Positive reactions from Sarawakians to hiring more teachers

KUCHING (Aug 2): The move to hire more teachers under the special recruitment programme to address the ongoing shortage across the state has been well-received by Sarawakians.

For teacher Zainuddin Saadi, who hails from Serian and teaches in SK Sungai Passin in Daro, Mukah, he said it is the best initiative taken by the government to deal with the issue, especially in Sarawak.

However, he emphasised that recruitment priority should be given to graduates with an education degree, as many of them are still awaiting interview calls from the Education Service Commission (SPP).

On the placement of new recruits in their own area, he felt that this would be unjust to teachers who have served for a long time, whose application to transfer to their own area or for change of place is often rejected.

“Therefore, it is highly appropriate for the government to allow these long-serving teachers to return to their home regions while also providing opportunities for new teachers to gain knowledge and experience teaching outside their own place,” he said.

Zainuddin also hoped that the new teachers would not view a career in education as a last resort, as educating the nation’s children requires genuine dedication rather than mere desire to have a job or wanting to become a civil servant.

On Wednesday, Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn announced that the Ministry of Education (MoE) and SPP had agreed to a special recruitment programme to hire an additional batch of teachers this year to meet the shortage of educators in Sarawak.

Meanwhile, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak lecturer Dr Yvonne Michelle Campbell said the special recruitment programme gives Sarawakian youths the opportunity for employment, more so as there are many graduates who are without jobs.

She added that hiring new teachers from the state is a wise decision because Sarawakians have a deeper understanding of their own diverse cultures compared to outsiders.

“Who else understands our people and different cultures than our own? So, I feel it is timely. A lot of senior teachers are retiring, and having the younger generation step in will help with educating our children, especially in rural areas,” she said.

Echoing her sentiment, fresh graduate Nurul Hafiza Jemali Sadat believes that hiring new teachers from the state will improve communication between teachers and students, as Sarawakians have a better understanding of their own cultures.

“Apart from that, hiring new teachers would help in decreasing the unemployment rate in the state. I have some friends who are graduates of Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI) who have yet to be offered jobs as educators,” she said.