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In a question-and-answer session at Dewan Rakyat in Kuala Lumpur, Deputy Minister of Education Wong Kah Woh addressed the Ministry of Education's (MOE) assessment of workload management mechanisms and psychological support for teachers.

Wong revealed that family problems account for 17.43% of early retirements among teachers, followed by health issues (7.69%), work load (5.37%), and personal problems (2.08%). He stated that loss of interest in the profession is the main reason teachers opt for early retirement.

Since 2016, the MOE has developed a job description document explaining specific tasks for teachers. In 2021, the MOE introduced the School Governance Module (MySG) to better manage functions and administrative tasks in schools, following the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education's lead.

The Teacher Wellbeing Index (IKG) study, conducted between November 2024 and January 2025, involved 23,625 teacher respondents. The study showed a high score of 77.65 out of a maximum scale of 100, indicating a generally positive wellbeing among teachers.

To further address teacher wellbeing, the MOE has implemented a seven-step teacher well-being initiative. This initiative focuses on teacher pedagogy, assessment, school operations, examination evaluation, and school management and administration.

Wong also mentioned that the Education Service Commission opens a teacher application system throughout the year, with the MOE recruiting permanent teachers twice a year.

Regarding the number of early retirements, Wong disclosed that as of May, a total of 2,397 teachers had retired early in 2022, with 5,082 in the previous year, 6,394 in 2023, and 5,306 in 2022. The average number of teachers who retired early from 2022 to 2024 was 5,594 per year.

An implementation survey of the teacher well-being initiative in December 2024 involved 1,007 schools nationwide. The survey aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the initiative and identify areas for improvement.

The statement was in response to a question from Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin and a supplementary question from Datuk Adnan Abu Hassan.

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