KUALA LUMPUR – For over a month, the cries of some 200 education graduates seeking clarification over the flawed rejection of their applications to the one-off teacher recruitment scheme have fallen on deaf ears.
Despite their multiple attempts to get answers from those in charge – the Education Ministry (MoE) and Education Service Commission (SPP) – they have either been ignored or passed on to the authorities.
With nowhere else to turn to, the group is now contemplating seeking the intervention of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, or even staging a peaceful protest in a bid to put pressure on those in power.
"We have already gone to the SPP to seek answers. They blamed it on a technical error.
“They also said any issue pertaining to teachers’ placement must be answered by MoE. It’s as if they are pointing fingers at the ministry.
The ministry, however, is impossible to reach,” said Siti Khadijah Mohd Lutfi, a spokesman for the 200 graduates, during a Zoom meeting with former deputy education minister Teo Nie Ching yesterday.
Their issue first came to light in mid-February when their applications were rejected on the grounds of a technicality, despite having already passed the interview process to be hired under the one-off scheme.
The reason given was that they did not produce the required documents, such as academic transcripts and graduation certificates, which they did not have due to being final-year students.
Khadijah, however, noted that SPP had informed the group that their applications would be processed once they were able to get supporting letters from their universities.
Despite doing so, their applications were still rejected, either due to a technical error in the processing system or being overlooked.
Not satisfied, 13 of the affected graduates then handed over a memorandum to MoE on March 7 detailing their complaints and highlighting the flaws in the recruitment scheme, following up with multiple emails.
However, the group of prospective educators has not heard a single word from the ministry to date, according to Khadijah.
“When we went to the SPP, they blamed MoE. But when we contacted MoE, they either could not be reached or no one would take responsibility.
“We are annoyed because the minister (Datuk Mohd Radzi Md Jidin) has been silent throughout. We want action. I would really love to meet him. Where is he?”
The affected graduates have recently started a petition to pressure the ministry to act on the issue, and it has since garnered over 2,800 signatures.
If this petition doesn’t work, then we may even pressure for the minister’s resignation. At the least, he should be responding to us,” Khadijah said.
According to another affected graduate, Muhammad Hafiz Hasbi, their attempts to secure a meeting with SPP chairman Datuk Seri Mazlan Yusoff and Radzi have also been futile.
“Perhaps we should try meeting the prime minister next, since he advocates Keluarga Malaysia,” said Hafiz.
Meanwhile, Teo said she will file a request to the Dewan Rakyat today to have this issue raised during the Minister’s Question Time (MQT) on Thursday, but said the decision is ultimately up to the House to decide if her question gets picked.
“I don't think what is happening is professional. The minister and his deputies, at the very least, should be more engaging.
“For a situation like this, a meeting with the applicants will certainly help resolve the issue.
“If this issue is not raised during Thursday’s MQT, then perhaps we have to consider submitting a second memorandum or even staging a protest,” she said. – The Vibes, March 23, 2022
