PETALING JAYA: Malaysia has been losing over 12,000 teachers annually to optional and compulsory retirement for the past three years.
The Education Ministry told StarEdu that from 2023 to 2025, an average of 5,249 teachers a year were granted optional retirement approved by the Public Service Department.
This represents 1.20% of the ministry’s total teaching workforce of 437,484 teachers.
Among the main factors driving teachers to opt for early retirement, loss of interest was the biggest contributor at 61.98%, said the ministry.
Other factors included family-related reasons (19.57%), health issues (8.57%), workload (7.61%) and personal problems (2.27%).
Meanwhile, an average of 7,280 teachers a year underwent compulsory retirement during the same period, accounting for 1.63% of the workforce.
The ministry’s workforce data also points to an ageing teaching population.
ALSO READ: Training institutes finding it hard to address lecturer shortage
Human Resource Management Information System records as of March 29 show that teachers aged 41 to 45 formed the largest group at 90,431, followed by those aged 46 to 50 (76,071) and 51 to 55 (67,954).
By comparison, younger teachers aged 21 to 25 accounted for just 13,968.
The ministry said that based on data as of March 31, it continues to monitor and manage teacher requirements on an ongoing basis to ensure the smooth implementation of teaching and learning in schools nationwide.
“For the science, technology, engineering and mathematics field, the overall supply of teachers is sufficient and current needs have been adequately met.
“Any minor staffing gaps in certain subjects are part of continuous adjustments in teacher placement management to ensure school-level needs are optimised at all times.
“In Mathematics, there is a small overall shortage.
However, the ministry is taking proactive measures through the redeployment of teachers, phased filling of vacancies, and efforts to strengthen the supply of Mathematics option teachers,” it said.
The ministry added that it remains committed to ensuring teacher distribution is carried out strategically and in a targeted manner, including in rural schools, so that all students nationwide have equitable access to quality education.
