PETALING JAYA: She spends much time filling out forms and keying in data.
Her occupation? Teacher.
“Many of us have to find time in between classes to complete the necessary task. Sometimes, this non-teaching work accumulates before exams and the year-end period,” said a secondary school teacher who only wants to be known as Leah.
The government’s announcement two weeks ago that the Ministry of Education Malaysia Training Management System (SPLKPM) would be abolished to reduce teachers’ workload was of little comfort to Leah, 45.
“It doesn’t really ease our heavy workload, as it has basically been rebranded as the Identity Management System (idMe),” she said, explaining that idMe was an “all-in-one system” which also enabled parents to access students’ results.
The SPLKPM was an online platform, which required teachers to record their participation in training programmes, such as workshops and seminars, and accumulate the required credits.
But teachers like Leah were of the view that the courses given to them via “Latihan Dalam Perkhidmatan” in schools and district education offices are already sufficient.
A primary school teacher with 28 years of experience, identified only as Jenna, said administrative work should not weigh heavily on them.
“We should be allowed to focus more on students. The abolition of SPLKPM is a relief for many teachers,” said the 55-year-old.
National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) secretary-general Fouzi Singon, when contacted, said the Education Ministry should reduce non-teaching administrative burdens and the non-core administrative tasks.
“Teachers must be allowed to focus on their primary responsibilities, namely teaching and learning, besides evaluating their students’ work.”
He said the NUTP was proposing that the ministry consider a four-day academic learning week, complemented by one day dedicated to character development and co-curricular activities, to ensure holistic student development without compromising on academic learning.
Further refinements are required, he said, particularly in reducing clerical tasks and strengthening information and communication technology infrastructure within the ministry.
“Weak or inefficient systems continue to contribute to emotional stress among teachers and must be addressed.”
Sabah Teacher’s Union president Shahril Liwangsah acknowledged that there were teachers who refused to go for courses as stated under the SPLKPM.
“The failure to meet 42 credit points or five days of training will prevent the teacher from being promoted, receiving an annual salary increase, or getting an excellent teacher award,” he said.
However, he pointed out that the system had its setbacks, too.
“For example, there are online problems, burdensome filling (of data), and time constraints.”
