Mahdzir: Teachers only need to manage two applications

PUTRAJAYA: Beginning this year, normal class and academic teachers only need to manage the Student Data Base Application (APDM) and School-based Assessment ( PBS- Offline) to reduce the burden of their tasks.

Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said the applications involving school operations like the Educational Management Information System ( EMIS) and Online Registration System ( SPAT) would only be implemented by the appointed teachers such as data teachers and the examination secretaries.

“We want the problem of heavy tasks and responsibilities shouldered by teachers to be resolved fast as the teachers should be focusing more on teaching,” he said in the ministry’s 2017 new year message delivered at an assembly at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre, yesterday.

To boost teachers’ competence and potential, Mahdzir said the Teaching Professionalism Development Master Plan had been drawn up as a guideline and motivation for them.

“The ministry is hopeful that teachers will benefit from this plan to raise their competency level,” he said.

On the PBS, Mahdzir said from this year, the results of the Form Three Assessment ( PTS)

We want the problem of heavy tasks and responsibilities shouldered by teachers to be resolved fast as the teachers should be focusing more on teaching. Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid, Education Minister

would be printed together with three other components, namely the School Assessment ( PS), Psychometric Assessment ( PPsi) and Physical Activities, Sports and Co- Curriculum Assessment (PAJSK).

He said before this, the PT3 results and other components were printed separately on different sheets, causing the public to focus on the academic results without taking into consideration other values that helped develop holistic students.

“There were ( parents) who came to see me to say that their son/daughter had 9 A’s in the PT3, but when I asked them about the results of other assessments, they said they had only brought the examination results. This is because there was no understanding yet of PT3 being linked to the other components.

“If this is not done, we will return to the old ways where the assessment was only based on academic performance and we will forever be examinationoriented,” he said.

On school assistance for students this year, Mahdzir said the ministry was providing 19 forms of aid through an allocation of RM3.059 billion, an increase over the sum of RM2.064 billion last year.

Mahdzir said the aid included the Supplementary Food Programme (RMT) and 1Malaysia Milk Programme, Children with Special Needs Allowance ( EMK), sports scholarships, uniforms aid, federal bursaries and the 1Malaysia Early Schooling Special Aid.

On claims that the teacher education institutes ( IPG) would be closed, he said only 11 of the 27 IPGs would be changed into other educational institutions in stages to maximise infrastructure usage.

He said there were IPGs with a low number of students, resulting in parts of the campus buildings being unused or vacant.

“Some will be turned into vocational colleges and polytechnics but this will take time; we are not closing them (some IPGs) immediately,” he added. — Bernama