MIRI – More than 3,000 vacancies for teachers throughout Sarawak need to be filled before the next school year.
The huge number of vacant posts statewide has cropped up due to the imminent retirement of many existing teachers, in addition to those who have been given instructions by the Education Department to transfer to other states.
Deputy state education minister, Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee, said his ministry has recently come to know of this latest issue.
“There will be more than 3,000 positions for teachers throughout Sarawak that need to be filled, or else we will face serious shortages of teachers in the next school year.
“The vacancies are being made available due to the impending retirement and imminent transfers of teachers very soon as we approach the end of this school year.
“My ministry has been told that the federal Education Ministry will be hiring an additional 9,500 teachers by November.
“It looks like a big number of them will have to be sent to Sarawak.
“This state must be looked at as a first priority due to the big number of immediate vacancies coming up,” he said.
Dr Annuar gave the above latest situation on the state’s dire needs for teachers when gracing a memorandum of understanding ceremony between Hikmah Islamic Technology College Kuching and Sarawak Skills Development Centre Kuching.
He called on the federal ministry to be more strict with those teachers assigned to Sarawak but who had rejected the transfer.
“There are many experienced teachers and new teachers who have rejected transfers to this state.
“The federal ministry must find a solution to this or else there will be no end to the shortage of teachers in Sarawak,” he said.
Dr Annuar expects the federal ministry to give top attention to this state due to the sheer size of teaching staff needed in schools scattered throughout the vast state. – The Vibes, October 19, 2023
