KUALA LUMPUR: The Education Ministry wants to recruit over a thousand teacher trainees, says Datuk Chong Sin Woon.

The Deputy Education Minister said they were needed for the June intake of the undergraduate degree in education (PISMP) programme.

He said 1,020 new teacher trainees are needed as the Ministry continues to open more schools across the country.

He said that they needed 300 Bahasa Melayu (BM) teachers; 60 for English; 20 for Chinese; 120 for Mathematics; 80 for Science; 40 for History; 80 for Design and Technology (Rekabentuk dan Teknologi); 100 for Physical Education; 20 for Early Childhood Education; 40 for Counselling; 40 for Special Education; and 120 music teachers.

"Interested school leavers are welcomed to join us," said Chong at a press conference at SMJK Confucian here on March 21.

He noted that apart from students who had completed the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) exam, those who graduated with the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) are also encouraged to be teachers.

"There are 20 slots reserved for UEC graduates in each intake of the PISMP programme.

"UEC graduates would need to have scored a credit in BM, History and English to be eligible as a teacher trainee," he said, adding that he hoped Dong Zong (the United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia) and principals of Chinese Independent schools would encourage their graduates to be teachers.

Chong said good benefits come with being a teacher.

"Teachers receive time-based salary increments.

"New teachers get about RM2,500 a month when they first start, while veteran teachers would have over RM5,000," he said.

He added that teachers identified to be great teachers could become excellent teachers or become School Improvement Specialist Coaches Plus (SISC+), and would be able to receive even higher salaries.

Those who are interested to take up teaching can register at pismp.moe.gov.my.

-The Star-