Corpun file 22043

Borneo Post, Kuching, 11 January 2010

Maintain strict discipline to achieve excellence, principals told

(extracts)

SIBURAN: Principals have been advised to maintain strict discipline as a basis for a successful school which promotes and nurtures excellence in their [sic]students.

SMK Siburan principal, Tilai Balla Udan, told reporters during a visit by a Korean group yesterday that when strict discipline has been instilled, everything else would get organised and fall into place.

Commenting on the school being chosen as one of the candidates for a 'sister programme' with schools in South Korea, Tilai said the nomination was no fluke. He believed that all the school's recent achievements merited consideration.

SMK Siburan won the Excellent School Award (Rural Category) at the National Level in 2008. [...]

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Tilai said that all the recent achievements could not have happened without the hard work and cooperation of all teachers and students of the school.

[...] "To achieve the best, you have to be well presented and everybody must be very committed. It takes a lot of passion and hard work. All of this could not be achieved if we lack the main ingredient which is discipline," he said.

[...]

When asked by reporters on the issue of caning students, Tilai explained that it is a disciplinary measure. He said that it has proven to be an influential factor in all successful schools over the years.

To accommodate the disciplinary action with today's society, Tilai said that he has mixed his discipline measures with caning and a demerit system. Before caning a student, Tilai said a letter of consent is given to the parents to sign with full explanation of the measure.

The student will be caned in private before a witness. After caning, and if required, the student is sent for counselling to explain the rationale of the punishment.

"We make sure that the caning rule is transparent and clear so that every student and parent understands it.

"So far, in my experience, I have received no retaliation nor any complaints," Tailai said.

SMK Siburan is currently one of the biggest schools in the state [i.e. Sarawak] with 2,626 students, 139 teachers and 20 support staff members.