Sagah: Additional batch of teachers to be hired under special recruitment programme for S’wak

KUCHING (July 31): A special recruitment programme will hire an additional batch of teachers this year to address the remaining shortage of teachers across Sarawak, said Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn.

The Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister told a press conference the federal Ministry of Education (MoE) and Education Service Commission (SPP) have agreed to the arrangement.

Applications under the special recruitment will open tomorrow.

“This special recruitment is open to all bachelor’s degree graduates. Successful candidates will receive a two-year contract and undergo a self-funded Diploma in Education at IPGM (Teacher Education Institute of Malaysia) through Kursus Dalam Cuti (holiday training course).

“Upon obtaining their Diploma in Education, they will be offered a permanent teaching position, subject to the final screening by SPP,” he said.

To prevent the issue of teachers requesting transfers from their assigned schools after appointment, the programme will prioritise candidates from areas where vacancies are available.

“If you are from Baram and you meet the criteria and pass the interview, you will be stationed at schools in Baram,” Sagah explained.

He said all 30 district education offices (PPDs) in Sarawak have vacancies, with the top six with over 100 vacancies each being Serian, Daro, Kapit, Subis, Saratok, and Betong.

The most vacancies by subject are for English, Mathematics, Moral, Preschool, Bahasa Melayu, and Remedial.

Additionally, there are vacancies in 22 other subject options, including those in Chinese medium primary schools.

“Advertisements on the special recruitment for Sarawak will start in August, which is tomorrow. Candidates must submit their applications online via the SPP official portal, MySPP.

“SPP will screen applications and qualified candidates will proceed to the Ujian Kelayakan Calon Guru (UKCG or teacher candidate assessment test), which assesses character, personality, interest, suitability, psychological, and mental health.

“Face-to-face interviews will be conducted in the second week of September. Results will be announced in October or November, with placements targeted for November or December,” said Sagah.

To promote the programme, he said his ministry and the State Education Department (JPNS) will conduct roadshows throughout Sarawak to provide comprehensive information regarding the recruitment process.

“The roadshows will also provide guidance for candidates on preparing for the UKCG, which is quite a challenging process.

“We urge aspiring teacher candidates from all over Sarawak to attend these roadshows, ask questions, and prepare thoroughly for their applications.

“The timeline is short, so I encourage fellow Sarawakians with a bachelor’s degree from local or private institutions and still unemployed to seize this opportunity and submit their applications starting tomorrow, Aug 1,” he said.

Sagah pointed out the teacher shortage in Sarawak has been a significant concern for several years.

“The Sarawak government has consistently requested the federal government to address the teacher shortage in the state.

“On July 26, an important meeting was held at JPNS, chaired by the deputy secretary general (management) of the MoE, to update on this issue,” he said.

He revealed that by Dec 31 this year, Sarawak is expected to face a shortage of 2,373 teachers.

However, with the recruitment process by SPP and the placement of new teachers by MoE between July and November 2024, Sagah said this figure should drop to 1,130.

“We look forward to seeing many qualified candidates coming forward to fill these essential positions in our schools. Let’s work together to improve the education landscape in Sarawak,” he added.

Among those present were Education, Innovation and Talent Development Deputy Minister Datuk Francis Harden Hollis, permanent secretary Adana Jed, JPNS deputy director Dr Les Met, SPP secretary Md Radzi Hashim, and Sarawak Skills executive director Hallman Sabri.