Malaysia is one of Asia's biggest employers of foreign labour. But recently, cases of deaths, abuse and forced labour have come to light. What is going on? Who is protecting these migrant workers?
NUTP secretary-general Lok Yim Pheng said this was because the service agreements
signed by teachers clearly stated that they could be posted anywhere at the
discretion of the Education Ministry.
<p>However, she said, the union would put forward three requests to Education
Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.</p>
<p>"The majority of our teachers are women and we are concerned about their
security. We ask the minister and the Education Department to take this into
consideration before posting teachers to rural schools, especially young and
single women.</p>
<p>"Secondly, all teachers posted to rural schools should be provided with
quarters. In other government sectors such as the medical services, police and
army, those serving are given quarters. Why not teachers?"</p>
<p>The third request, she said, was for the Education Department to conduct courses
for teachers being sent to rural schools to prepare them.</p>
<p>"It is not enough to just go through the theory in college. These new
teachers need some sort of orientation course so that they are better prepared
to handle students and problems that may arise in a rural school.</p>
<p>"For some teachers, working in a rural school and living in a rural area
may come as a culture shock," she said.</p>
<p>Hishammuddin had said on Saturday that the ministry was studying the possibility
of making it compulsory for new teachers to serve in rural schools. This is
to avoid the possibility of teachers giving various excuses and refusing to
teach in rural areas.</p>
<p>He had said the ministry would decide on the matter soon.
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