Highlighting the plight of trainee teachers

TRAINEES at Institutes of Teacher Education were stunned at reading Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching’s statement that “there are 6,000 new admissions into IPGs (Institut Pendidikan Guru) for the July intake” in the report “No plan to close agencies, says Teo” (The Star, April 6).

This has sparked fear and frustration among the present crop of trainee teachers across 27 campuses in the country who could be forced or “kicked” out of their hostels due to lack of accommodation.

With no subsidy for accommodation, trainees would have to fork out their own money to pay for renting rooms. And they are struggling financially every day on the small allowance they are given.

Lack of accommodation is a hot issue among trainee teachers who are being told that there are no funds available to renovate the hostels, which are suffering from dire lack of maintenance. But most of them have no choice but to stay in the hostels, some of which are infested with termites, have leaking roofs, dirty water because the tanks are not cleaned, bathrooms that cannot be used due to clogged drains and so on.

Didn’t the Institute of Teacher Education Malaysia (IPGM) consider this problem before accepting 6,000 new trainees?

As it is, there are people who say that trainee teachers should not be given allowances and should be treated as normal university students. However, it is an unspoken fact that most trainees enter IPG because their education fees would be supported and their families cannot afford to pay for their studies.

I don’t think normal university students are required to use their own money to fix the facilities in their campus. At the IPG, trainee teachers are forced to fix broken-down facilities like air-conditioners and LCD projectors in lecture rooms with money from their own pockets.

The aim of the National Philosophy of Education is to produce individuals who are intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically balanced. But it does not seem to have factored in the mental health of trainee teachers.

Every semester, trainee teachers have almost 30 assignments to complete in the midst of organising events, completing daily tutorials and replacing credit hours due to public holidays. Lectures are from 8am to 4.30pm with only a two-hour break. With the extracurricular activities, events or replacement classes, the day can drag on until 10pm. As such, trainees have only a few hours at night to complete their assignments. This hectic, tiring and inhumane lifestyle is taking a toll on them.

In the report “Emphasis on mental health for students, teachers” (Sunday Star, April 21), Teo is reported as saying that “mental health is important not just for students but teachers too.” Could the mental well-being of trainee teachers be taken into consideration as well?

In 2018, a trainee teacher burdened by the hectic training schedule committed suicide by jumping off a building in Seremban. Has IPGM even acknowledged the struggles of trainee teachers after this incident?

Complaints to lecturers and even to IPGM are falling on deaf ears. Instead, the trainees are advised to learn to be “grateful” and to accept the hardships of life.

Let us not forget that teachers play a vital role in ensuring the nation’s future. It is time for all concerned to wake up and acknowledge the struggles of trainee teachers. All they want is to live a normal and healthy life with the basic necessities. Is this too much to ask for from IPGM?