Education Ministry to appoint 20,000 contract teachers from SPP reserve list to address double cohort demand in 2027, prioritising subject specialisations.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Education will mobilise reserve candidates from the Education Services Commission list to address an anticipated teacher shortage.
Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said priority will be given to candidates whose subject specialisations match next year’s identified needs.
This move anticipates a double cohort in 2027, when six-year-olds can voluntarily enter Year One. The ministry has decided to appoint 20,000 teachers on a contract of service basis.
“Previous projections from the Teacher Education Institutes only accounted for a single cohort,” Wong said during the Dewan Rakyat question-and-answer session.
He explained that extra teachers needed for 2027 will be hired on contract from those without specialisation. This allows appointments this year to meet next year’s demand.
Wong was responding to a question about absorbing early childhood graduates to tackle the 2027 shortage. In a related development, he said 3,237 new teachers were placed in Sarawak last year.
“As of December 31, 2025, Sarawak had 42,315 teachers in service out of 43,257 positions,” he said. This represents a 97.82% fill rate based on vacancies and subject requirements.
Teacher recruitment by the SPP is carried out based on vacancies and specialisation needs set by the ministry. All candidates must undergo the SPP’s screening process and meet service scheme requirements.
Candidates must also match the relevant subject cluster, pass an interview, and be medically certified fit before appointment. The ministry is committed to improving new teacher recruitment nationwide.
