A TOTAL of 691 teachers have been identified as requiring immediate psychological intervention following a nationwide screening involving 82,126 educators, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said.
In a written parliamentary reply, Fadhlina said the figure accounted for 0.84% of teachers screened, with the findings showing that most had good psychological well-being.
She said the ministry provided counselling and psychological support to teachers facing difficulties, including individual and group counselling, psychological assessments, stress management programmes and emotional support.
The process begins with screening to identify individual needs, followed by appropriate intervention and counselling, she said.
Fadhlina was responding to Muslimin Yahaya (PN-Sungai Besar), who asked about the number of teachers experiencing health problems and mental disorders, as well as the support available to help them manage their conditions and continue their careers.
The ministry has also allocated RM200 million to upgrade teachers’ rooms, including RM100 million in additional funding, to improve their well-being.
The mental health of educators has been a growing concern for the National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP), which last year highlighted the pressures faced by teachers dealing with what it described as toxic school leadership, increasing digital demands and harassment from parents.
“The MOE’s approach does not merely focus on resolving immediate issues; it also strengthens teachers’ capacity to maintain their well-being in the long term.
“This initiative aims to help teachers regain stability and function effectively, enabling them to continue their lives and careers with greater resilience,” Fadhlina said.
Meanwhile, she said a total of 329,414 teachers nationwide have received artificial intelligence (AI) training as the MOE prepares to integrate the technology into schools.
She said the training was carried out continuously to ensure all teachers are equipped with the knowledge and skills to use AI safely and ethically.
"As we prepare to ensure that none of our children is marginalised or left struggling, we must certainly give priority to preparing our teachers," she said during Minister's Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.
She said teachers must not be left to face these changes without preparation, and MOE will ensure that training is provided. - October 29, 2026
