MIRI, March 16 — The teacher shortage in Sarawak’s Chinese schools is a pressing issue that is exacerbated by an increasing number of early retirements among teachers, says state Transport Minister Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin.
He highlighted this at the Miri and Limbang Chinese School Teachers’ Association annual general meeting (AGM) here yesterday.
Lee, the assemblyman for Senadin, also emphasised the urgent need to have young individuals with passion to join the teaching profession for the sustainability of Chinese education in the state.
“The Chinese school teachers not only bear the responsibility of imparting knowledge, but also serve as a vital bridge for cultural preservation, paving the way for a brighter future for countless students.
“In recent years, we are pleased to see that Chinese schools have become a preferred learning institution for students from various ethnic backgrounds, with more and more non-Chinese families choosing to enrol their children in Chinese schools,” he remarked.
“This not only reflects the high quality of Chinese education, but also reflects society’s recognition and appreciation of multilingual education.
“In such diverse learning environment, our teachers play a crucial role. Yet, facing the shortage of teachers, encouraging young individuals with passion to join the teaching profession is the way forward.”
Meanwhile in his speech, the association’s chairman Lai Cheo Tian shared with the attendees the surging number of early retirements among teachers – from 4,360 in 2021, to 5,306 in 2022, and 6,394 in 2023.
In this regard, he said the association had taken some proactive steps such as by continuing granting financial incentives for members’ children who had completed their teacher training courses.
He also disclosed their ongoing collaboration with the United Chinese School Teachers’ Association of Malaysia for the hosting of the ‘I Want to be a Teacher’ seminar, hoping to attract more qualified students to enrol in the education ministry’s Bachelor of Teaching programme.
“Additionally, the association is also committed to enhancing the quality of Chinese primary education through various training programmes for teachers,” he said.
Later at the event, Lee pledged a donation of RM30,000 in support of the association’s future activities. — The Borneo Post
