PENAMPANG: The Malaysian Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education (MIPCE-3) represents non-formal education by contributing significantly to the formation of the identity of Indigenous children through language, local skills and cultural innovation.
Sabah State Education Director (JPNS) Datuk Raisin Saidin said that this conference also strengthens the cognitive development of the Indigenous community, allowing them to preserve their respective cultural customs.
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“JPNS always values the education ecosystem in this state. It cannot be denied that behind official statistics and data, there is a strong backbone at the grassroots level, namely community teachers.
“You are representatives of non-formal education, but you contribute significantly to the formation of the identity and cognitive development of Indigenous children,” he said, referring to community teachers when officiating MIPCE-3 here.
Raisin’s speech was delivered by Deputy Director of the Learning Sector Hajah Nuraini. This conference was jointly organised by PACOS Trust, the Borneo Indigenous Studies Institute (BorIIS), UMS and UNICEF Malaysia, as well as all strategic partners.
A total of 300 participants from various Indigenous Peoples’ organisations attended the conference. There were also exhibitions and sales of crafts such as rattan bags and necklaces from Sarawak, jewellery from Borutak Borneo and various traditional foods from the community.
The content of MIPCE this time discussed, among others, the language, culture and knowledge of the Indigenous community with the theme ‘Celebrating Indigenous Language and Culture through Holistic Education’.
He stressed that MIPCE-3 is not just an ordinary seminar but the only conference in Malaysia that focuses specifically on Indigenous education in all aspects, from pedagogy to the well-being of students and teachers.
“You are all the heart of the Community Learning Centre (CLC) in your area. We can see the good practices of the community of practitioners in the context of the network of community learning centres throughout Malaysia coordinated by the PACOS Trust, the Lotud Community Learning Centre and many similar initiatives in Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia.
“Your task is not just to introduce letters and numbers but to stimulate cognitive growth, build self-confidence and maintain manners and culture through the mother tongue,” he said.
According to Raisin, this effort is not something foreign or contrary to government policybut rather consistent with strong support for efforts to preserve ethnic languages, especially in Sabah.
He said linguistic diversity is a national asset that needs to be defended. This clearly shows that the mother tongue is seen as a bridge to unity and mastery of knowledge.
“The quality of education begins with the quality of teachers. I was informed that recently a 5-day intensive training course was successfully implemented at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) involving 34 community teachers.
“The course introduced the concept of multilingual education. This proves that our community teachers are not only enthusiastic but are now equipped with the latest pedagogical knowledge,” he added.
Raisin said the Government-to-Government (G-to-G) Fund channelled for the Orang Asal early childhood education project is the result of careful discussions and meticulous planning with the Sabah State Economic Planning Unit (UPEN).
The objective of the fund is that no one should be left behind to ensure that Orang Asal children, especially at the early education level, receive the best start in their educational journey.
He considers this initiative a long-term investment in Sabah’s human capital.
“The Sabah State Education Department will continue to be your partner, supporting within the capacity and jurisdiction we have to ensure that our education ecosystem remains inclusive,” he explained.
