Circular discontinuing activities to be issued before school session begins, says Education Ministry

KUALA LUMPUR: The Education Ministry will issue the circular regarding the discontinuation of all forms of competition, celebrations or events at school that have no major impact on student learning before the 2023/2024 school session begins.

Its Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the circular will be issued to provide a detailed explanation relating to the discontinuation.

"It (the discontinuation) can be implemented. The letter will contain details and we will issue it before school starts,” she said during the winding-up session of the debate on the motion of thanks for the Royal Address for the ministry at the Dewan Rakyat today (Feb 23).

She said her ministry would always assess the situation and introduce measures that could reduce teachers’ burden to ensure their welfare and optimise the learning and teaching sessions.

The ministry had announced the discontinuation as part of seven immediate measures taken under the fifth ministry core areas that focused on teachers’ welfare, including stress faced by teachers.

The activities affected include competitions for the best resource centre and best toilets.

On the issue of lack of teachers brought up by MPs during the debate, Fadhlina said her ministry has hired 22,327 teachers in 2021 and 2022, who have been placed in schools throughout the country, and that teachers would continue to be hired periodically depending on vacancies and subjects.

On the matter of dilapidated schools, Fadhlina said 920 upgrades and reconstruction of schools throughout the country have been approved between 2016 and 2022.

As of Feb 16 this year, 664 were completed; 86 projects were under construction, and 170 projects were at pre-construction stage.

"Applications for project implementation will continue in phases, through allocations approved by the central agency for each rolling plan under the five-year Malaysia Plan. This is subject to the government’s current priorities and financial standing,” she added. - Bernama