Govt to meet NUTP 'soon' over demands

The government will be holding discussions soon with the National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) on the nine demands made by the union today including on the School-based Assessment system, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Muhyiddin, who is also Education Minister, said the Education Ministry would be a fixing a date for the meeting in a week or two to enable senior ministry officials to meet NUTP representatives.

"We have a secretary-general and Education director-general...we can appoint several ministry representatives. I will only receive the report on conclusion of the discussions.

"This is what we normally do. Even before when there were proposals from the NUTP, discussions will be held at the ministry level," he told reporters after attending the Malaysian-level World Teachers' Day celebration at the CIDB Convention Centre here.

Muhyiddin said demands suitable to be implemented would be forwarded to the Public Service Department and if financial implications were involved, it would brought to the attention of the Finance Ministry.

NUTP president Hashim Adnan at the gathering had made known the demands encompassing among others improving the teaching profession including in the aspects of management, administration, remuneration, and promotion opportunities.