Concern for teachers posted away from families

JOHOR BARU: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today instructed the Education Ministry to show concern for teachers who apply for transfer to be close to their families.
He said he understood the difficulty that teachers underwent when they were posted far away from their families, and this affected them emotionally and had an adverse impact on their productivity.
"How can productivity rise if we separate them from their families? We have to show concern for the needs of teachers. I am sure the Education Ministry and the Minister are sincere in this matter," he said when launching the Teachers' Day celebration at the Educity Sports Complex here today.
Ahmad Zahid said 22,000 teachers in such a situation had applied for transfer, and 9,000 of them had been granted their wish.
He also said that besides these teachers, the welfare of teachers aged 40 and below should also be taken into account.
Ahmad Zahid said that as one who had been a teacher of extra classes and evening classes as well as being the son of a teacher, he had a good understanding of the duty of teachers.
"We have to consider the 48.7% of teachers under 40. We have to take care of their feelings, understand their mindset. The ministry should open its eyes," he said.
Ahmad Zahid said he supported the move by the Education Ministry in seeking to expedite the Public Service Department approval to upgrade some of the state education directors from JUSA C to JUSA B.
Similar attention should also be given to district education officers, principals, teachers and senior assistants, he said.
At the event, Ahmad Zahid also presented the National Innovative Teacher Icon Award to Zainuddin Zakaria, a teacher of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Taman Bukit Maluri, Kuala Lumpur.
The 2017 National Tokoh Guru Award went to Khuzaimah Sulaiman, former principal of Sekolah Menengah Agama Persekutuan Labu, Negri Sembilan and the Education Leadership Award to former Education deputy director-general Datuk Sufa'at Tumin. — Bernama