Chinese primary schools face teacher shortage

CHINESE primary schools in Peninsular Malaysia are short of 1,032 teachers, Sin Chew Daily reported.

National Union of Heads of Schools Malaysia president Wong Shee Fatt said that another 232 teachers would retire in the next three months, raising the shortfall to 1,264 teachers.

Wong also said while 400 teachers would graduate from the Teachers Training College soon, the shortage would be unresolved.

He also added that only government university graduates could apply for the Education Ministry’s temporary teacher programme.

These temporary teachers were also required to pay fees for training holiday-time teaching courses, driving many away, said Wong.

“There are private varsity students interested in becoming temporary teachers.

“But they are not allowed to teach under the new rules,” he said during a forum on Wednesday.

> A Singaporean businessman used the media to locate the owner of a lottery ticket worth S$5,000 (RM15,000), China Press reported.

The 63-year-old contacted Shin Min Daily after he mistakenly took someone else’s lottery ticket at a Singapore Pools outlet on Saturday.

“After attending a dinner function, I realised one of the lottery numbers did not belong to me.

The businessman contacted the lottery company about locating the owner but was told to hand the ticket to the police.

“It’s too cumbersome even to do a good deed. As such, I decided to contact the paper for help. I hope to return it to the owner. This money does not belong to me,” he said.

Those who suspect they own the ticket may contact Shin Min Daily for more information.

> Hong Kong singer Edison Chen (pic) was criticised by the Chinese for wearing the jersey of NBA basketball team Houston Rockets, Oriental Daily reported.

The Weibo photo was well received when it was uploaded on Sept 27 but netizens insist it be taken down after the team’s general manager tweeted in support of the Hong Kong protests last Friday.

“The Rockets insulted the Chinese. Delete your post,” a fan wrote.

The photo was uploaded to promote the jersey, which was designed by Chen’s fashion label CLOT.

Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey angered the Chinese with the tweet: “Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong.”

The team is set to lose millions in revenue with China now having suspended the airing of Houston Rockets games on television.

The tweet has since been deleted.