KUCHING: The Women wing of state Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) wants the Education Ministry to explain why some teachers who had completed the Post Degree Teacher’s Training Programme (KPLI) are yet to be posted.
“The question now is why KPLI teachers are made to wait for their postings and to date, some teachers are still waiting. How long do they have to wait?” questioned political assistant to state assemblyman for Batu Lintang Voon Shiak Ni in a press conference yesterday.
The PKR Women national vice-chairman also pointed out that the state PKR Women wing had made a call to the ministry a month ago, asking it to explain the delay in the postings of some 1,700 teachers trained under the programme.
She recalled that Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong in one of his press releases last year had said that there were almost 2,300 vacancies for teachers of Tamil and Chinese languages in secondary schools nationwide, with vacancies for Chinese language teachers at 2,204.
Voon also questioned the ministry as to why some schools had to do with relief teachers while trained teachers were not called to serve.
“We also got to know that some schools in Kuching are using relief teachers for teachers who had resigned, and several other factors also contributed to the shortage – compulsory and optional retirement, further studies and a mismatch of teachers with the subjects that they are supposed to teach,” she said.
She further asked whether the government’s aim to have 7,000 schools fully equipped with teachers for all subjects as stated by Wee had been carried out.
The Women wing is of the opinion that the Education Ministry should explain the matter and that Wee owes not only the teachers but also students and their parents a good explanation.
“What is at stake here is the issue of welfare of the teachers and the education of the children,” she added.
On another note, Voon announced that the state PKR will be having the next yellow Saturday at RPR Batu Kawah on Oct 8 at 11am.
“This is our community service at RPR Batu Kawah, where we will visit families where our uncles and aunties are staying alone and their children are working overseas.
“We will help them do some cleaning and tidying up and at the same time hope to communicate with them so that extended help and care can be channelled to the people on the ground more effectively,” Voon said.
On another issue, she said the party would have to decide on whether she will contest in the next general election. She said this when asked if she is a potential candidate for Stampin.
- The Borneo Post
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