Admin assistants for teachers soon?

The Education Ministry in collaboration with the Public Service Department (PSD) is conducting a study on placement of administrative assistant in schools to assist teachers to focus entirely on teaching and learning in school.

Education director-general Datuk Khair Mohamad Yusof said the study, under the National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS) which commenced early this year, seeks to ease the burden of teachers, especially in clerical tasks.

"The study, which will run throughout this year, is to help teachers from being burdened with various responsibilities. This is to enable us to attain the Malaysian Education Blueprint (2013-2025) objectives," he told reporters after attending an education forum in conjunction with the 43rd National Teachers' Day celebration here Thursday.

The panelists on the forum were Perak State Assembly Speaker Datuk Seri SK Devamany, former Education director-general Datuk Noor Rezan Bapoo Hashim and National Defence University's Nation-building, Leadership and Civilisation Department senior lecturer Dr Jessica Ong Hai Liaw.

Apart from this, Khair said the ministry was also looking into the technological aspects so that teachers could apply the latest advancements in the teaching profession in line with this year's celebration theme "Guru Pencetus Kreativiti, Penjana Inovasi" (Teachers Trigger Creativity, Generators of Innovation).

He added that it was was also looking at a speedier promotion for outstanding teachers without having to wait for eight years as set in the promotion procedures to improve the quality of teachers.

At the forum, Devamany urged the ministry not to make overnight changes to the education system but rather wait for it to mature.

He noted that teachers were not able to accept sudden changes as they need to fully understand the system introduced and to apply it in their work.

"Teachers act as an inspiration to students and are expected to impart knowledge in a creative and innovative way, but because they are bogged down with having to key in data, teachers are unable to effectively perform their duties," he said.

He also said efforts to address social ills such as drugs abuse, gangsterism and social media abuse could be further enhanced, with involvement of parents, the community and NGOs.

As for Noor Rezan, she said the existing curriculum should not be a barrier to teachers to inspire creativity in teaching as long as it does not conflict with the national education policy.

"Many teachers are creative, but there some who assume they need to stick to the status quo. Feeling afraid to be creative must be brushed aside and what is important is that teachers can stimulate students to strive for excellence," she said.

This was echoed by Ong, who added that principals and administrators at state and district education offices must also support teachers in their endeavors besides instilling good moral values in students so that they grow up to be citizens that their families and nation could be proud of.