DEPUTY Education Minister Lim Hui Ying says over 9,000 new teachers will begin service in schools nationwide for the January 2024 school term session adding the ministry always ensures the number of teachers is increased based on the needs of schools.

This came after the issue of teacher shortage was also identified as the cause of increased their workload.

“We have received the number of new teacher positions from the Education Service Commission and they will report for duty early next year.

“The most significant shortage is for subjects like Bahasa Melayu, English, Islamic Studies and Design and Technology.

“The ministry always ensures the number of teachers is increased from time to time,” she said during the question and answer session at the Dewan Rakyat today.

She was replying to a supplementary question from Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari (Sungai Petani-PH) whether the shortage of teachers – including the fact that many are retiring earlier – resulted in an increased workload.

In reply to a supplementary question from Datuk Ahmad Marzuk Shaary (Pengkalan Chepa-PN) regarding the welfare and infrastructure facilities for teachers in rural areas in the case of a school headmaster in Sabah having to live in the school storeroom, Hui Ying said the ministry is taking action.

“Follow-up action is being carried out to identify the cause and we will manage every issue as best possible,” she said.

Meanwhile, during the same session, Hui Ying said the ministry also welcomed the Putrajaya Court of Appeal’s ruling that the use of Chinese and Tamil languages as the medium of instruction for teaching in those schools is constitutional. – Bernama, November 23, 2023.