MALACCA: Of the 648 teachers who took the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) test in Malacca, 28 or 4.32 per cent were found to be in a depressed state, said State Health and Anti-Drugs Committee chairman Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh.
In addition, he said, 23 or 3.54 per cent of them were found to be under stress based on the test conducted by the State Education Department (JPN) Psychology and Counseling Sector.
“The test was to measure the stress and depression levels of teachers in Malacca, and 648 of the 13,976 teachers who were identified to be under pressure, had volunteered to undergo the screening through the Ministry of Education’s Counseling Services Management System.
“Various measures were taken to help the teachers involved, including counseling sessions and the 3PI Programme which covers rehabilitation, prevention, development and intervention,“ he said at the Malacca state assembly sitting here today.
Dr Akmal (BN-Merlimau) said this in response to a question from Hameed Myhtheen Kunju Basheer (BN-Ayer Limau) on the issue of early retirement among teachers in Malacca.
Dr Akmal was representing State Education and Technology Committee chairman, Datuk Rais Yasin who is away to perform his Haj pilgrimage.
Dr Akmal added that a programme to increase awareness of teachers’ psychological well-being was also carried out to address the matter.
In the meantime, Dr Akmal said to date, 212 teachers in the state chose to retire early compared to 164 last year, due to several factors including the teachers or their spouses’ health problems, they have reached 25 years of service or their children have grown and they just wanted to rest.
“Some have chosen to retire early because they are not ready to take on administrative duties when given new placements, especially the grade 52 and 54 teachers,“ he said.
Earlier, in response to an oral question from Seah Shoo Chin (DAP-Kesidang) on plans to build schools in Malacca, Dr Akmal said the state government had applied for an allocation of RM68.8 million from the Federal government through the 12th Malaysia Plan (RMK12) for the construction of 13 new Islamic religious schools. - Bernama
