16,000 teachers to be closer to family

Ministry approves over half of transfer appeals

KUALA LUMPUR: The Education Ministry has given the green light to more than 50% of teacher transfer appeals as of January.

Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said about 16,000 out of 30,000 transfer applications nationwide have been approved from December 2015 to January this year.

“We understand how it feels to be separated from loved ones,” he said.

He cited the perennial problem of teachers being posted away from their families as one of the main reasons for the appeals.

“There will be another appeal session in June where the ministry expects to receive an estimated 7,000 applications,” he told a press conference after officiating at Telekom Malaysia Bhd’s (TM) new unifi mobile plan, the Jasa Pack, yesterday.

Mahdzir said the new plan, which is available only to teachers and ministry officials, costs RM59 a month with unlimited data, calls and SMS.

TM deputy group CEO Datuk Bazlan Osman said teachers and officials who wish to subscribe to the Jasa Pack may do so at any TM Point location.

“However, they must first subscribe to TM’s fixed services such as unifi or any other broadband services to be eligible.

“They must also show documents to prove they are teachers or Education Ministry officials,” he added.

Education director-general Datuk Dr Amin Senin, TM chairman Tan Sri Dr Sulaiman Mahbob and TM One executive vice-president Azizi A. Hadi were also present.