KUALA LUMPUR The National Union of The Teaching Profession (NUTP) has asked the Education Ministry (MoE) to review the policy for teaching and learning at home (PdPR) report due to the different struggles that both the teacher and student face during this pandemic.
In a statement, the NUTP said teachers are required to complete the PdPR report on a daily basis using the links provided from Nov 17 until Dec 17 based on the notification letter issued by the MoE.
NUTP secretary general, Assocciate Lt. Col. Harry Tan Huat Hock said although the union was not completely against the directive, it urged for it to be reviewed due to problems faced by both teacher and student while they are going about the teaching and learning process at home.
"On Nov 18, we took an initiative and approached teachers to give their opinions and comments on the issue.
"One of the key points that were discussed based on feedback from teachers is that the MoE should focus on the main issues: internet accessibility, ability to purchase internet data and types of devices used.
"Teachers should be given the freedom to implement the PdPR because there is ample time for students to complete their daily homework. This is something which is not subjected to any 8am to 5pm regulation.
Tan said teachers are willing to receive their student's homework at night as they understand the hardship that they have to go through.
"One of the difficulties that the teacher has to go through is when students are unable to submit their homework based on their deadline, which will hold up the reports that are needed to be submitted by the teachers.
"For example, there are students asking for permission if they can submit their homework at night due the father having to work and the unavailability of the mother, who needs to be at the clinic for dialysis."
Tan added that overlapping reporting is not practical as teachers have to provide their reports to the school and fill out their online reporting.
"Our suggestion is for MoE to get the reports from the respective schools. The teachers have to fill in as many as 12 pages and the same thing needs to be filled in every day. It is burdensome to teachers who have a lot of classes on that day.
"The options in the reporting menu are also limited and confusing to teachers. They only fill in the report to meet the conditions which are far from what the actual target set by the MoE."
He added that the NUTP urged Senior Education Minister Dr Radzi Jidin to look through all the necessities for the implementation of PdPR in the current education system.