BATU PAHAT: Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek has called on affected parties to complain directly to the Ministry of Education (MOE) if canteen food prices are increased and schools do not resolve the matter.

Fadhlina said schools should try to resolve the issue first as the matter is between them and the canteen operator, adding that the MOE will also attend to any complaint it receives.

"So far we have not received any complaints. Maybe it is being handled by the schools and canteen operators. We hope they resolve it amicably.

"But if there are any related issues or unresolved complaints, they can be raised with MOE," she said today when asked about canteen food prices for the new school session.

She was speaking to reporters after surveying school-opening preparations at Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) Yeong Chang, in Sungai Suloh and Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Tunku Mahmood Iskandar here, which were hit by floods last year.

On a separate note, Fadhlina said the MOE will strive to unite long-distance teacher couples by considering their transfer applications based on educational merits and according to due process.

She said the ministry has to take into account various factors and views seriously cases of married teachers being forced into long-distance relationships because they failed to obtain transfers.

She added that transfer applications are processed four times yearly based on school holiday records.

"I think the long-distance teachers' transfer process is ongoing and MOE will base all applications on a set criteria. The essential factor for such transfers will be if a husband and wife are separated by distance," she said.

Earlier, a Facebook group of teachers known as 'e-Gtukar Pertukaran Guru - Oh e-Gtukar!' went viral after they shared their woes of being separated after repeatedly failing to obtain transfers.

-- BERNAMA