The affected group had passed an interview last year for a special intake of 18,000 teachers in April. However, their applications were deemed ‘overlooked’ by the education service commission due to a system glitch.

Their spokesperson, Siti Khadijah Lutfi, said it was disappointing to hear a deputy education minister say the ministry would “fix a glitch” in the system that caused them to be left out.

“Why bother addressing the glitch when you can give us our teaching placements, which we deserve? We want the education minister to place us before the April school session begins,” she told FMT.

Astro Awani reported that the glitch was acknowledged by deputy education minister Mohamad Alamin today, and he said the education service commission has been ordered to fix the issue.

Khadijah said the affected group, which calls itself Hak Graduan Ikthisas Pendidikan, was also disturbed by the commission’s sudden change of goalposts by saying they preferred public university graduates.

She claimed this was relayed by an officer of the commission in a phone call before an official of the public complaints bureau on Feb 22.

Khadijah said minister Radzi Jidin had said all graduates, whether from public or private universities, were welcome to apply for teaching jobs.

She said the group was upset that the ministry had announced they would hire 6,000 more prospective teachers who need not be from an education background.

“By right, they should give us education graduates priority. Why not put us in placement first before hiring another 6,000 teachers who are not professionally trained to be teachers?” she asked.

FMT has contacted the education ministry for comment.