Recruitment Of New Teachers Will Not Affect Opportunities Of Existing Reserve Teacher Candidates - MOE

SEREMBAN, Feb 3 (Bernama) -- The recruitment of 20,000 Education Service Officers (PPP) on a contract basis, to be implemented by the Ministry of Education (MOE) beginning this March, will not affect the opportunities of existing reserve teacher candidates.

Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said even his ministry had discussed with the Education Service Commission (SPP) to mobilise qualified reserve teacher candidates.

“Candidates successfully interviewed but categorised as reserve teacher candidates need not worry because the opportunity to be absorbed into the education service is still bright.

"Reserve candidates have a bright opportunity, and it depends on the situation ... perhaps they will be placed in either primary, secondary schools and different options," he told reporters after handing over Interactive Smartboard Information and Communication Technology Equipment to Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil (SJKT) Negeri Sembilan here today.

He said this in response to concerns from some reserve teacher candidates regarding the recruitment of 20,000 new teachers scheduled to begin in the middle of this year.

Education director-general Dr Mohd Azam Ahmad was previously reported to have said that applications for the recruitment of 20,000 DG9 grade teachers on a contract basis or Contract of Service (CoS) will open from March 2 to 20 to meet the need for teachers nationwide.

He said the mass recruitment initiative was part of the MOE’s initial preparations for the implementation of the Malaysia Education Blueprint (MEB) 2026-2035, in addition to supporting the voluntary enrolment of six-year-old children into Year One next year.

Meanwhile, Wong said the recruitment of new teachers will focus on primary schools as it is a special recruitment to accommodate the entry of Year One students, involving a double cohort situation next year.

Earlier, he said a total of 45 Tamil primary schools in the state each received an interactive smartboard with an allocation of RM540,000.

He also said the initiative, undertaken through the Malaysian Indian Community Transformation Unit (MITRA), is hoped to bring about a more interactive and effective image of the learning system, thereby empowering students with current digital technology skills.

-- BERNAMA