi oleh kerajaan yang sama. Adakah kerajaan kita masih berdegil meneruskan cadangan ini tanpa menghirau bantahan rakyat? Bertaubatlah!