KOTA BARU, Dec 28 — The Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Kota Baru (IPGKKB) will be working with the authorities in southern Thailand in an effort to improve the quality of education in the region.

IPGKKB deputy director Dr Narita Mohd Noor said the cooperation was aimed at overcoming the shortage of trained teachers in the Malay and English languages in Narathiwat, Yala, Pattani, Satun and Songkhla.

"They lack trained teachers, especially in Malay and English, and there are no professional teaching certificates or adequate teacher training courses available there.

"For this initial phase, we are starting a teacher training course with the involvement of private teachers in Thailand, and in the future we hope to work with people from the education department there. In fact, we have also received the support of the Malaysian Education Minister in this matter,” she said.

Narita was speaking to Bernama after attending the closing ceremony of a course for private teachers from southern Thailand here today, which was officiated by Kelantan Pakatan Harapan Education Bureau chairman Datuk Kamaruddin Mohd Nor.

The two-day course was attended by 50 participants from Narathiwat and Pattani.

Meanwhile, Kamaruddin said he welcomed the effort and would continue to support the IPGKKB.

"This collaboration also sees the establishment of IPGKKB as a regional centre for Malay language education, where we have begun by involving those from the southern region of Thailand, and it is possible to be expanded to other countries.

"I hope that with the establishment of this partnership it can help improve the quality of teaching the Malay language not only in Kelantan but also at the international level,” he said. — Bernama