PTA head denies endorsing SPM workshop, refuses to quit
The PTA of SMK Infant Jesus Convent says the controversy over the SPM workshop has come to an amicable conclusion, with those involved tendering their apologies.
JOHOR BAHRU: The embattled chairman of the parent-teacher association (PTA) of SMK Infant Jesus Convent has denied that he had endorsed a Malays-only SPM workshop by the school, and has refused a call to step down by the committee.
“I did not endorse the Malays-only workshop as I told the school authorities this is not only wrong but also unfair. That is why they planned for others (non-Malays) as well after that. I did not do anything wrong to step down,” Nasution Putra Saad told FMT.
Nasution, who came under pressure to quit over the controversial workshop at a special PTA meeting on Sunday, said he refused and asked for a no-confidence vote to be taken against him instead.
“But none of the committee members present proceeded with my suggestion. So, I will leave it to the next annual general meeting in March to decide on my position,” he said.
As for the expenses for the workshop in a hotel, Nasution said he was allowed to sign a cheque for RM5,000 and below for any legitimate project under the PTA constitution.
Last week, parents claimed the PTA meetings never discussed two workshop series, and that no approval had been sought for the use of funds for such workshops.
Sources told FMT the committee members were outraged when Nasution shut down the Whatsapp chat group of the PTA without their permission after claims that the issue had been leaked by a member.
Nasution admitted shutting it down, but said it was because the accusations and counter arguments were getting extremely racial, which was not good for educators.
“But we decided collectively to reopen it at the Sunday meeting, with the condition that it will only be for information and notification. We agreed that no one should turn the group into a platform for racial arguments,” he said.
Yesterday, the PTA issued a statement saying the controversy over the SPM workshop had come to an amicable conclusion, with all those involved having apologised over the issue
It said moving forward, the school agreed to practise more transparency in such matters in future.
JOHOR BAHRU: The embattled chairman of the parent-teacher association (PTA) of SMK Infant Jesus Convent has denied that he had endorsed a Malays-only SPM workshop by the school, and has refused a call to step down by the committee.
“I did not endorse the Malays-only workshop as I told the school authorities this is not only wrong but also unfair. That is why they planned for others (non-Malays) as well after that. I did not do anything wrong to step down,” Nasution Putra Saad told FMT.
Nasution, who came under pressure to quit over the controversial workshop at a special PTA meeting on Sunday, said he refused and asked for a no-confidence vote to be taken against him instead.
“But none of the committee members present proceeded with my suggestion. So, I will leave it to the next annual general meeting in March to decide on my position,” he said.
As for the expenses for the workshop in a hotel, Nasution said he was allowed to sign a cheque for RM5,000 and below for any legitimate project under the PTA constitution.
Last week, parents claimed the PTA meetings never discussed two workshop series, and that no approval had been sought for the use of funds for such workshops.
Sources told FMT the committee members were outraged when Nasution shut down the Whatsapp chat group of the PTA without their permission after claims that the issue had been leaked by a member.
Nasution admitted shutting it down, but said it was because the accusations and counter arguments were getting extremely racial, which was not good for educators.
“But we decided collectively to reopen it at the Sunday meeting, with the condition that it will only be for information and notification. We agreed that no one should turn the group into a platform for racial arguments,” he said.
Yesterday, the PTA issued a statement saying the controversy over the SPM workshop had come to an amicable conclusion, with all those involved having apologised over the issue
It said moving forward, the school agreed to practise more transparency in such matters in future.
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