Education ministry to mobilise reserve candidates to fill teacher shortages

This is in preparation for next year, when six-year-olds are allowed to voluntarily enter Year 1.

Deputy education minister Wong Kah Woh said priority would go to reserve candidates whose subject specialisations match next year’s identified shortages.

He said the move was in anticipation of a double cohort in 2027, when six-year-olds voluntarily enter Year 1, creating a need for more teachers.

“Therefore, the ministry has decided to work with the SPP to appoint 20,000 teachers on a contract of service (COS) basis, as previous projections from the Teacher Education Institutes (IPG) only accounted for a single cohort.

“When we need extra teachers for 2027, we will hire them on a COS basis from those without specialisation, allowing appointments this year to meet next year’s demand,” he said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Wong was responding to Kamal Ashaari (PN-Kuala Krau), who asked whether early childhood graduates from the IPG or higher education institutions would be absorbed into the DG9 grade to tackle the projected shortage of teachers in 2027 from voluntary six-year-old enrolment in Year 1.

On a related development, he said the education ministry placed 3,237 new teachers in Sarawak last year, based on vacancies and subject requirements in the state.

“As of Dec 31, 2025, Sarawak had 42,315 teachers in service out of 43,257 positions, a 97.82% fill rate,” he said in response to Roy Angau Gingkoi (GPS-Lubok Antu) on the ministry’s efforts to address teacher placements in the state.

Wong said teacher recruitment by the SPP was based on vacancies and subject specialisation needs set by the education ministry.

“All candidates must go through the SPP’s screening process, meet service scheme requirements, match the relevant subject cluster, pass the interview, and be medically certified fit by a registered practitioner before being appointed.

“In this context, the ministry is committed to improving new teacher recruitment, working closely with the SPP to ensure that vacancies across the country are effectively filled,” he said.