MOE introduces cluster method for one-off intake to fill teaching vacancies

Senior Education Minister Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin said the apprioach was adopted to provide more opportunities for graduates to apply based on their bachelor's degree mapping with the suitable subjects.

"Graduates with certain areas of specialisation can apply to fill vacancies in other subjects categorised under the same cluster and this new approach will be used for future intakes," he said during question and answer session at the Dewan Negara today.

He said this in reply to a supplementary question from Senator Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid who wanted to know the fate of university education graduates who have yet to gain placement to teach in schools.

Meanwhile, Radzi informed that 18,702 Grade DG41 Education Service Officers (PPP) have been recruited on a one-off basis in a special recruitment drive to fill teaching vacancies in MOE schools under the Education Services Commission (SPP).

"As of March 28, some 13,255 new teachers have succeeded in getting their placements, while the remaining 515 will be placed from April 11.

""Based on the latest status, there are still 4,932 vacancies under this special recruitment that must be filled by qualified candidates," he said in response to Iskandar Dzulkarnain's original question on the one-off teacher intake status as announced by the government

In addition Radzi said the MOE also found that there is a shortage of graduates with an education degree for English and Islamic Education subjects and the MOE was committed to getting enough teachers for the two subjects.