KUCHING: This year’s Teacher’s Day celebration brought some good news to the teaching profession when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced more promotion opportunities for teachers next year.

In his recorded video message which was telecast at the national-level Teacher’s Day gathering at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here yesterday, he announced that the government would introduce new promotion methods for teachers, which would take effect Jan 1 next year.

He explained that under the new system teachers will be categorised into four levels, namely regular teachers (Guru Biasa), senior teachers (Guru Kanan), high calibre teachers (Guru Wibawa) and teaching luminaries (Pendeta Guru).

“The creation of the tiers will enable the teachers climb to higher grades based on their performance.

“On top of that, through the Guru Wibawa and Pendeta Guru concepts, teachers in the teaching and learning field will have the opportunity to go to Grade 54 within 25 years of service as long as they can meet the necessary requirement as set by the Education Department Promotion Board,” he explained.

He said the other good news was that those who have shown extremely excellent performance as determined by the department’s promotion board will be able to achieve Special Grade C before retirement.

He added that for this purpose there will be 72 posts for the Special Grade C in the teaching and learning sector, double the existing 36 posts.

Najib also said as evidence that the government highly recognises the teaching profession the scale for secondary school headmasters will be upgraded from Grade DG48 to Grade DG52 involving 1,228 posts.

“Besides, all senior assistants for administration, academic affair and co-curriculum of secondary schools will be upgraded from the DG44 to DG48 which involves 6,585 posts.

“Senior assistants for administration, academic affair and co-curriculum in cluster primary schools will be upgraded from DGA32 to DGA34,” he pointed out.

Meanwhile Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin when addressing the event described the announcement as a most meaningful present for teachers.

“This is a clear indication that the government always acknowledges the contribution made by teachers in bringing the country to greater heights.

“Despite the effort to control the nation’s deficit, still the prime minister has kindly agreed to the introduction of the new scheme for the teaching profession,” he said.

He however hoped that the upgrading of the scale for teachers would be a booster for them to work harder especially when there was a need for the country to improve its education quality.

Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud who was among those present also spoke during the event.

The highlight of the gathering yesterday was the presentation of awards to role model teachers (Tokoh Guru).

Source: The Borneo Post