Fadhlina: Education Ministry to discuss raising salary of teachers with higher qualification

NIBONG TEBAL, May 27 ― The Ministry of Education (KPM) is giving due attention on the discussions to raise the salaries of teachers who have higher academic qualifications as recognition for them.

Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said her ministry also takes the recommendation seriously and believes that it must be in terms of qualification meaning the integrity of quality and the teaching service which is the focus of KPM.

“We take the view (on recommendation to increase the salary of teachers with higher academic qualifications) seriously and the call on the salary increase for civil servants as announced by the prime minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) which will be the initial focus as soon as the national economy recovers.

“We are currently under the radar of the discussion (the recommendation) and also in the context of raising teachers' salaries and in terms of quality, meaning the integrity of the quality and service of teachers, this is our focus,” she told reporters here today.

She was met after officiating the Seberang Perai Selatan (SPS) Kita Madani Carnival in Sungai Duri, here which was also attended by Penang Information Department director Sabri Said.

Fadhlina, who is also the MP of Nibong Tebal, said this when asked to comment on a newspaper report regarding the government being advised to raise the salaries of teachers with higher academic qualifications as a recognition of them to improve themselves and further strengthen education for the nation's children.

Secretary of the Education & Human Capital Cluster of the National Council of Professors (MPN) Dr Anuar Ahmad is reported to have said that currently the salary of teachers with a master's degree and doctorate of philosophy (PhD) is the same and it is appropriate to review it.

He was also reported as saying that the government should provide incentives to teachers with higher qualifications so that they can feel the importance of continuing to study not only to increase their knowledge, but also to increase their salaries in the field they are engaged in. ― Bernama