Yes minister, let’s break the vicious cycle of teachers’ shortage

YOU cannot blame Sarawakians for joining the clamour to voice their unhappiness over the Education Service Commission (SPP)’s failure to deliver a prior commitment that the 1,733 seats available under the special teachers’ recruitment drive would be filled by Sarawakians.

Can you?

There are some who allow their emotions to take the better of them and may be quick to take a jibe at Kuala Lumpur without pausing for a moment for reason.

But that’s the dynamics in a democratic space where voices dissent, rise and ultimately converge on a majority-supported platform.

Reason has surfaced to justify the partial fulfilment of the special recruitment of teachers for Sarawakians, but what good reason is there when an earlier official assurance has lost its authenticity and grip.

Even if there is a reason for the reduction in the number of Sarawakians in the recruitment exercise of teachers, why was it not made known earlier?

Was the Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Sarawak consulted, or was Sarawak not privy to the discussion and decision on the recruitment of 300 potential teachers from Peninsular Malaysia on ground that the latter have religious teaching background?

Controversy raising more questions

The controversy is raising more questions and pointers than the initial exercise had hoped to achieve.

The discussions in the social media, and among some controlled public domains, have taken the subject beyond the ‘teaching vacancies’ subject matter.

Suggestions that some external quarters are envious of Sarawak’s forward-looking education programmes that includes the extensive use of English as the medium of instruction, setting up English-medium International secondary schools styled along Cambridge Syndicate assessment system, and growing Sarawak’s autonomy in education, are to be expected. Such perception and assumed notions are forming patterns of trending narrative in the minds of many local netizens.

Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn, the Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Sarawak, voiced displeasure with the SPP (now they say they will also interview those from other parts of Malaysia).

In short, the authority concerned did not honour its promise.

The Sarawak Teachers Union (STU) joins the chorus in supporting Sagah’s firm stance on the issue, with its president Kullin Djayang arguing that the SPP’s decision would perpetuate the state’s shortage of teachers.

Sarawak’s teacher deficit will persist as long as teachers are recruited from other states, because these teachers would eventually return to their home states.

As a result, the vacancy issue will remain a vicious cycle.

Again, you cannot blame the masses for believing that the recruitment favours non-Sarawak interest groups, and that the deed and spirit of the pledge have been tampered with, if not broken down.

Many of the utterances and statements that have taken centrestage in the ongoing debate may sound overtly hard and poignant, but one can possibly imagine the bitter and lambasting words that may be running in the minds of thousands of displeased Sarawakians.

In quiet coffee corners, people meet and share their displeasure over the contentious special teachers’ recruitment issue.

Same page with Premier, Education Minister

The tenor of their voices may vary, but the majority of the masses are on the same page with Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and Sagah on what has turned out to be a contentious, if not controversial, issue.

Although the Premier and the minister concerned have to bear the weight of rejection and a renege act, they still maintain that Sarawakians should be given the priority for the teaching vacancies in the state.

Sarawak has not backed down. The Premier and the state Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development are justified because if Sarawak’s teachers’ shortage persists, the issue would never be resolved.

Negotiation will be on the table soon, and Sagah has been tasked by the Premier with the responsibility of resolving the issue and possibly reverse the decision of the SPP.

Whether Sarawak will succeed in reversing the SPP’s decision, or at least reducing the number of non-Sarawakian teaching recruits, will be watched closely.

Intervention from higher authority needed?

If an impasse arises with no sign of headway in the negotiation, then the hand of a higher authority must intervene to avoid the situation from aggravating and the beans spilling into areas that may open up debates on new fronts.

Will it be the Prime Minister or his deputy?

Politically, Sarawak has to be handled with care and no social issue must be allowed to escalate.

The Prime Minister knows it. If he finally steps in directly or indirectly, will we be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel?

Standing on facts, data

Sagah comes to the press and speaks to Sarawakians with prepared facts and data on the initiative regarding the special recruitment drive for teachers in Sarawak.

The recruitment drive receives almost 16,000 applications from Sarawakians alone, and another 2,000 applications from other parts of the country.

The applicants are required to undergo the Teacher Candidate Eligibility Test (UKCG) online before being called for the in-person interview.

A total of 12,000 Sarawakians passed the UKCG out of the almost 16,000. Further filtration process by the SPP has resulted in the reduced number of vacancies for Sarawakian, and the creation of an opening for the recruitment of teachers from Peninsular Malaysia.

The recurrence of the vicious cycle must stop, and Sarawak Premier is justified in stating that a planned move must be taken to avoid a scenario where non-Sarawakian teachers who accept a post in the state would ask for a transfer out after a few years.

If the situation persists, the problem of shortage of teachers in the state will not be resolved effectively.

The Premier reads the big picture well.

He is quick to douse the growing sentiment that may spark the ‘Anti-Malaya’ feelings with his call to step up to the power of reason and legitimacy.

His call is as valid to the federal Education authorities as it is to many Sarawakians who may be stoking the amber.

* Toman Mamora is ‘Tokoh Media Sarawak 2022’, recipient of Shell Journalism Gold Award (1996) and AZAM Best Writer Gold Award (1998). He remains true to his decades-long passion for critical writing as he seeks to gain insight into some untold stories of societal value.