The government does not plan to review the allowances given to teachers teaching in interior areas for now, says education minister Fadhlina Sidek.
Fadhlina said Putrajaya was currently focused on raising the salaries of civil servants as a whole as well as “other measures to boost the professionalism and welfare of teachers”.
She said teachers in the interiors currently receive an allowance of RM500, RM1,000 or RM1,500, depending on how far they have to travel to get to their schools.
“The government has already taken the proactive step of raising the salary of civil servants, including teachers and school administrators, through the implementation of the public service remuneration system (SSPA) from Dec 1, 2024.
“This was part of the government’s effort to improve the welfare of civil servants, including teachers, in recognising their contributions to the national education system,” she said in a written parliamentary reply.
Fadhlina added that her ministry would evaluate the need for any improvement to be made based on the economic situation and the government’s finances.
“The ministry remains open to proposals on non-monetary incentives to help teachers and administrators carry out their duties and responsibilities well.”
Last week, the Sabah government teachers’ union urged the ministry and public services department to review the implementation of a new 25km “straight-line” travel allowance rule for teachers in Sabah.
It said this rule cannot be implemented rigidly in Sabah given the state’s hilly terrain and lack of infrastructure like roads.
The allowance for teachers travelling from their home to their schools is capped at a travel distance of 25km, measured as a straight line on a map rather than the actual distance covered by road. Some of the teachers involved have been asked to repay allowances paid earlier to them.
