Tamil School Teachers' Union Urges Priority for Educator Welfare

The National Union of Teachers of Tamil Schools Malaysia (KKGSTM) is calling for a comprehensive approach to teacher welfare, emphasizing physical health, mental well-being, workplace safety, and overall care for educators. KKGSTM President M. Arjunan Murogaiah stated that teachers are the nation's primary educational asset and require a safe, conducive, and low-stress work environment to perform professionally.

Key proposals from the union include regular health screenings, counseling services, a reduction in non-teaching tasks, support programs for new teachers, and a clear system for addressing workplace harassment, threats, and safety issues. These recommendations come in the wake of an incident where a female teacher's death in Selangor led the Ministry of Education to reaffirm its commitment to psychosocial support for school staff.

Arjunan Murogaiah also suggested establishing a Teacher Well-being Monitoring Framework specifically for Tamil schools. This framework aims to identify needs for early intervention and strengthen support for teachers. He stressed that teacher well-being directly impacts teaching quality, student achievement, and the overall excellence of the national education system. The union urged all parties to collaborate in making teacher welfare a consistent priority.