The government will be announcing its agreement to improve the allowance of principals and headmasters in conjunction with the national level Teachers' Day, said Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
Muhyiddin, who is also education minister, said the allowance of secondary school principals was being raised from RM150 to RM300 monthly while the allowance received by primary school headmasters was increased from RM100 to RM200 per month.
"The increase in allowance will be effective from this July 1 and will involve 2,405 secondary school principals and 7,757 primary school headmasters.
"It is being implemented because principals and headmasters play a very important role in the excellence of a school in line with the aspiration of the Malaysian Education Blueprint (PPPM) 2013-2025," he said when officially opening the 2015 Teachers Day celebration in Dewan Wawasan, Jitra.
Muhyiddin also thanked Prime Minister Najib Razak for agreeing to the Education Ministry's proposal to improve the allowance of principals and headmasters.
He hoped the incentive could encourage the school leaders to continue enhancing the quality of leadership to ensure the school's excellence in producing successful students.
The performance of principals and headmasters would constantly be gauged through the key performance index (KPI) while attaining the KPI was a yardstick for them to continue holding their posts, he said.
Muhyiddin also announced the government's agreement to standardise the age limit for government officers to pursue their degree in masters and doctorate masters (PhD) from 43 years for masters to 45 years similar to PhDs under the federal training award.
Raising the age limit for government officers pursuing the masters degree would give more opportunity to education services officers (PPP) to continue learning at a higher level, he said.
He said knowledge enhancement among PPP would become the driving force for a more efficient and better quality teaching and learning services.
Scholarships for teachers
Beside that the deputy prime minister also announced that Yayasan Guru Tun Hussein Onn would assist teachers obtained fundings to pursue further studies, including those not eligible for government scholarships as they exceeded the age limit.
Yayasan Guru Tun Hussein Onn Act (Act 763) has been approved by Parliament and gazetted.
The Yayasan would also, said Muhyiddin take care of the welfare of teachers who needed support after treatment such as wheelchairs.
“Give that teachers are also at high risk of being involved in accidents that cause their lives, Yayasan Guru Tun Hussein Onn also becomes the hope to channel aid and educational financing to the children of teachers involved," he said.
Also present were Second Education Minister Idris Jusoh and the two deputy education ministers Mary Yap Kain Ching and P Kamalanathan.
- Bernama
