Perantis calls for more transparency in SPP’s recruitment process

KUCHING (Oct 15): The Sarawak Indigenous Intellectuals Association (Perantis) is calling for greater transparency in the Education Service Commission (SPP)’s recruitment process to restore public trust, particularly when it concerns the interests of Sarawakians.

This follows concerns over the recent confusion surrounding the hiring of teachers under the contract of service (COS) method by the SPP.

The association also voiced out its support for Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee, who urged SPP to provide clarification on the matter.

“The list of candidates selected for interviews should be made public and shared with the Sarawak Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development (MEITD).

“This is because SPP had previously reached an agreement with MEITD on a special teacher recruitment initiative, aimed at addressing the shortage of primary and secondary school teachers in Sarawak,” said the association in a statement today.

While the initiative was supposed to prioritise graduates from Sarawak, Perantis claims SPP has not honoured the commitment and that the failure to uphold this promise has reportedly caused frustration and disappointment among local candidates who hoped to secure teaching positions.

Perantis also said that SPP should respect Sarawak’s autonomy in the teacher recruitment process by ensuring that only local candidates are considered, as per the original agreement with MEITD.

The association further argued that filling vacant teaching positions with qualified Sarawakians would not only create local employment opportunities, but also enhance educational progress for the state’s residents.

“This is because local teachers have a deeper understanding of the challenges, aspirations and needs of their communities, making them more effective role models and motivators for their students,” said Perantis.

Meanwhile, to support long-term educational and societal growth, Perantis suggested that local candidates be incorporated into the teaching workforce and receive training through programmes at Sarawak’s Teacher Education Institute (IPG).

“As such, a holistic approach to resolving the teacher recruitment issue should executed in order to improve the overall quality of education in Sarawak and ensure that its people reap the benefits,” added the statement, which was signed by Perantis vice-president Nelly Tawai and Women’s Movement head Robbia Jarup.