Deputy Education Minister Mohd Puad Zarkashi wants parents at Sekolah Kebangsaan Bihai, Gua Musang to report allegations of having three-day school sessions in a week to the ministry.  

“The parents have to report to the ministry. I will ask the Kelantan education department to investigate whether the allegation is true or not. We have to investigate to get to the bottom of things,” he said briefly.

NONE He was asked to comment on the issue after he officially opened a seminar at Universiti Islam Antarabangsa in Gombak today.

Malaysiakini had quoted Kampung Tenrik resident Arom Asir ( left ) as saying the villagers’ education woes at Pos Bihai are not merely about the slapping incident.

He said the pupils numbering around 200, are only taught for three days in a schooling week, which in Kelantan is from Sundays to Thursdays.

“The teachers only come in on Sunday and therefore cannot teach, so they teach from Monday to Wednesday, and by Thursday noon, they are already preparing to go back home. The students are asked to return to their hostels,” said Arom.

Prior to this, there had been two different incidents involving teachers of SK Bihai.

Last Oct 24, three Orang Asli parents lodged a police report claiming that the teachers had slapped their daughters for not reciting the doa after eating.

On Dec 2, Along Pandak, Hassan Achoi and Atar Pedik lodged another police report claiming that some of the teachers had tried to bribe them in order to withdraw the earlier police report.

They claimed that the bribe offer was made on Nov 7 during the schools parents and teachers association meeting. They also claimed that that the teachers will pay RM250 to the affected pupils and the teacher who slapped them will pay an additional RM50.

It was reported yesterday that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has stepped in to investigate the bribe attempt.