He felt academicians should be allowed to work until 65.
Commenting on the plight of 156 professors in public universities, who did not have their contracts renewed after they reached 60, Tee said it was high time the retirement age was reviewed in line with other countries.
Writing in his weekly column in Sinar Harian today, the UniSZA lecturer said the government should understand that most educators achieved the “Professor” status at the average age of 50.
Hence, it would a waste to give them only a few years to pass on their expertise to scholars.
“Don’t the leaders today realise that (where they are today) is the result of their professors’ teachings?
“These academicians differ from civil servants as they contribute more in comparison,” Tee said.
National Council of Professors (MPN) CEO Professor Dr Raduan Che Rose had earlier said that 156, or 33% of 507 contract professors aged between 61 and 70 in public universities did not have their contracts renewed as a result of budget cuts at the tertiary institutions.
Raduan was reported as saying that professors should be placed under the Higher Education Service Commission and not the Public Service Commission, which sets retirement at the age of 60.
“I agree with this statement as the government should form a special body to ensure the knowledge possessed by these academicians do not go to waste after retirement,” Tee said.
In the 2016 Budget, which was tabled last October, annual allocations for public universities were reduced by 16.5%.