Originally Posted by
besitai2007
As a retired Principal of a secondary school, I would like to inform members of this forum that the PIBG consists of TEACHERS as well as parents. But often teachers make up the numbers only and they take a rotational membership of the PIBG. With the Principal or Headmaster present in the meeting, they often have very little say. The PIBGs' role is to HELP the school in looking after the welfare of the students. Their role is ADVISORY with the students' welfare being the main concern. The Yang Dipertua or chairman of the PIBG usually chairs the meeting with parents and teachers attending. The Principal or headmaster attends the meeting and adivses the PIBG as to what it should do in the interest of the school. The PIBG usually listens to the school administration but sometimes they don't. That's where the conflict starts - as the PIBG is often controlled by the Yang Dipertua. He is powerful because he signs the cheques. Unfortunately, over the years, the PIBG has somehow taken over schools and became more of a threat than an aid to the school. The Yang Dipertua or chairman and the parents have practically taken over a lot of schools in telling the schools what they must do. The Yang Dipertua is often a very influential member of the local community and is at times a politician, too. Schools should be careful of the PIBG constitution to prevent the Yang Dipertua from usurping the Principal or Headmaster's power. They had been cases where the PIBG (the parents) demand the transfer of Principals, teachers or headmasters they don't like. The Education department has very clear rules as to what the PIBG can do.
The contributions of parents to the PIBG fund is anothetr source of contention. In large population schools or where parents are rich, the PIBG fund can run into quite big sums. To control such large sums is very enticing indeed. Remember that the fund is to be used for students only, e.g. to conduct camps and courses for students to help them prepare for exams and so on. Often the parents of the PIBG are of the opinion that the money is theirs - to buy expensive gifts for themselves during the annual general meeting and to use as they like. There is even a case of lawatan sambil belajar of PIBG members to visit another school. They even put the money into fixed deposits! This is wrong. All monies collected for the year should be spent on the students. This became a point of conflict often.
Existence of "camps" occurs in schools which have a large student population and where the number of PIBG members is accordingly large. This unhealthy trend arises as the result of the parents wanting to practically "control" the school. If there is nothing to be gained, e.g. in small rural schools, you will have a hard time getting parents to attend the PIBG meeting or even stand for election as members. Their fight is not healthy as their aim is not to help the school but to help themselves. So for those parents who are members of the PIBG, think again. Your role is to help the school not to help yourself.
Heck... what the parent had said had indicated so much of irregularities going on - that it could not have be untruth or fiction... so much so that even requests by parents and other committee members to see PIBG accounts books was initially disallowed by the HM - citing "confidential" and "peraturan & arahan PPD". Now wouldn't that raise even more suspicion ???
Only when the parent 'threatened' to BRING the PPD officers to the school, did the HM allow the books to be scrutinised... and guess what (again!)...
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