The lack of teachers continues to plague the country’s education system despite efforts to train future talents as there are 21,564 openings for teachers in schools nationwide according to Education Minister, Datuk Dr. Radzi Jidin.

Jidin said that taking into account the one-off recruitment of over 18,000 teachers, the remaining 2,862 vacancies will be filled through the regular appointment process on an ongoing basis by the Education Services Commission.

Before opening up places for teacher courses in public institutions of higher education (IPTAs), the education ministry prepares a potential shortage projection for this cohort of graduates to join the country’s teaching force.

This is to ensure that as teachers retire, there is an adequate supply of new teachers to join and educate our youth in the various subject options available in national schools.

Nevertheless, these five-year projections for the annual intakes have failed to effectively address the perennial teacher shortage problem.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE