TANJUNG MALIM: The Perak government will be focusing on reducing the problem of school dropouts among Orang Asli, special needs and undocumented children.

       Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad (pic) said this was to ensure that these children could receive education just like other children.

       "The state government, through the State Education Department, had also set aside special allocations to provide aid in the form of IT devices and Internet facility for B40 schoolchildren during the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure a continuous teaching and learning process (PdPR).

       "Children should be groomed for the job market as well as to be righteous and articulate members of society, besides to be competitive at the global stage."

       Saarani said this after officiating at the Perak State-Level Teachers’ Day Celebration 2022 themed 'Guru Tunjang Sekolah Sejahtera' at the Sultan Azlan Shah Campus, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, here, on Thursday (May 19).

       He said teachers should always be prepared to accept change in carrying out their duties from the ordinary to the extraordinary, be competitive and futuristic, and have high-level and world-class thinking.

       "In translating the country’s policies and aspirations through a high level of education in line with the transformation introduced by the Education Ministry, the efforts taken should create a quality school environment and produce students based on their real potential.

       "To achieve this aspiration, teachers must have a high level of competency in various aspects, especially in the teaching and learning process, and be loving and exemplary so as to produce students who would be resistant to tribulations in future.

       "Teachers should also have a high level of aspiration to ensure that each child would have knowledge, thinking and leadership skills, be bilingual, and have ethics, spirituality and a national identity as outlined in the Malaysia Education Blueprint (PPPM 2013-2025).

       "This is towards towards producing capable future leaders in building a developed country that is prosperous, innovative and competitive in various fields at the international level, he added.

       Earlier, former principal of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Bukit Gantang, Parit Buntar, Mohd Sa'ad Hashim was honoured as the Tokoh Guru Negeri Perak and former State Education director, Datuk Mat Lazim Idris as Tokoh Kepimpinan Negeri Perak 2022. - Bernama