Cambridge Survey Names Malaysian Teachers One of the Most Dedicated in the World

Teachers play an important role in our lives; after all, they’re the ones offering us knowledge during our most formative years from about age 5 to 17. Plus, some teachers really give us their all and for that, Malaysian teachers have been labelled one of the most dedicated educators in the world by a recent Cambridge survey.

According to The Star, Global Education Census 2018 revealed that teachers in Malaysia are very dedicated especially in ensuring that their students excel in their academics. On top of that, the census discovered that 70 per cent of Malaysian teachers felt that this profession is very rewarding.

This research was carried out by education group Cambridge Assessment International Education (Cambridge International). FYI, this group is a part of Cambridge University.

Cambridge International was quoted as saying,

“Also, 75% of teachers who took part in the survey ran extra classes to help their students achieve good exam grades – the highest of all the countries surveyed.”

Three out of four Malaysian teachers shared that they gave extra lessons and classes for their students. Not only that, studying past-year exam papers have been proven to be one of Malaysian teachers’ favourite method of revision. Do y’all remember doing this in school?

When the researchers asked how would the teachers measure their own “professional performance”, 84 per cent of them said that they measured their performance based on their students’ exam results. However, 40 per cent of them said that they measured their performance by the number of students who managed to fulfil their goal of pursuing higher education.

If you aren’t aware, the Global Education Census is actually the first-ever comprehensive global study of the type of life led by students (aged 12 – 19) and teachers in schools around the world. The census obtained their data from 10 countries, and they are:

• Argentina 
• China
• India
• Indonesia 
• Malaysia 
• Pakistan 
• Saudi Arabia 
• Spain 
• South Africa 
• The United States of America 

In Malaysia, a total of 477 students and 634 teachers took part in the survey. They gathered insights from about 20,000 teachers and students on the topics mentioned below:

• Best classroom practices 
• Effective use of additional teaching and learning aids 
• Use of technology in learning and teaching 
• Extracurricular activities 
• Student aspirations 
• Teacher motivation 

Dr Ben Schmidt, the regional director of Cambridge Assessment International Education, said that they wanted to comprehend what education is like all over the world. He added that they hoped Malaysian educators could impart their knowledge, skills and “know-how for learners”.

In the meantime, the National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) secretary-general Harry Tan said that the survey reflected their opinion on Malaysian teachers’ dedication level. He shared,

“Our teachers are hardworking but are bogged down by matters other than teaching.”

“So, to keep up (with the syllabus), they conduct extra classes. Some schools even have night classes before exams like Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR).”

It’s no doubt that Malaysian teachers are one of the most dedicated teachers in the world because, certainly, we have also experienced our fair share of amazing teachers in school.

Who was the most dedicated teacher in your school? Share your experience with us in the comments below!  

 

Also read: Education Minister: SKPMg2 Audit Suspended Immediately to Reduce Teachers’ Burden