DR Maszlee Malik hopes to raise teachers’ allowances to overcome staff shortage in four states.  

The education minister said the ministry had discussed the issue several months ago.  

“Teachers want to move back to their hometowns because their pay is not high.

“We are aware of the problem. The ministry will have to see the country’s economic situation before making a decision,” he said after meeting with student activists in the Amjal restaurant opposite Universiti Malaya.

The ministry has set up a special committee to study ways to tackle the teacher shortage, especially in Johor, Selangor, Sabah, and Sarawak.

Deputy Minister Teo Nie Ching said reasons for the lack of teachers in the four states include the high cost of living and the inconvenience of serving schools located in the interior.

She said the problem did not exist only in urban areas, like Johor and Selangor, but also in the interior of Sabah and Sarawak.

“The ministry has taken steps to resolve the problem, which is still under control, but we need to find a quick solution, and one of the things we are considering is increasing the teachers’ allowances.”

Teo said in the case of Sabah and Sarawak, the ministry had implemented a 90:10 policy, i.e. 90% local teachers and 10% from other states.

She said 87% of teachers in Sabah dan Sarawak so far were local. – September 12, 2018.