THE National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) said teachers, as civil servants, are duty-bound to carry out the policies of the government of the day, and should not be distracted by politics.

“As teachers, we must not be distracted by politics… our job is to teach what is set out by the ministry,” NUTP secretary-general Harry Tan Huat Hock told The Malaysian Insight.

“If any teacher has any grouses with his remuneration or service, or regarding professional matters… NUTP is ever willing to serve.”

The union was asked to comment on a Kwong Wah report, quoting Education Minister Mahdzir Khalid, warning teachers and Education Ministry personnel not to support the opposition or they would face disciplinary action.

Mahdzir was reported as saying teachers were barred from joining any opposition party or criticising the government.

He said education personnel should focus on reforming the education system, and if they had complaints, they should take it to the ministry directly or go through NUTP.

Two retired teachers The Malaysian Insight spoke to had different recollections of whether such orders had been issued by education ministers while they were in service.

A former teacher, who wanted to be known only as Michael, said public school teachers were reminded multiple times to support the government.

This was when he was still teaching in the mid-2000s.

He said from interactions with other teachers, many did their job out of concern for their students, and did not necessarily support the government.

“We became teachers to educate, to educate our children. That’s the primary focus.

“We don’t care about the authorities. But they’ve done that before. Many times,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Michael said teachers were, at times, called to attend meetings, which were called “motivational events”, where they were shown presentations on why they should support the ruling government.

“Sometimes, they called us for sessions where they sort of brainwashed us about the government. It was a well-orchestrated thing.”

Another former teacher, who wanted to be known only as Adam, said he had never heard of such instructions from a minister during his time teaching at government schools.

Adam, who was a teacher for more than three decades, said it was a shame that a minister had made such a statement.

“Not during my time. They were not that desperate then. Now, who knows!

“If this is true, it’s a shame that the government has to resort to such immoral action. I’ll never succumb to such threats.

“I started teaching in 1968 and retired in 2002. They might be doing it now, but during my time, we were free to choose.” – January 19, 2018.