PARENTS and teachers are thrilled that the Government will be spending RM38.7bil to improve the quality of education.

National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) secretary- general Lok Yim Pheng said not many countries could afford to invest as much as 21% of total spending in education.

The extra RM500mil to train teachers in core subjects through the Higher Order Thinking Skills approach is no small sum either, she said, adding that continuous professional development was synonymous with the quality of teachers and education.

Teachers have to grab this opportunity and see it as a means of personal development, she said, adding that NUTP had been pushing for training to be monitored.

On Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razaks statement that investments in education were not producing comparable returns, Lok said: Education is a long-term investment. Whatever you spend in education will produce yields eventually.

Sarawak Teachers Union president Willian Ghani Bina said although it would take time, education was key to the nations success, describing the RM500mil to train teachers as necessary and timely.

Parent Action Group for Education (PAGE) chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said if the Government had wanted to emphasise on research and development with large allocations for research universities, then Malaysians have to prepare their children by teaching them Science and Mathematics in English.

If youre serious about going into high-tech industries, then youll need English, she said.

Proton Edar corporate sales head Roslan Mohamed said as Malaysia reached the status of developed nation, it needed to emphasise on education.

Giving RM500mil for teachers development is a good start, said the father of four.

Continued here:
Grab chance for personal development, teachers urged