* Open letter to Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek

MADAM, 

We all know that teachers play a pivotal role in shaping the future of society by imparting knowledge and nurturing the growth of students. A major concern is that teachers are increasingly burdened with administrative tasks, diverting their time and energy away from their primary duty of teaching. 

At least 30% of their time is taken up by administrative work. My family members are teachers so here’s a snapshot of what’s happening. 

Administrative tasks v teaching

Tasks such as grading, data collection, report writing, attendance tracking and compliance with various regulations consume a significant portion of their workday. As a result, the time available for actual teaching and interacting with students is reduced. 

Impact on wellbeing

Many teachers report feeling stressed, burned out, and overwhelmed by the sheer volume of paperwork and bureaucracy. Chronic stress leads to teacher turnover and negatively affects their physical and mental health. How did these administrative burdens get introduced in the first place? What happened to the clerical services at the back end?   

Diminished teaching quality

When teachers are preoccupied with administrative matters, their ability to focus on teaching is compromised. Lesson planning, engaging with students, and individualised support decline. It used to be that students received the attention and guidance they needed but are now robbed of it.

An assemblymen has written a brilliant report on how a teacher in Kenya won the Global Teacher Prize. 
Based on the news, Refer (https://m.malaysiakini.com/news/470369) where “A good teacher is key to improving education standards”, a

To allow teachers to excel again, some potential solutions are:

Policy changes

Education policymakers should consider revising regulations and policies to minimise administrative requirements that do not directly contribute to student learning. 

Administrative support and streamlined reporting 

Hire administrative staff or provide technology solutions to assist teachers with administrative tasks. Also simplify and streamline data input and reporting requirements online to reduce paperwork load.

Conclusion

If teachers are vital assets in the education system, shouldn’t their primary role be teaching and guiding students? Perhaps the Education Ministry should not be focusing on race and religion but resolving the day-to-day issues. – October 6, 2023.

* Michael Kum is Resident Association Section 20 PJ secretary.
 

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.