Kuala Lumpur: Teachers can be instructed to attend work during school term holidays, but not exceeding half of the school term holidays in a school year, the Dewan Rakyat was told on Tuesday.
Deputy Education Minister Lim Hui Ying said the matter was based on the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) Letter Number 11 of 2017 which also informed that the order to attend duty covered the task of supervising examinations, taking courses and preparation meetings at the beginning of the school year.
“Although this is not a routine task that needs to be done every day, it is also part of a teacher’s job,” she said when replying to a supplementary question from Vivian Wong Shir Yee (PH-Sandakan) at Dewan Rakyat Tuesday, who asked if teachers could be called on duty during school holidays.
The MOE letter Number 11 of 2017 stipulates that principals or headmasters can order teachers to be on duty during school holidays for a time not exceeding half of the school term holidays in a school year such as supervising examinations, taking courses and preparatory meetings at the beginning of the school year.
Meanwhile, Lim said so far no special allowance would be given to teachers who carry out tasks outside the classroom, including teachers who attend school management meetings on weekends.
However, she said if teachers are ordered to work outside the school, they are eligible to be given travel claims.
“This is at the moment, but we will take note of the issues raised and we will look into it,” she said in response to another question from Nurul Amin Hamid (PN-Padang Terap) who asked if the government would introduce special incentives or allowances for DG41 grade teachers who carry out assignments away from class.
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