Fadhlina Over 5 000 Teachers Opt For Early Retirement Yearly Moe Boosts Recruitment

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Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.KUALA LUMPUR: In ensuring that the nation has enough teachers, the Education Ministry has increased the intake of teachers from the Bachelor of Teaching Programme (PISMP) from the Teacher Education Institute (IPG) from 6,300 candidates in 2024 to 11,000 candidates this year.
Minister Fadhlina Sidek said this following the 1.24 per cent of teachers opting for early retirement nationwide, averaging at 5,293 teachers per year.
"The number of optional retirements for teachers approved by the Public Service Department from 2021 to 2024 averages 5,293 per year, or 1.24 per cent of the total teacher positions in the Ministry.
"As a long-term measure to secure teacher placements in the future, the Ministry, through the IPG will recruit 11,000 candidates from PISMP in 2025, compared to 6,300 candidates in 2024,"
she said in a written parliamentary reply last night.
As of Sept 2025, 10,045 teachers were placed in schools under the ministry while the ministry also is navigating the placements of 10,096 new teachers from the open market and graduates of the IPG's PISMP for November 2025.
"This will bring the total number of teachers who have been and will be placed this year to 20,141," she said.
She said that 67.44 per cent of teachers who applied for early retirement cited loss of interest in continuing their career as the main reason.
Family-related issues accounted for 17.43 per cent, followed by health problems at 7.69 per cent, workload at 5.37 per cent, and personal matters at 2.07 per cent, Fadhlina said responding to Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham's (PH-Beruas) question.
Meanwhile, in response to Ganabatirau Veraman (PH-Klang), she said that 98.1 per cent of teaching positions will be filled provided that all new teachers report for duty within 30 days from the placement date.
She added that 99.8 per cent of teaching positions in Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil (SJKT) will be filled if the 300 teachers report for duty 30 days after their placement date.
"The analysis of SJKT teacher output for the period 2025 to 2030 shows that 1,417 teachers will be produced.
"Of this number, 1,273 teachers are through PISMP, and 144 teachers through the Postgraduate Diploma in Education Programme (PDPP)," she said. - NST

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