KUALA LUMPUR: Loss of interest in the profession has been identified as the main reason teachers opt to retire early. Deputy Minister of Education Wong Kah Woh confirmed this alongside factors like family and health problems.
Ministry data shows 67.44 per cent of teachers applying for early retirement cited a lack of interest as the primary reason. He provided this information during the Dewan Rakyat question-and-answer session.
Family problems accounted for 17.43 per cent of early retirement applications. Health issues followed at 7.69 per cent. Work load was cited by 5.37 per cent of applicants. Personal problems accounted for 2.08 per cent of the cases.
Wong was replying to a supplementary question from Datuk Adnan Abu Hassan. The query concerned the Ministry of Education’s assessment of workload management mechanisms. Psychological support for teacher well-being was also part of the question.
The original question came from Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin. She asked about the number of teachers opting for early retirement from 2022 to 2024. Wong stated that 2,397 teachers had retired early as of May this year. The figure for last year was 5,082 early retirements.
In 2023, the number was 6,394 teachers. For 2022, the figure stood at 5,306. The average number of teachers who retired early from 2022 to 2024 was 5,594 per year. To address teacher shortage and ensure well-being, the MOE recruits permanent teachers twice a year.
The Education Service Commission opens a teacher application system throughout the year. This aims to expedite the recruitment and placement of teachers. The MOE has been making improvements to management functions in schools.
This includes the creation of the School Governance Module (MySG) since 2021. A job description document has been developed since 2016. It explains the accountability of specific tasks for teachers.
Wong said the MOE takes a holistic approach to keeping teachers motivated. This is done through the seven-step teacher well-being initiative. The initiative focuses on pedagogy, assessment, and school operations. Examination evaluation and school management are also key areas.
A survey in December 2024 involving 1,007 schools showed the initiative’s success. The Teacher Wellbeing Index study from November 2024 to January 2025 showed positive results. It involved 23,625 teacher respondents. They scored at a high level of 77.65 out of a maximum scale of 100. – Bernama