KOTA KINABALU: The recruitment of 20,000 new teachers to meet national education needs is timely, but other factors must be considered, said a state opposition leader.
Tham Yun Fook, a Likas Assemblyman and former senior education department official, said that in Sabah, priority should be given to recruiting Sabah-born graduates to serve in their home state. This would improve talent retention.
“I also firmly urge the Education Ministry to appoint senior officers from the Sabah Education Department and the Sabah Education, Science and Innovation Ministry as permanent members of the Teacher Recruitment Selection Panel at the ministry level,” Tham said, adding that the move would result in the recruitment of teachers who would be a better fit.
The Education Ministry earlier announced it would recruit 20,000 new Grade DG9 Education Service Officers on a contract-of-service basis to meet nationwide demand for teachers.
It said this initiative is part of early preparations to implement the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2026-2035 and to introduce voluntary Year One enrolment for six-year-old children starting next year.
