Teacher trainees fork out own funds for lessons

ALLOWANCES have been cut and money is tighter than before but trainee teachers are willing to fork out funds to keep their lessons interesting.

Trainee teacher May May* said she did not mind spending on supplies for her English lessons as some students could not afford to buy them.

During her posting in a school in Perak, she said she would buy cardboard for her students to do projects.

She said this was a common practice among both teachers and trainees.

“They spend their own money to photocopy notes or buy art supplies for their students.

“Especially those who come from poor backgrounds or are in schools which face financial constraints, ” she added.

May May also said that although they get an allowance of RM430 a month, she is still grateful that they get something.

“We get to practise what we are taught in a real-life setting, ” she added.

Angie, a former pupil of hers, said May May would not ask them to pay for the photocopied materials.

“She was very nice to us, ” she added.

A teacher from Kuala Lumpur, Amy Mistika Salim, said that she spent a few hundred ringgit on stationery and exercise books for her students.

“This was for the three classes I taught Mathematics to, ” she said, adding that her practical ended at the end of 2018.

She said that among the items she bought was manila cardboard and coloured paper for projects.

“I also bought sweets and fancy stationery as an incentive or ‘motivator’ for them, ” she added.

Amy Mistika said she felt it was her responsibility as a teacher to ensure her students had the necessary materials.

“They (the students) would also pay for their things but not all the time, ” she said, adding that she would use teaching materials that were available in the school whenever it was possible.

When contacted, Institute of Teacher Education Malaysia (IPGM) said that they had to reduce the allowance when the ministry was given a smaller budget by the Finance Ministry in 2016.

IPGM said the reduced allowance of RM430 for IPG students then began in January 2017 and extra allowances for books, transportation and project papers was cut.

Previously, it was RM700, excluding the extra allowance mentioned above.

IPGM said that it has always been the practice of trainee teachers to use their own money to purchase teaching aids during their practical in schools.

“However, the trainee teacher can discuss with the school to use the per capita grant allocation

for the students of each subject if there is a provision for it, ” the IPGM said.

National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) secretary-general Harry Tan said trainee teachers had to spend money on stationery like other students of higher education.

“Their funds do not come from schools but are the allowances given or pocket money from their parents, ” he told StarEdu.

However, Tan appealed to the ministry to review the reduction in allowance and work out something that would benefit the teacher trainees.

“They are chosen from the very best and ultimately they will serve the nation, ” he added.

Educationist Datuk N. Siva Subramaniam said it is Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik’s responsibility to ensure a sufficient budget for the Institutes of Teacher Education.

Previously, he said, the government paid priority to education as it involves children, teachers, parents and parent-teacher associations (PTA).

“This is absurd.

“When the government took over, they should have looked at these aspects and taken action.

“It is time the PTAs get together to meet the minister to sort the problem out, instead of asking trainees to pay for such things, ” he added.

Siva Subramaniam said in the past, sufficient budget was allocated for vital things like trainees’ allowance.

* Name has been changed