600 new assistant wardens to be recruited to ease teachers’ workload and strengthen student safety and discipline in hostels.
PETALING JAYA: In a major move to strengthen hostel management, the Education Ministry will appoint 600 assistant wardens next year.
Its deputy minister Wong Kah Woh told the Dewan Rakyat yesterday that the extra 600 assistant wardens will ensure that the recruitments support efforts to reduce the workload of wardens appointed from among teachers and non-teaching staff.
He said only candidates who meet standardised eligibility criteria, including being Malaysian citizens and having no criminal record, will be recruited under the initiative.
He said hostel wardens play a vital role not only in ensuring safety, but also in shaping students’ character and discipline.
Their appointment, he added, must align with the function of hostels as comprehensive educational institutions.
“Under this principle, the ministry continues to prioritise the appointment of teachers as wardens, based on the concept of in loco parentis, in which teachers act in the role of parents in school hostels. The concept emphasises the responsibility of wardens to safeguard students’ welfare, safety, education and discipline, while guiding them in character formation and instilling moral values,” Wong said.
He emphasised that having teachers serve as wardens also strengthens the confidence of students and parents in school management.
To ease the workload of teachers serving as wardens, the ministry expanded the appointment of full-time wardens to include non-teaching staff from Grade 1 and above from 2019.
“As of Sept 30 there are 10,214 wardens nationwide, comprising 9,428 teachers and 786 non-teaching staff. In 2022 the ministry increased warden allowances and introduced privileges for teacher-wardens, including minimal co-curricular involvement, exemption from being class teachers and exemption from teaching the first period.”
Addressing concerns about workload, Wong highlighted several improvements introduced since 2019, including adjustments to allowances in 2022, when the chief warden allowance was raised from RM280 to RM350 and the warden allowance from RM240 to RM300.
He also said the ministry is aware of increasing hostel enrolment each year and has been implementing continuous improvements in warden welfare and staffing since 2019.
“In 2022, qualification requirements for wardens were revised – previously one warden was appointed for every 50 students. The updated criteria now provide three wardens for one to 30 students, four for 51 to 100 students, four for 101 to 150 students and so on.”
Wong stressed that this forms part of ongoing efforts to improve safety and reduce the burden on existing wardens.
He added that creating a dedicated warden post requires thorough study as it involves restructuring staffing and depends on the consideration of central agencies.
“For now, the ministry maintains the in loco parentis approach, which remains relevant to current needs.”
Wong said teachers appointed as wardens are trained and understand what is required to meet students’ needs.
