Fadhlina: Teacher shortage no longer an issue after major recruitment overhaul
BANGI (July 3): Reforms to the teacher recruitment system implemented by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in collaboration with the Education Services Commission (SPP) have successfully addressed the teacher shortage in the country.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the reforms not only increased the number of teachers but also enhanced the quality and suitability of those assigned to schools.
'For the first time in the government's history, we, together with the SPP, have implemented reforms to ensure that there are no longer any issues related to teacher shortages in Malaysia.
'We have put an end to it by ensuring that the shortage is addressed through various mechanisms, particularly by ensuring that the teachers we deploy are of quality and capable of meeting the needs of our students,' she said at the 15th convocation of Institutes of Teacher Education (IPG) here today.
In another development, Fadhlina said the Future of Malaysian Education 2026-2036 plan will involve the introduction of a curriculum that focuses more on values-based education, character building and the development of student personality, in line with the country's future needs.
She emphasised that the implementation of the new curriculum would require active participation from both new and existing teachers, especially IPG graduates, to take on a more holistic role as mentors in shaping student character.
'A good classroom is not created through rules. A good classroom is created through relationships, expectations and appreciation.
'This is the time for our (IPG graduates) to be part of the reform force — the heartbeat of the education reform we are implementing,' she added.
Fadhlina said the ministry also prioritises the well-being of teachers in implementing any educational reform.
'We are indeed taking several important steps to safeguard teachers' mental health…in any situation, we must focus on their well-being by implementing various support systems, particularly efforts to reduce their workload,' she said.
The Future of Malaysian Education 2026-2036 is a proposed policy currently being drafted to reshape the national education system for the next 10 years, replacing the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025, which ends this year. – Bernama education Fadhlina Sidek MOE plan reform shortages teachers
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Does one size fit all? Not for secondary school education
IT cannot be denied that Malaysians are constantly fixated on education. It remains a hotly debated topic in coffee shops and boardrooms, back and forth in heated emotional arguments, as many parents see quality education as a pathway for success. Today the government has expanded the definition of 'compulsory education' to include secondary school education as mandatory for all Malaysian children residing in the country. Parents who fail to do so may face a fine of up to RM5,000, imprisonment up to six months, or both upon conviction. Should secondary education be made compulsory? While many welcomed the move, there were an equal number who expressed the view that one should not have to force parents to send their children to school. A radio station that ran a survey asking parents to call in and express their views on compulsory secondary school education was on the receiving end of many irate listeners. Many said the government should find out why parents chose not to send their children to government secondary schools, if it was due to poverty, transport issues, family problems, the need for children to help out at home or that schools were not delivering and students chose to stay away. Fouzi Singon, secretary-general of the National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) Malaysia feels the issue of attendance at secondary school continues to take centre stage for the Ministry of Education (MOE). 'They do not want parents to ignore their responsibility to ensure their children attend school. Even if one student is absent for a day in one school, the total number is 10,220 students, based on the number of schools,' he said. Fouzi believes MOE must pay attention to what happens in primary schools and have a programme to make sure all levels of students can cover literacy and numeracy at the end of each year. He also suggests a debriefing session annually with teachers and parents from year one to year six to work towards literacy and numeracy skills for each child. He feels primary students will go on to government secondary schools and their parents would encourage them, if they see their children achieve literacy and numeracy skills and therefore feel confident at secondary school level. Fouzi stressed that if necessary, the government must identify the weaker students as previously the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah(UPSR) exams did that. But since it has now been abolished, teachers need to use their own assessments to test the ability of primary school students to be ready for secondary school. Malaysia stands out as one of those countries which have allowed a diverse ecosystem in education to thrive, with national schools, also known as government schools, where Bahasa Malaysia is the main medium of instruction, Chinese and Tamil vernacular schools, private international schools, as well as a system of Islamic schools. Challenges facing government secondary school education Deputy Minister of Education Wong Kah Woh said that at primary level the dropout rate had decreased from 0.10% in 2020 to 0.06% in 2024, while at secondary level the dropout rate has also decreased from 1.33% in 2020 to 0.64% in 2024. But the bigger issue, which is often overlooked, remains the large number of private international schools, which have mushroomed. It cannot be denied that many parents have taken their children out of government secondary schools and enrolled them in private international schools. From 2019 to 2024, the number of Malaysian students enrolled in private international schools surged by 34%, as reported by Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek. Currently there are approximately 2.05 million students enrolled in government and government-aided secondary schools in 2022. In July 2024, enrollment numbers at Malaysia's private international schools stood at 111,185, up by 11% over five years. Malaysian students made up 67.1%(59,726) with Bumiputera student enrolment increased by 50%. While secondary school education is being made compulsory, the government should explore whether government secondary school education remains top choice. Are parents switching to other streams such as private education and home-schooling? Also, whether secondary students are choosing early employment due to boredom and outdated curriculums. Nallini Letchmanan, who recently retired from a secondary school in Petaling Jaya, has been teaching English for 36 years in both primary and secondary schools. She said that while she agrees secondary school education should be made compulsory, there are many other challenges facing students at government secondary schools. 'The internet has opened up new possibilities, and secondary school students are attracted to new ways to earn money on the internet full-time. Not all would aspire to become lawyers and managers and take on white collar jobs. 'Attitude towards the English language poses a challenge sometimes. Many are not able to grasp it as they come with a poor foundation. 'Teachers have to persevere and find new ways to motivate students, maybe through debates as I did in my school,' said Nallini, who introduced debate in her secondary school, which won many competitions. Professor Dr Kumaranvelu Ramasamy, Tamil educationist said vernacular Tamil primary schools are feeders to government secondary schools and poverty, poor academic readiness and lack of motivation are the main culprits contributing to poor attendance or an increase in dropout rates at secondary schools. 'Making secondary school education compulsory may help improve enrolment in secondary schools but will it help under performing children reach their academic goals?,' he said.
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Proposal for single university entrance exam needs careful consideration, says Education Minister
KUALA LUMPUR: The proposal for a single university entrance exam for STPM, Matriculation, and Foundation students applying to public universities requires careful consideration, says Fadhlina Sidek. In a parliamentary written reply, the Education Minister said the proposal to implement a single standardised national examination for all these pathways does indeed have the potential to streamline the IPTA admission system. "However, its implementation requires very careful consideration as it involves multiple ministries, differing academic structures, and varied assessment methods. "As such, any changes must undergo in-depth study and comprehensive evaluation to remain aligned with the Education Ministry's commitment to providing fair and quality access to education for all students, regardless of their background," she said in reply to a question from Lim Guan Eng (PH-Bagan) who asked whether a single common public examination can be implemented for all STPM, matriculation, and foundation programmes when applying for places in public universities (IPTA) instead of the current practice of having three different examinations, in order to establish a more accurate and consistent basis for performance comparison aligned with excellence standards. Fadhlina said the implementation of the admission system to public institutions of higher learning (IPTA) is an important aspect in assessing students' potential holistically, taking into account a balance between academic excellence and holistic development. "Various educational pathways such as STPM, STAM, Foundation and Matriculation Programmes have been established to provide broader options for SPM leavers, in line with their individual inclinations and potential. "Each of these pathways has its own structure and curriculum to cater to the diverse needs of students. "Therefore, the assessment approaches used also differ, in accordance with the objectives and direction of the respective programs," said the Education Minister.
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
Single university entrance exam requires careful study, says Education Minister
KUALA LUMPUR: The implementation of a single uniform examination for all pre-university pathways, including STPM, Matriculation, and Foundation programmes, requires careful consideration. Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said various education pathways such as STPM, STAM, Foundation Programmes, and Matriculation Programmes have been established to provide wider choices for SPM leavers according to their interests and potential. "The implementation of the admission system to public universities is an important aspect in assessing students' potential comprehensively, taking into account the balance between academic excellence and holistic development. "Each of these pathways has its study structure and curriculum to meet the diverse needs of students. "Therefore, the assessment approaches used are also different, in line with the objectives and direction of the respective programmes," she said in a written reply to Lim Guan Eng (PH-Bagan). Lim had asked Fadhlina whether a single common examination could be implemented for all students of STPM, Matriculation, and Foundation programmes applying for places at public universities, instead of the current practice of three different examinations, to establish a consistent and accurate basis for comparing performance aligned with excellence standards. Fadhlina said the proposal to implement a single uniform examination for all these pathways indeed has the potential to streamline the admission system to public universities. "Any changes must go through in-depth studies and comprehensive evaluations to ensure alignment with the Education Ministry's commitment to provide fair and quality educational access to all students, regardless of their background," she said. On Nov 11, last year, it was reported that the Education Ministry was reviewing a proposal to introduce a unified entrance examination for matriculation and Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM) graduates seeking admission to public universities. Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh had said that the move reflected the ministry's commitment to providing students with a clear and streamlined pathway to pursue higher education at public institutions. However, he said that no final decision had yet been made on the proposal.
