Thirty-one degree courses from six public universities and one from a private college are not recognised by the Public Service Department (PSD), according to an official letter by the Education Service Commission (SPP).

Among those immediately affected are graduates from public universities who have completed the one-year long degree holder's teachers training course (KPLI) and are awaiting their first postings to public schools by the Education Ministry.

One such graduate was informed by her campus officials about the non-recognisition of her degree by the PSD only after she had completed her final exams for the KPLI recently.

This has shattered her hopes of serving as a public school teacher.

The graduate, who requested anonymity, said that she was never informed about the matter when she enrolled for the course in January.

"An officer from the student affair department recently told us that some graduates who hold the unrecognised degree could not get the salary of degree qualification although they had been posted," she told malaysiakini yesteryday.

Many oblivious

"They were paid as a temporary teacher with their qualification before a degree. They are paid on the same scale as those with SPM or STPM certificates," she lamented.

She said the officer advised affected students to appeal to PSD and at the same time contact the department head of their degree course for details.

"We were surprise to hear this. Why does our government not recognize the certain courses by public universities? Even foreign universities recognize my degree while my seniors had furthered their studies there."

Several other KPLI graduates under similar circumstances contacted by malaysiakini were oblivious of the matter, while some had already received posting letters that specified that they will be getting paid as degree holders.

Those who have yet to receive posting letters, which are traditionally sent by the ministry in December, are worried because they might end up being unemployed.

Not recognised

The SPP is a department within the Prime Minister's Deparment that regulates the teaching profession in public schools. It is understood to have circulated the letter, dated Aug 23, to the human resource department of the Education Ministry.

A copy of the letter made available to malaysiakini states that, "the commission had found that there are trained temporary teachers with the degrees that are not recognised by the Public Service Department who had been posted (to schools)".

"The commission hopes to have the cooperation from the ministry to ensure only those with qualifications recognised by the government are posted."

According to a list appended to the letter, the 31 unrecognised courses are from six public universities - Universiti Malaya, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Mara and Universiti Putra Malaysia.

A SPP officer from the recruitment unit, Mohd Yazid told malaysiakini that the commission will not appoint those with qualification not recognised by the government.

"According to the relevant scheme, everyone has to obtain the recognition (of their degrees) from PSD to be appointed as a recognised teacher," he said.

He revealed that the commission had received complaints from those who do not hold a PSD recognised degree but are still accepted by the KPLI and posted to schools after they graduated and eventually could not be appointed by the commission as full-fledged teachers.

Prerogative of PSD

Asked on the reason of the non-recognition, Yazid explained that issues surrounding the recognition of degrees was the prerogative of the PSD.

"Maybe some universities are still applying for recognition (for the affected courses)we will appoint them once their degrees are recognised," he added.

He was unaware of the number of would-be teachers who would be affected by SPP's recommendations to the Education Ministry.

Secretary-general of NUTP Lok Yum Pheng told malaysiakini that she had received around 30 similar complaints but was unaware if they were related.

The PSD officer directly in charge of the matter could not be contacted.

In a related development, the New Straits Times today reported that the PSD is urging all public institutions of higher learning to have their new courses recognised by the PSD to enable graduates to obtain jobs in the public sector.

The new PSD directive is contained in the Guidelines for the Application for Recognition of Qualifications for Public Institutions of Higher Learning and were issued to all public instituitions of higher learning earlier this month.