Muhyiddin salutes rural teachers

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KOTA KINABALU: Teachers in Sabah and Sarawak are facing more challenges in implementing the national education transformation through the Malaysian Education Development Plan (MPPP) 2013-2025 due to its demographic and geographical realities.

Speaking at the launching of Sabah and Labuan Zone 1Malaysia Young Teacher (GM1M) Assembly at Likas Sports Complex here yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin paid tribute to teachers, saying: “I salute all teachers who are willing to teach in the rural areas of Sabah and Sarawak, and I believe these teachers need to work harder to ensure the next generation will be able to compete in the international level”.

To carry out the Malaysian Education Development Plan 2013-2025, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had announced additional RM500 million to the education budget this year to train teachers in the core subjects of English, Bahasa Malaysia, Science and Mathematics.

“We want teachers in the rural areas to contribute to the plan, as we only have seven years to become a fully developed nation by the year 2020,” he said.

Addressing thousands of teachers aged 21 to 35 yesterday, Muhyiddin said the four core subjects – English, Bahasa Malaysia, Science and Mathematics – would be the focus in the education transformation programme aimed at improving the important subjects according to plans.

He stressed Malaysia has a very good education system compared to other countries in the world, but the government would always make an effort to improve, especially in boosting English proficiency among Malaysians.

“The government may soon make it compulsory to have a ‘pass’ in English at the SPM level. This is another challenge for the young teachers to ensure our plan will be successful.

“I hope the GM1M Assembly will not stop here, because there will be discussions on the format that we will use to improve the weakness of our education system,” he said.

The GM1M in Likas yesterday was the last stop for the GM1M roadshow.

Also present at the event yesterday were Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman, State Legislative Assembly Speaker Salleh Tun Said and Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun who also the State Education Exco.