PISMP grads only allowed to teach after getting approval

 PETALING JAYA: The Education Ministry is waiting for the Bachelor of Teaching Degree Programme (PISMP) to be accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA), Deputy Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said.
He added that it was standard procedure for the MQA to give accreditation only after the completion of the first run of the course.
Dr Wee was commenting on the quandary faced by the first batch of about 2,000 teachers from the programme who have yet to receive their postings after graduating in November.
“The problem arose because the accreditation of the PISMP programme is still pending. Once it is accredited, the Public Service Department and the Education Service Commission (SPP) will work to endorse it within 14 days,” he said, adding that the MQA would meet on Jan 25 to discuss the matter.
He had assured that the problem would be resolved before the third week of this month.
However, the affected teachers would be unable to teach until they had received the SPP approval.
In a statement released earlier, the United Chinese School Teachers Association (Jiao Zong) had called for the ministry and the relevant agencies to hasten the process of teacher placement in schools.
Jiao Zong said the PISMP graduate teachers should receive their postings quickly in view of the shortage of teachers in vernacular schools.
It added that PISMP graduate teachers who were affected by the accreditation process were frustrated because the issue has been referred to several agencies.

TheStar, Sunday January 16, 2011