80 interim teachers fail psychometric test

KUCHING: A total of 80 out of 236 interim teachers from Sarawak who have been given a second chance to sit for the psychometric test conducted by Education Service Commission ( SPP) in March have failed.

This was disclosed by an interim teacher who was among those who failed in the test.

“Based on our own research, there were 236 of us who sat for the test but I am not sure the exact figure as SPP did not reveal their list.

“We are very disappointed with the results and at the same time, curious as to how they marked the test. Is it reliable? Can we trust them? We would like to propose that the test papers be re-marked by another independent panel from Sarawak,” he said when contacted yesterday.

The interim teacher said they were even willing to fork out their own money to attend the Interim Teachers Interview Course and Psychometric Test conducted by Persatuan Alumni Dayak Univer si t i Ma laya ( Padum) in Sibu but were disappointed and frustrated that the outcome of the test was still the same.

“We attended the course and discussed ways to tackle the questions and prepare ourselves for the test but we don’t know why the answers that we provided were still wrong and we still failed the test.”

They also questioned the nature of one of the questions asked: ‘Do you ever have random sex?’ which to them was very personal and irrelevant to their profession.

“What do they expect us to answer for that question? We think the question is not suitable. What is the connection of this question with the teaching profession?”

He also felt that another question asking them for their priority if there was a request by their father and by their profession.

Even for some of the interim teachers who managed to pass the psychometric test, they were also not happy because not all of them were selected for the interview.

“We (interim teachers who passed) are also not happy with the outcome and we will fight together with our friends who failed.”

When asked on their feelings now, one of the interim teachers said she did not know what else she could do as her hard work all this while did not pay off.

Previously, it was reported that the services of 210 interim teachers were terminated as they failed the same test that they took in December last year.

However, following the intervention by Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg, Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid allowed their services to be extended to June 30 and were given a chance to sit for the test again.

In addition, the 210 interim teachers were also given a second chance to attend the interview session of the SPP.

Meanwhile, newly appointed Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research Dato Sri Michael Manyin, when contacted to comment on the failure of the interim teachers to pass the psychometric test, said he had just been appointed to the ministry and thus, did not have the information with him yet.

When asked if he would assist the interim teachers, Manyin, who is a former school principal, said: “Of course. But before I can meet them, I must know why they failed/not selected and who are in a position to help them.

“There is no point to meet them just for the sake of meeting them.”