Angela Chia

The moment I passed my interview in MTES(a.k.a Malaysian Teacher Selection Test), the excitement is indescribable, it is wonderful, it is as fresh as today! From that moment, I knew I will start my teaching life in the next 5 years. Eventually, time passes fast enough, I graduated in 23 Nov 2013 and officially "teacher", I could say. But you know, life isn't goes easy on me. Challenges and obstacles appears in my way to become a REAL teacher.

Most of us thinks that becoming teacher is really easy nowadays. Indeed, this "iron-rice-bowl"(铁饭碗）is not as easy as you think. There are few steps to get to become a teacher. First as mentioned earlier, we need to passed the MTES test first, and then we need to graduate in IPTA and most importantly we need to pass the Interview with SPP.

In March 2014, we went for the interview with SPP (Suruhanjaya Perkhimatan Pelajaran) in Kota Kinabalu. It is about four months after we graduated from university. We all are putting high expectation on getting posted as an official teacher and ready to serve! What happens in the next, wasn't as expected, most of us are being placed as "backed up" teacher (Calon Simpanan)!! Out of three thousands candidates, 1595 are reported as "backed up" teacher including ME!

The EXACT word I would describe my feeling that time is HOPELESS! I felt "cheated" by SPP! Sweet promises are delivered from time to time. What makes me more frustrated is that I felt myself as a leverage in politics issue recently!

Actions speaks louder than words! Every possible alternatives are taken seriously to make sure we could change the decision of SPP/KPM/Government! Every single measures are carried out with the best efforts. The only outcome we are looking forward is just the SIMPLE agreement on the posting issue! We starts from tweeting and Sharing on social medias, meeting the ministers, writing to newspaper and the latest is having peace demonstration in the Ministry of Education (MOE, a.k.a KPM) on 11 August 2014.

What we inquire is the confirmation, but not the promises that cannot be achieved! Sincerely from Desperate Calon Simpanan!