PETALING JAYA, Apr 12 (Sin Chew Daily) — Private university graduates may become relief teachers at Chinese primary schools.

Deputy education minister Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon said he made a proposal to the education ministry to allow private university graduates to apply for vacancies as relief teachers at Chinese primary schools.

He suggested to the ministry to open up the vacancies when public university graduates do not apply for the positions.

In an interview with Sin Chew Daily, Dr Mah said the education ministry, Public Services Department and other departments are looking into amending the criteria.

Last June, only 242 graduates applied in the second round of relief teacher recruitment with 647 vacancies.

Of the 242 applicants, only 126 attended the oral test and interview, and only 21 candidates were eventually recruited.

After having a discussion with some groups such as the Malaysia Chinese Language Council, the United Chinese School Committees' Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) and the United Chinese School Teachers' Association (Jiao Zong), all parties agreed that a feasible solution would be to recruit private university graduates to become relief teachers.

Dr Mah said he discussed the matter with ministry officers in December.

He said public university graduates were given the priority while private university graduates would be recruited based on the need of the situation such as English teachers.

Sin Chew Daily received a letter from a reader expressing his disappointment of facing hurdles to become relief teachers as a private university graduate.

The reader said the vacancies were only open to public university graduates and he waited for three years to apply.

Jiao Zong chairman Cheah Lek Aee said the shortage of Chinese primary school teachers might be resolved if the government was willing to recruit private university graduates. 

"There are many reasons for the vacancies to be unfilled. But at least the proposal would encourage more people to apply," he said.

Cheah said the ministry should be looking at more ways to resolve the shortage of Chinese primary school teachers.

Currently, there is a shortage of more than 500 teachers at Chinese primary schools nationwide.