Moe Co Teaching Model More Questions Than Answers Says Mca

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AN MCA leader said while the Education Ministry’s (MOE) plan to introduce a “co-teaching” model in the 2027 school curriculum appears promising, its implementation presents several financial, operational and staffing challenges that warrant clarification from the ministry.
The party’s deputy president Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon said this in response to Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek’s announcement yesterday (Nov 5), which will see two teachers conductig lessons together in one classroom.
Fadhlina had said this would make teaching and learning sessions more engaging and effective, and ensure that every student receives adequate attention.
“The co-teaching model has sparked debate over its practicality and long-term feasibility. Although its concept appears promising, its implementation presents several financial, operational, and staffing challenges that warrant clarification,” Dr Mah said.
“A key concern is whether the MOE has the budgetary capacity to hire the additional teachers required for the co-teaching system, which effectively doubles the number of classroom educators.
“It is unclear how the MOE intends to absorb the additional costs within its existing allocations without diverting funds from other critical areas such as school infrastructure, digital education, or student welfare programmes.”
Dr Mah noted that in Aug 2025, Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh revealed in the Dewan Rakyat that a total of 19,179 primary and secondary school teachers opted for early retirement, with 67.44% citing a loss of interest in teaching.
“This trend highlights a worrying decline in teacher retention. With many educators leaving the profession, the MOE faces the challenge of maintaining adequate staffing levels while introducing a system that requires two teachers per classroom,” he said.
“The MOE is expected to clarify its strategies for recruiting, training, and retaining qualified educators, particularly amid rising workloads and declining morale.”
There are also questions about how co-teaching will be implemented in rural and remote schools already facing teacher shortages and logistical barriers.
“Vernacular schools, in particular, have perennially struggled with teacher shortage woes,” continued Dr Mah.
“The MOE must explain how it plans to ensure fair deployment of teaching staff across urban and rural settings, and how co-teaching can function effectively in under-enrolled, overcrowded, or dilapidated schools with limited facilities.”
The MCA education consultative committee chairman further pointed to infrastructure readiness as another challenge, noting that it remains uncertain whether the MOE has assessed if schools have sufficient staff room, parking and teaching spaces to accommodate additional teachers.
“Without proper logistical planning or infrastructure upgrades, schools could face overcrowding and resource strain, potentially undermining the objectives of the co-teaching model,” he added.
Meanwhile, the new role also raised questions about workload management, where teachers may need to double their preparation efforts when coordinating lesosns while school principals and supervisors could face heavier monitoring duties with two educators per class.
Dr Mah said clear guidelines are required to define roles, prevent overlap, and ensure effective collaboration between co-teachers.
“Another concern is how co-teaching will affect career advancement. With more teachers in the same teaching environment, double competition for senior supervisory and principal roles may intensify,” he asserted.
“The MOE should outline how it will assess promotions fairly and provide equal opportunities for professional growth.
“Additionally, it remains unclear whether the MOE plans to conduct pilot programmes before nationwide implementation in 2027.
“Transparent evaluation metrics, such as student outcomes, teacher feedback, and classroom engagement will be vital in determining the success of this approach.
While the co-teaching initiative offers potential benefits for interactive learning, its success will depend on careful planning, sufficient funding, and strong teacher support. ‒  Focus Malaysia

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