MOE TO PRIORITISE SPP RESERVES TO MEET NEXT YEAR’S TEACHER NEEDS

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 5 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Education (MOE) will mobilise reserve candidates from the Education Services Commission (SPP) list to fill teacher shortages in preparation for next year’s teaching needs.

Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said priority will go to reserve candidates whose subject specialisations match next year’s identified shortages.

He said the move comes in anticipation of a double cohort in 2027, with six-year-olds entering Year 1 voluntarily, creating a need for more teachers.

“Therefore, the MOE has decided to work with the SPP to appoint 20,000 teachers on a contract of service (COS) basis, as previous projections from the Teacher Education Institutes (IPG) only accounted for a single cohort.

“When we need extra teachers for 2027, we will hire them on a COS basis from those without specialisation, allowing appointments this year to meet next year’s demand,” he said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Wong was responding to Kamal Ashaari (PN-Kuala Krau), who wanted to know whether early childhood graduates from the IPG or higher education institutions would be absorbed into the DG9 grade to tackle the projected 2027 teacher shortage from voluntary six-year-old Year 1 enrolment.

In a related development, he said the MOE placed 3,237 new teachers in Sarawak last year, based on vacancies and subject requirements in the state.

“As of Dec 31, 2025, Sarawak had 42,315 teachers in service out of 43,257 positions, a 97.82 per cent fill rate,” he said, replying to Roy Angau Gingkoi (GPS-Lubok Antu) on the ministry’s efforts to address teacher placement in the state.

Wong said teacher recruitment by the SPP is carried out based on vacancies and subject specialisation needs set by the MOE.

“All candidates must go through the SPP’s screening process, meet service scheme requirements, match the relevant subject cluster, pass the interview, and be medically certified fit by a registered practitioner before being appointed.

“In this context, the KPM is committed to improving new teacher recruitment, working closely with the SPP to ensure vacancies across the country are effectively filled,” he added.

-- BERNAMA