PRINCIPALS, SCHOOLS GIVEN AUTONOMY TO DECIDE CO-TEACHING IMPLEMENTATION - WONG

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 (Bernama) -- The co-teaching concept under the Education Ministry (MOE) will be implemented in stages to give autonomy to principals to determine its method of implementation in respective schools.

Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said the measure was vital to ensure the implementation did not burden teachers and took into consideration the preparedness of the school and existing teaching staff.

“In this issue, subject panitia and principals have autonomy in determining the co-teaching approach in schools,” he said when winding up the debate on the Supply Bill 2026 for the ministry at Dewan Rakyat here today, adding that it included the decision whether to maintain two teachers per class or to conduct learning with one teacher should there be a lack of teaching staff.

“Schools have enough teachers for co-teaching for integrated subjects, but at one point or another, there might be teachers who are on sick leave or maternity leave.

“In that situation, principals have the autonomy to decide to replace the absent teacher with another or to go ahead with one teacher for the integrated subject,” he added.

Wong said co-teaching is defined as a pedagogy method involving two equal teachers working in synergy in a classroom to plan, implement and interpret the teaching and learning process.

He said before full implementation, the ministry has run a pioneer project involving 130 teachers at 65 primary schools of various categories to assess the method’s effectiveness.

The ministry would also ensure adequate teaching staff to ensure the success of its implementation without adding any burden to existing teachers, he added.

Dewan Rakyat then approved the management and development expenditure totalling RM66,198,630,600 allocated to the MOE under the Budget 2026 with majority voice after being debated by 30 MPs.

The sitting will resume tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA