By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Nov 21: The 58 teachers who resigned or failed to report for duty under the Sarawak Special Teacher Intake are not trained teachers and their absence will not affect school operations across the State.
Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn stressed that the perceived shortage of teachers in Sarawak is “not significant”.
He explained that the seven individuals who resigned and the 51 who did not report for duty were contract-of-service recruits, not graduates from teachers’ colleges or formal training institutions.
“These are not trained teachers. They were recruited under the Sarawak Special Teacher Intake last year. There were many applicants during the recruitment, but perhaps when they received better job offers or for reasons known only to themselves, they did not report for duty,” he told a press conference at the ministry’s office today.
Despite the withdrawals, Sagah assured that schools across Sarawak remain sufficiently staffed and capable of managing students and delivering the curriculum effectively.
“Our schools have enough teachers in the sense that they are able to cope with students and the curriculum. Of course, we are hoping for new teachers to come in,” he said.
He highlighted that 1,434 newly trained teachers from teachers’ colleges were posted to Sarawak on Monday (Nov 17), further strengthening the workforce.
“Don’t worry. These are real teachers, meaning they are professionally trained and not contract-based,” he said.
Sagah explained that those hired under the contract-of-service scheme serve as temporary teachers and may later apply for formal training.
Nonetheless, he emphasised that the ministry would continue monitoring staffing needs closely.
“We have a very capable Education director who is monitoring the situation. If there are shortages, we will find ways to fill the posts with the correct people, not just anybody.
“If a person does not know how to teach mathematics, how can they do the job? We must ensure relevant people teach to safeguard the education of our children,” he added.
On Nov 18, Sarawak Education director Omar Mahli disclosed that seven contract recruits resigned while another 51 failed to report for duty. The reasons included receiving other job offers, declining the placement, and personal issues.
As of November 2025, Sarawak has received 1,219 teachers under the special intake initiative, with 957 placed in primary schools and 262 in secondary schools. The placements have significantly reduced staffing gaps, raising the overall staffing rate across schools to 98.59 per cent.
Deputy Minister of Talent Development Datuk Francis Harden Hollis was present. — DayakDaily
