The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (Seameo) have disclosed their findings that the region is facing a significant teacher shortage that could hinder the development of a digitally literate generation.

Seameo also disclosed that more graduates should opt to be teachers as their projection shows that more than four million new teachers would be needed by 2030 due to retirements and new teaching positions being created.

While lamenting the lack of qualified teachers, a Unesco global report nevertheless estimates that there are currently about 3.6 million teachers in primary schools and 8.5 million in secondary schools across Southeast Asia.

Although not all teachers in the region possess the required qualifications or preparation to teach effectively in the classroom, a greater concern emerging now is the quality of teaching offered by these teachers, even those who are supposedly qualified.

Seameo’s findings are supported by studies undertaken by the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics which is a regional assessment programme that evaluates learning outcomes in basic education.

The organization suggests that there are teachers that lack competency in teaching reading, writing and mathematics and stated that efforts to attract, train and retain qualified teachers must be intensified.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE