“There’s no need to have a diploma just to teach a few simple words,” said Education Advisor Li Su Fook in a Daily Express report.
Preschool education, he said, was different. “It covers just simple words, drawing and singing.”
Doubting that a diploma would help improve pre-school education, he said, “Many Chinese school teachers, for example, can teach in three languages.
“I am not sure how many teachers with a diploma can do that.”
He was commenting on a statement by chairperson Jenifer Anjek of the newly-formed Majlis Perundingan PraSekolah Swasta Sabah (MPPSS).
He agreed with MPPSS that many private kindergartens would close down if the Education Ministry insisted on pre-school teachers having the Diploma in Early Childhood Education.
Li, who advises Kian Kock School, noted that most pre-school teachers with private kindergartens in Sabah had been in the field for 30 years and even more.
“Their practical experience in teaching was more valuable than having just a paper qualification,” he said. “Their experience on the practical aspects makes up for the lack of paper qualifications.”
He reiterated that existing pre-school teachers in Sabah were more than qualified to carry on doing their job for which they were not paid much.
“Those with a diploma would want to be paid more,” said Li in citing another reason why many private kindergartens would be forced to close down.
Noting that private kindergartens had at least two teachers per class, he said, “That will make it even more expensive to employ teachers with diplomas.”
Li also ruled out forcing existing pre-school teachers to pursue the Diploma in Early Childhood Education and said, “Many are grandmothers nearing retirement in a few years.”
If the new rule was imposed by the Education Ministry, he added, it should only apply when there’s a new intake of pre-school teachers.
Li urged the Education Ministry instead, to consider organising courses during school holidays to further improve pre-school education.
“I believe this would be enough,” he said. “The present pre-school teachers have ample experience to continue doing a good job.”