SHAH ALAM, 4 Oct: The Central Government has been urged to safeguard the fate of over 6,000 Untrained Attachment Teachers (GSTT) graduates who have yet to obtain placement till now.
Member of Parliament for Kulai, Teo Nie Ching, said that the Central Government must provide explanation and statistics of vacancies of all schools so that it can be evaluated with proper planning to solve the problem.
She said, the matter shows the failure of the Central Government in making perfect plans thus wasting national resources.
According to Nie Ching, in January 2012, the Ministry of Education started a Teaching Post Graduate Diploma Course (DPLI) to solve the problem of shortage of teachers in Primary and Secondary Schools.
However, Untrained Attachment Teachers (GSTT) graduates that finished the course in May this year have yet to obtain placement until now.
“GST-DPLI graduates amount to 6,020 people; 2,017 under the Primary School category and 4,003 under the Secondary School category.
“The list of candidates has been submitted to the Education Service Commission (SPP) and interviews are expected to be conducted in October. Appointment would begin in January next year,” said Nie Ching in a press statement.
Nie Ching added that there is still no information on the interviews on the website for the Ministry of Education or SPP till now.
When the graduates called the Department, officers were not able to give the date of the interview as pointed stated by the Deputy Minister.
“All of the graduates signed a 2-year service contract with the Ministry, thus making it an obstacle to find alternative employment, especially in the private sector.
“Has the Ministry cared about them when they have to wait for placement for 7 months and face the problem of unemployment as well as having to bear the high cost of living?” she asked.
Nie Ching said that unofficial surveys indicate that there are 100-120 vacancies in primary schools.
“If there has been a shortage for a long time, why have the interviews and placement of GSTT-DPLI graduates been suspended?
“Furthermore, DPLI studies have produced 6,000 teachers who are still waiting for placement, raising a huge doubt on the matter,” she said.