Sarawak Teachers' Training College in Sibu: 1958 Dought

The College was established in 1957 at Desa Road, Sibu to quickly train teachers for Chinese Medium primary schools. There were two programmes : one was full time pre service training programme for fresh school graduates. The other was in service programme for teachers who were already teaching in schools.

The first Principal was Ting Kwong Yu and he had a staff of 7 lecturers.  The first batch graduated on 5th Dec 1958. This is the photo of their graduation.







*My cousin Hsiung Kuo Ing (right) married her course mate Lau Kiing Hiing. Both loyally served the Education Department until they retired.




In the middle of 1958, there was a drought  of about two months and a cousin Hsiung Kuo Ing, who
was a trainee of the first batch, related the story of how difficult it was to take their bath. Although there were not many of them, the girls had to walk about half a mile to bathe at one of the three bomb craters beyond the Sibu Airport. That was the College management's policy for the staff and the trainees.

At the end of the drought the water was green with algae and a bit putrid. But luckily none of the trainees perished with stomach ailments or fevers.

In the Sibu Division,however it was reported that many adults and children did die from the drought.

So it was quite a traumatic experience for all in 1958. The trainees could not be sent home because they were coming to the end of their course and they courageously plodded on.

The people of Sibu town and the surrounding villages however was blessed by the Rajang River, the Igan and the lovely Lembangan River.