PUTRAJAYA can fulfil its promise of providing additional temporary teachers, provide Covid-19 vaccination for all teachers, and offer a diploma teaching course to interim teachers, said Teo Nie Ching as Malaysia celebrates teachers today.

In a post to celebrate Teacher’s Day today, the former deputy education minister said teachers are still at the forefront during the current Covid-19 pandemic and addressing their grouses will boost morale among them.

“Where are the additional temporary teachers promised by the Finance Ministry? Fulfilling its promise made on November 6 without any delay would be one of the best presents for the teachers,” Teo said. 

The Kulai MP said the Perikatan Nasional government introduced the Short-term Employment Programme (MySTEP) in Budget 2021 with an allocation of more than RM700 million. 

“Under this initiative, 35,000 job opportunities will be offered in the public sector, with priority to fill up positions such as nurses, medical attendants, social welfare officers and temporary teachers.

“Six months have passed since the promise was made, we have not been informed of the additional temporary teachers our education system needs.” 

She said many schools are facing manpower shortage with teachers ordered to go through home quarantine and educators also face extra workload and burden with the implementation of home-based learning.

Teo said teachers should be prioritised for vaccination before schools reopen in June after a total of 83 Covid-19 clusters involving 4,868 cases were detected in the educational sector since physical classes resumed from January 1 to April 20. 

“The 83 clusters comprised 39 clusters with 1,420 infections in the Ministry of Education (MOE) schools and institutions, 19 clusters with 1,870 cases in higher education institutions, and 25 clusters with 1,578 cases from other educational venues.

“55,539 teachers in government schools under MOE with co-morbidities were included in the first phase of the immunisation programme. 

“However, other teachers in institutions managed by other government agencies (such as Genius institution, people religious schools, state religious schools, Mara Junior Colleges, Royal Military Colleges) and those in private (such as kindergartens, private schools, international schools, religious schools, Chinese independent schools, expatriate schools) are left out.” 

Previously under the Pakatan Harapan administration, Teo said MOE had recruited 610 interim teachers to solve the teacher shortage. 

She said these interim teachers have a basic bachelor’s degree in various fields but required to undergo a diploma in teaching programme conducted by Institut Pendidikan Guru Malaysia (IPGM) during school holidays (Program Diploma Perguruan Malaysia – Kursus Dalam Cuti) to qualify for a permanent post. 
 
“The contracts of these interim teachers are going to expire on February 14 next year, but IPGM has yet to offer the diploma program to them. This will surely delay their permanent DG41 teaching post.” – May 16, 2021.