Selection of teachers

The recent announcement by the Ministry of Education (MOE) that trained teachers from the Teaching Training Institute (IPG) are not guaranteed posting after completion of their courses has caused some stir among fellow Malaysians, especially among the aspiring teachers and their parents. Some welcome the move, and of course many express dissatisfaction over the announcement. 

Since beginning, all teachers trained by the MOE were given posting to a school as soon as they complete their courses. But things are changing today. Even if you complete the course successfully, posting to a school in not assured. As the Second Education Minister, Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh has pointed out only the competent and excellent trainee teachers will be given posting. This means it is no more a privilege and assurance for the new teachers, but a matter of survival of the fittest. 

The Ministry has also thinking of ways of tightening the quality of teachers to be selected. As stressed by the Ministry, the SPM holders applying to IPGs should have at least 7As in the examination to qualify to enter the institutes. This is surely a most welcomed move as the aspiring teachers should have academic excellence to become a teacher.

As an educationist involved in training of teachers for more than 20 years, I support this move. But at the same time, other elements should also be given due consideration for selection of teachers. Among the top priority is passion for teaching. Passion here is understood as a strong feeling or desire towards a job. I have noticed that current batch of teacher trainees lack this ardent feeling or desire for teaching. 

This passion for teaching was a dominant feature among the yesteryear teachers. Till date, all us who were taught by this superb brand of teachers remember them vividly for their dedication and commitment to teaching. We always salute them for making us useful citizen of this young nation. 

Do we have this kind of teachers today? I do not deny there are some with these characteristics. What about the rest of the teachers? It is still questionable. 

In our pursuit for academic excellence for teachers, we may sometimes overlook elements like passion, dedication, hard-working and job loving persons. Only academic excellence may sometimes bring results otherwise. Sometimes a candidate may not have a string of As, but truly and really have the passion for teaching and children. This kind of candidate, in my opinion would be a better teacher, than the one with excellent results. 

Today a lot of students apply to become teachers as this career is the more rewarding one in terms of salary and promotional benefits. Recently, the government has rewarded handsomely by giving pay-rise and promotions to the serving teachers. I believe this is plus point for the aspiring teachers now.  This is drawing factor for the teaching career now. 

Another crucial point that needs to stressed is the selection of teachers. Selection of teachers should be done on the basis of merits and the above mentioned characteristics. If you look at the bulk of teaching force today comprises of one race only while the other races in the country are negligible. This alarming situation does not reflect our Prime Minister’s noble vision of 1Malaysia. This concept has to be reflected in our teaching force also.  

Teaching is a noble task. Not everyone can be teachers. They should be the ones who have the niche for teaching. It is not the bread and butter of any aspiring person to be a teacher. 

Let our teaching staff in the country be the ones with good credentials, passion, and dedication and be responsible to bring our standard of education to higher levels of excellence. This is our aspiration and expectation of every parents of our country.