Seremban: The recruitment of 20,000 Education Service Officers (PPP) on a contract basis, set to be implemented by the Ministry of Education (MOE) starting this March, will not impact the opportunities for existing reserve teacher candidates. Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh assured that discussions with the Education Service Commission (SPP) have been conducted to mobilise qualified reserve teacher candidates effectively.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Wong stated that candidates who have successfully been interviewed yet categorized as reserve teacher candidates should not worry about their future prospects, as there continues to be a promising opportunity for them to be absorbed into the education service. He emphasized that the placement of reserve candidates could vary, potentially including positions in primary or secondary schools across different options. Wong made these remarks while distributing Interactive Smartboard Information and Communication Technology Equipment to Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil (SJKT) Negeri Sembilan.
Concerns had arisen among some reserve teacher candidates regarding the recruitment of 20,000 new teachers, which is scheduled to commence in the middle of this year. Education director-general Dr. Mohd Azam Ahmad had previously indicated that applications for the recruitment of DG9 grade teachers on a contract basis, or Contract of Service (CoS), would be open from March 2 to 20, aiming to fulfil the national demand for teachers.
This large-scale recruitment is part of the MOE's preparations for the Malaysia Education Blueprint (MEB) 2026-2035, in addition to facilitating the voluntary enrolment of six-year-old children into Year One next year. Wong highlighted that the recruitment will primarily target primary schools to accommodate the double cohort entry of Year One students in the upcoming academic year.
Earlier, Wong announced that 45 Tamil primary schools in the state had each received an interactive smartboard, with a total allocation of RM540,000. This initiative, carried out through the Malaysian Indian Community Transformation Unit (MITRA), aims to enhance the learning system's interactivity and effectiveness, equipping students with essential digital technology skills.