1,000 retired English teachers to be hired

KUALA LUMPUR: The Education Ministry plans to recruit 1,000 retired English language teachers on a contractual basis, deputy minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said.

The move would complement the recruitment of native English-speaking teachers from countries such as Britain and Australia.

“These retired teachers will be employed part-time on a contractual basis to teach English in schools.

“We are also looking at extending current teachers’ contracts and increasing the intake of English language teachers,” he told reporters after attending the 2010 Inter­national Competitions and Assess­ments For Schools awards ceremony here yesterday.

In the Budget tabled in Parliament last month, it was announced that 375 native English-speaking teachers would be employed to train local teachers.

Dr Wee added that recruitment of foreign teachers was just one method to strengthen the teaching of English in schools.

“There is a perception that we are not engaging local talent, but this is not true. We are trying to get as many qualified teachers as possible and this will involve a multi-faceted approach,” he said.

On sex education, Dr Wee said the subject was not a new one but an “improved and updated” version of the existing curriculum.

“There is the social and reproductive health component, which is already taught.

“As the primary and secondary school syllabi will be revamped next year, this subject has undergone an update as well,” he said.

Earlier in Subang Jaya, Dr Wee said the construction of a new Chinese primary school – SJKC Tun Tan Siew Sin – in Putra Heights would commence once the local council approved the building plans.

Announcing the approval of a piece of land worth RM11mil by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for the school, he said the ministry had also approved RM6mil to build it.

He said the residents in Putra Heights were pleased with the news and thanked Muhyiddin and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for it.

“The school can accommodate 1,400 pupils per session. It will also cater to the needs of the community in the surrounding areas,” Dr Wee said after visiting the site.

Also present were chairmen or representatives from the five residents’ committees in Putra Heights and the school’s building committee chairman Lim Kim Hui.
1,000 retired English teachers to be hired