By Melissa Tanya Gomes
30 July 2022
There are various routes to be a teacher in Malaysia. However, there are three options that potential Malaysian teaching candidates may undertake to be a teacher.
Option One: Program Ijazah Sarjana Muda Perguruan (PISMP)
3 Hour Written Exam
Students who scored 5A’s and above in their SPM results may apply directly to the Teachers’ Training College (Institut Perguruan Malaysia) or formerly known as Maktab Perguruan. In this program, however, candidates are assigned to primary schools.
Application
All potential PISMP candidates must submit an online application in MoE’s portal. Successful candidates will sit for an entrance examination called Ujian Kelayakan Calon Guru (UKCG) before being shortlisted for an interview.
Assessment
In the latest online format of e-UKCG, the examination consists of three parts that are; a 45-minute written assessment, a teaching video and a physical assessment video based on the guidelines provided by IPG.
Interview
Successful candidates will then proceed to an interview by Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Pendidikan (SPP) before being appointed to a school.
Option 2: Education Degree
Route: SPM → STPM → Teaching Degree from a University →School
In the event, candidates do not qualify for the PISMP program, candidates may explore taking STPM (pre-university exam) and enrol themselves in an education-related degree. Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) is the first choice of many students who wish to undertake teaching degrees.
Application to UPSI
Candidates who fulfill the basic qualifications below will submit an online application in the university’s portal.
- Malaysian citizen
- Not older than 30 years old
- Minimum of CGPA of 2.0
- Minimum Band 1 in the Malaysian University English Test (MUET)
Candidates who meet the above requirements and display strong physical and mental strength will be accepted into the program.
Option 3: Teaching Diploma: Kursus Perguruan Lepasan Ijazah (KPLI) or Diploma Perguruan Lepasan Ijazah (DPLI)
Route: SPM → STPM/Matriks → University →KPLI/DPLI →School
KPLI and DPLI is a one-year program open to all degree holders who wish to pursue a teaching career but do not have a teaching degree. Candidates with KPLI will teach in secondary schools, and DPLI candidates will teach in a primary school. Starting 12 October 2017, the Ministry of Education has stopped offering both programs. However, at present, the only institution offering these programs is University Malaya.
Application
The application is straightforward where candidates who fulfill the below requirements will submit an online application:
- Malaysian citizen
- Not older than 35 years old
- Possess an accredited degree from a local/private university or oversea
- Pass Bahasa Melayu in SPM
Interview
After completing the programs, candidates will proceed to an interview by Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Pendidikan (SPP).
Conclusion
In our previous article, one of the key strategies employed by Finland, Singapore, and Shanghai to select teachers is rigorous and in-depth examinations. Besides that, they also adopted intense interviews conducted by on-the-ground practitioners.
Is Malaysia’s teacher selection process rigorous and intense enough to recruit the best into the teaching profession?
Melissa Tanya Gomes is the Co-founder and CEO of Edvolution Enterprise. She has more than 10 years of experience in management consulting and education. She co-founded a school improvement initiative for which she was given the Excellent Service Award by the Ministry of Education Malaysia in 2018.
