Over 18,000 teachers from around the country are separated from their spouses for teaching at different location.

According to Education Director General Datuk Seri Dr Khair Mohamad Yusof, out of the number, an approximate 8,000 teachers have applied for transfers to other schools.

“Up to September last year, we have received about 8,000 applications. Out of this number, 4,500 of them are married couples who are teachers and the remaining are not married to teachers,” he said at a press conference at the Education Ministry here today.

MOE has set up a Special Committee for Teachers’ Transfers in December to study the appeal cases for the Service Chief to consider.

MOE will be able to offer the couples to be placed with their spouses in a state of district where there’s vacancy. For serious cases, MOE will be able to offer them to be placed in a state or district with medical facilities access,” he explained.

Starting this year, transfers will be held for three times compared to twice last year.

The operations are conducted in January, April and September. Applications for teachers who are teaching examinations classes in Year 6, Form Three and Five, will however not considered for the January and April sessions.

To date, 1,848 transfer applications have been approved by the MOE.

“This involves a total of 51.36 per cent (couples’ separation excuse) compared to other excuses,” he said.

MOE, he said has adopted the ‘traffic light system’ to assist in resolving the issue of excess number of teachers, the lack of vacancy for teachers and options necessity for some states.

At this point, the Ministry is reviewing the suggestions of generalist teacher to fill up the vacuum of the lack of teachers.

“If this can be executed, it will allow more rooms for teachers to be transferred,” he said.

Prior to this, Education Minister, Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid was reported saying that the Ministry is reviewing a new mechanism to curb the problem faced by 30,000 upset teachers.

Mahdzir used the term ‘upset’ referring to teachers who are separated from their spouses because of their job location.