Vice Chairman of the National Party, Hu Dongqiang, urges the Ministry of Education to increase the enrollment quotas for Chinese language trainees in the Primary School Teaching Bachelor's Program (PISMP) for Chinese primary schools. This is to effectively address the issue of a shortage of Chinese language teachers in Chinese primary schools due to retirements or promotions.
He stated that according to data released by Deputy Minister of Education Huang Jiahe yesterday, this year, the National Teacher Training Institutes will train 1,678 teachers for Chinese primary schools. However, only 105 of them are Chinese language teachers, accounting for a mere 6.25% of the total. This number is far from sufficient to replace the number of Chinese language teachers retiring or being promoted to administrative positions each year in Chinese primary schools nationwide.
He mentioned that although the enrollment of Chinese language trainees for Chinese primary schools has increased from a mere 15 in 2023 to 30 in 2024, if this increase is due to Huang Jiahe’s efforts, it deserves a commendation. However, the number of 105 is still far from adequate, which is unfavorable for addressing the shortage of Chinese language teachers in Chinese primary schools nationwide and for the long-term development of Chinese education in our country.
"Deputy Minister Huang Jiahe announced that 1,678 trainees would be enrolled for Chinese primary school groups, but this figure is quite vague, as it also includes Malay, English, Music, Physical Education, Counseling, and Islamic Religion teachers for Chinese primary schools. These do not involve professional training in the Chinese language and are not conducted in Chinese like the Chinese language classes. Therefore, even though they are assigned to teach in Chinese primary schools after graduation, they are not qualified to teach Chinese language, and certainly cannot fill the vacancies for Chinese language teachers in Chinese primary schools."
He argued that only by increasing the enrollment numbers for Chinese language trainees for Chinese primary schools can we genuinely help resolve the issue of a lack of Chinese language teachers. The allocation of only 6.25% of the 1,678 enrollment quotas to the Chinese subject is impractical and unreasonable. Deputy Minister Huang Jiahe must address this issue head-on and strive to increase the enrollment quotas.
"There are over 1,300 Chinese primary schools nationwide, serving as the last line of defense for Chinese education. Under the rallying cry within the Chinese community that not a single one should be reduced, the source of teachers and students for Chinese schools becomes an important factor. We must not take this lightly, as it could affect the future of Chinese education."
He stated that if the number of trainees in the training programs for Chinese language teachers in Chinese primary schools fails to keep pace with the number of retiring teachers year after year, it creates a "progressively losing ground" scenario. This spells a worrying future for Chinese primary schools, which the Chinese community and educators must keep a close eye on.
He remarked that the shortage of Chinese language teachers in Chinese primary schools is a concern for the future of Chinese education and directly influences the quality of students’ learning. Consequently, the Ministry of Education must develop practical and reasonable teacher training plans from a long-term perspective, ensuring sufficient Chinese language teachers for all Chinese primary schools nationwide, rather than allowing the shortage problem to worsen year by year.
He suggested that in addition to increasing the enrollment numbers for the PISMP Chinese language group in Chinese primary schools, the Ministry of Education should consider other measures. These could include encouraging more qualified teachers of other subjects in Chinese primary schools to switch to teaching Chinese, providing scholarships to attract outstanding Chinese students to enroll in education courses at universities, and ensuring promotion opportunities for Chinese language teachers in Chinese primary schools to enhance teacher stability.
"The Ministry of Education must take this issue seriously and cannot let the shortage of Chinese language teachers in Chinese primary schools persist, ultimately affecting students' learning progress and shaking the foundation of Chinese education."
He urged Deputy Minister Huang Jiahe to pay attention to this issue and take effective measures promptly to resolve the teacher shortage problem in Chinese primary schools, thereby ensuring the sustainable development of Chinese education in our country.