The 85-acre Tawau Teacher Training College costing RM86 million served as an excellent centre of learning towards improving the standard of education in Malaysia.

Serving as an impressive landmark in east coast, the Teacher College had supplemented the aspiration of the Sabah Government for more higher learning institutions to be set up in this region, thereby giving local youths a wide choice in their pursuit for educational excellence.

Malaysian Teachers Education Institute Tawau campus was launched in December 02, 2009

Malaysia is working toward raising its education system to a world class standard by becoming the first nation in Southeast Asia to adopt a teacher standard.

Under the Malaysian Teacher Standard, educators would need to reach a series of benchmarks.

The use of teacher standard will set the tone for quality throughout the education system, from preschool to tertiary education

The teacher standard is aimed at ensuring teachers function effectively in the classroom by being well versed with the subject knowledge and understanding; pedagogical or methodical skills as well as professional values.

The components in the teacher standard comprised the standards and requirements.
1) The standard portion refers to the professional values, practice, knowledge and understanding to be achieved by a teacher.

2) The requirements component were aspects that had to be met by teacher-trainers.

 Teachers can use the standard for self-appraisal and evaluation. It can also be used for determining further professional training and development needs throughout their career.

Malaysia hoped to share its teaching standard with other countries in the region paving the way for the nation to becoming a centre of education excellence.

Malaysia’s education system was gaining international attention with the country being recognized as having an effective conventional and religious curriculum by various groups.

Malaysian approach towards Islamic Education for example has been recognized by the International Bureau of Education in Geneva, and now serves as the basis for the formulation of Islamic studies in Afgha nistan.

Thailand had also approached Malaysia to assist the country in drawing up its curriculum for Islamic education and teachers’ training there.
 

After the event, a customer satisfaction survey was conducted. The scale of survey ranged from 1 for worst and 5 for best. Overall, the respondents were happy with the preparatory stages of the conference with an overall mean of 4.43. On a scale of 1 to 5, the highest was given for Reception and Registration with a mean of 4.83. This indicates that the reception was pleasant, cheerful, helpful and accommodating.

Generally, the respondents were satisfied with the overall aspects of SEAAIR conference. Interestingly, the highest mean was given for the conference for being a motivational experience . The overall meeting format and quality of overall event were ranked second highest with a mean of 4.25. While the third highest, was given for participants receiving "appropriate recognition and appreciation for contributions" with a mean of 4.22. The lowest ranking was given for quality of presentations in general sessions with a mean of 4.0. Nevertheless, the quality of presentation was still considered good or above average.

EG²KM =

 e-Government & Knowledge Management

Tawau has gained a new educational landmark in December 2004 following the closure of the Sandakan Teachers Training College, which will re-emerge as Tawau Teachers Training College.

Shortage of facilities and infrastructure at the old Sandakan College had forced the Education Ministry to shift the college to Tawau which now has the capability to increase demand for more teachers.

According to Dr Sharifah, the Sandakan College no longer had the capability to meet the increasing demand in teacher education to cope with the rapid pace of education development in the country due to limited facilities and infrastructure.

The Sandakan College, incepted in 1974 over a five-acre hill area at Mile 1.5, Jalan Labuk, was officially declared open on May 13, 1977 by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who was then Deputy Prime Minister cum Education Minister.

Dr Sharifah commended the Sandakan College for having played a pivotal role in the development of education through the training of competent teachers over the last 30 years, before taking up more challenging tasks ahead, as Tawau Teachers Training College, beginning December 2004

Construction of the Sandakan College was carried out under the Second Malaysia Plan (1971-1975) through the support of the World Bank, in collaboration with the Sabah Education Department and the Ministry of Education.

The Sandakan staff and students will be officially received by Education Director-General Tan Sri Abdul Rafie Mahat upon arrival at the Tawau Teachers College this (Tuesday) morning.

Tawau Teachers Training College Principal, Mary Yap Kain Ching  (Sandakan College's last principal), expressed confidence that the new Tawau College would make further groundbreaking progress with better infrastructure and up-to-date facilities.

Tawau Teachers Training College is the biggest teachers training college in Malaysia.  Sandakan College was the third teachers training college in Sabah, after Kent Teachers' College (1962) and Gaya Teachers' College (1963).

Between 1974 and 1980, the management and administration of the college was under the Sabah Education Department, before it was transferred to the jurisdiction of the Teacher Training Division, of the Education Ministry, in 1981.

The inaugural courses started in 1974 with an intake of 80 trainee teachers, nine academic staff and 12 supporting staff.

After nearly 30 years in existence, the Sandakan Teachers College received a directive from the Ministry on Dec 1, 2004, to shift to its new premises in Tawau.

A total of 193 teachers involved in in-service holiday courses will be the last group at the Tawau Teachers College.

The old  Sandakan Teachers' College premises will be taken over by Sabah Education Department for administrative purposes.