:: Guru di Sarawak ?

Raise trainee teacher quota for S’wakians: Association KUCHING: Increasing the intake quota of trainee teacher into Teachers’ Education Institute (TEI) could be the long term solution to the shortage of teachers in the state. Sarawak Bumiputera Teachers’ Association president Ahmad Malie said the Education Ministry should increase the intake quota so that there would not be any shortage. He said there were many Sarawakians qualified to enrol into TEI but could not get in because of the quota. “Many Sarawakians are qualified to enrol into TEI, and it has been proven by the numbers of them qualified for the interview. However, after some elimination process many were turned down, and on top of that the quota allocated was too small,” said Ahmad when contacted by Utusan Borneo yesterday. He also said that the shortage of teachers did not apply only to the state alone, but throughout the country. Calling on the authority to resolve the problem immediately, he said: “It all depends on the current factors, like introduction of new subjects to be taught in schools, which means more teachers trained to teach the subject need to be recruited. “Apart from that there is also the student factor. If student population increases, then the number of teachers also must also increase proportionately,” said Ahmad. He said to employing untrained temporary teachers would only help over the short term. Meanwhile, according to Sarawak Teachers’ Union president William Ghani Bina, school boards should make plans at least five years ahead for the ministry to effectively act.