A total of 7,079 untrained temporary teachers (GSTTs) will be offered teacher training courses from January next year.

Deputy Education minister Wee Ka Siong said of the number, 4,433 GSTTs would be undergoing courses at public higher institutions of learning while the rest at teachers training institutes.

He said they were among 13,184 GSTTs who had served since June last year and were given priority since they had met the stipulated conditions.    

“The Education Ministry treats seriously any views and complaints connected to GSTTs. Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also also Education Minister, is also concerned with the problems faced by the GSTTs.

“This announcement today indicates the commitment of the deputy prime minister who has fulfilled his promise to the 13,184 GSTTs serving the Education Ministry,” he told reporters after chairing a Temporary Teachers’ Special Committee meeting in Putrajaya today.

Wee said, of the 13,184 GSTTs, 1,799 were undergoing holiday teachers’ training courses while 2,788 GSTTs did not furnish complete documents to be considered but were given until Dec 26 to appeal.

Apart from that, he said 2,928 GSTTs were not qualified as they were overaged or had served less than two years.

However, he said they were offered short term contracts which could be renewed depending on need.

He gave his word the salary of those under such contracts would be the same as when they GSTTs.

Wee said the deputy prime minister had also decided that all the GSTTs need not repay the salary they had received since last October.

- Bernama