THE Education Ministry is making efforts to fill 50% of the estimated 3,000 vacancies for teachers in Sarawak by March, its minister Fadhlina Sidek said.

She expressed confidence that a solution can be reached even though the policy of 90:10 ratio of Sarawak teachers and non-Sarawak teachers is still used for the state.

“There will be new (teacher) placements by March and we will try to solve it (shortage) by 50% first because this issue of teacher placement is not only happening in Sarawak but other states,” she said after visiting SMK Batu Kawa in Kuching today.

“The placement of teachers also has a cycle. There are also teachers who apply to return to their home states and we need to bring in new teachers to replace them.”

Fadhlina said the issue of facilities, including upgrading dilapidated schools in Sarawak, is also top on the agenda of the ministry.

On January 26, Fadhlina said the effort to upgrade 568 dilapidated schools throughout Sarawak was one of the main concerns of the federal government in 2023 Budget, which will be re-tabled on February 24. – Bernama, January 28, 2023.