KUALA LUMPUR – Parent Action Group for Education (PAGE) believes that teachers who are outspoken about the national education system should not be punished, and their views should be taken positively in order to improve.
PAGE chairman Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said that it has become a norm and habit for teachers to be “forced” to avoid voicing out any opinions and criticisms as they are only required to obey instructions from the higher authorities all the time.
“It seems that it has become a habit and a norm that certain bodies under the Education Ministry (MoE) cannot accept criticism, even if the opinion is something positive that helps improve the situation.
“If it is not the group of teachers to voice out, who else will know the problems of students in class and school and be wiser to give reprimands to benefit our children’s education?” she asked when contacted by Scoop.
Recently, a popular mathematics teacher, Mohamad Fadli Salleh, who decided to retire early, urged the government to review acts and regulations under the MoE that restrict the freedom of teachers to voice their views and criticise the weaknesses of the country’s education system.
Known as Cikgu Fadli, he claimed that the acts and regulations in question had caused some educators who were categorised as excellent to be discouraged from continuing to serve under the ministry.
Commenting on the matter, Noor Azimah said that teachers like Cikgu Fadli had already used the right ways to give reprimands, but that was not taken into account by the superiors. Instead, they were reprimanded because of their outspoken attitude shown to the public.
“Obviously, teachers like Cikgu Fadli have already used the right channels, but there has been no change or action for improvement to improve the quality and quality of the education system.
Unsatisfied teachers like him have to accept and obey orders from their superiors even if they have better ideas and ways to formulate something. Hence hindering good change from taking place.
“It is the ‘Little Napoleon’ (arrogant and stubborn) officers who destroy education because they care about power and cannot accept reprimands. They are the ones who discredit MoE because they want to deliver good news and records. Disciplinary action should be taken against ‘Little Napoleons’ who have such big heads,” she said.
Earlier, Cikgu Fadli was reported to have taken the decision to retire early and said he had been intending to do so for the past two years.
In 2022, Cikgu Fadli was brought before the Education Services Disciplinary Board following revelations about the volume of his speaking out about the national education syllabus, including the school bag issue.
However, he was found innocent, and no disciplinary action was imposed by the MoE. – February 12, 2024