Based on new guidelines issued by the education ministry, teachers may also apply for transfers throughout the year.

According to a report in Berita Harian, education minister Radzi Jidin said the new guidelines, which replace the guidelines from 1975, also state that announcements regarding teacher transfers will be made four times a year as opposed to two times a year previously.

“Previously, these announcements also required the approval of headmasters or principals, but now they will only be allowed to give their reviews and will not be allowed to prevent teachers from making these transfers,” he said.

“This will give all teachers, including the excellent ones, a chance to move and contribute to other schools.”

He was speaking at the Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) campus in Bachok in conjunction with the 51st National Teachers’ Day Celebration.

Radzi noted that last year, 55% of the total teacher transfer applications had been approved by the government.

Meanwhile, the education ministry will be developing a scheduling app soon to be used by all schools throughout the country.

Radzi said this app will make it easier for schools to provide more flexible schedules involving three to four subjects a day.

“Currently, most schools are buying apps from third-party vendors and we’ve also found that many schools are having problems in terms of preparing schedules.

“So, the ministry has decided to develop an app which will enable the compiling of schedules based on information filled in by the schools, such as the number of teachers and classes,” he said.