James Ratib: Tawau teacher education campus facilities to undergo upgrade

KOTA KINABALU (Feb 2): Facilities at the Institute of Teacher Education (IPG) Tawau campus will be upgraded, promised Datuk James Ratib.

The Education, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister said he would seek funding to improve campus safety, learning infrastructure, and digital teaching tools.

During a working visit to the institute to assess campus needs and review ongoing teacher training programmes, James said he would bring the issues faced by the campus to the Sabah Cabinet and Ministry of Education (MoE).

“Maintaining a safe and conducive campus environment is essential for our staff and trainee teachers. We will work to ensure the campus facilities meet modern standards,” he said in a statement.

He also identified the need to equip the campus with smart boards to support teaching and learning as part of the state government’s ongoing efforts to digitalise education and expose trainee teachers to modern technology in pedagogy.

Connectivity issues around the campus were also raised, with the management urging improvements in internet and telecommunications coverage.

The minister said the matter would be brought to the attention of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to ensure smooth access for online learning.

In addition, the campus requested a new bus to replace its ageing vehicle to improve comfort and facilitate movement for staff and trainees.

James also reiterated his ministry’s commitment to collaborating with all relevant parties to strengthen teacher training facilities and support quality education development across Sabah.