Education grads still have a place in govt schools

PUTRAJAYA: Holders of a bachelor's degree in education from public universities will continue to be accepted by government schools, Deputy Education Minister Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi said yesterday. This would, however, be based on the current needs of the Education Ministry as well as what the graduates majored in.

Puad said graduates of teacher training institutes were being trained to meet the needs of the ministry, while those from public universities were mostly trained to meet the demands of the private sector.

This, he said, gave the ministry's postgraduate teacher training (KPLI) graduates an advantage when it came to school placements.

He said the large number Bachelor of Education graduates was also a reason why it seemed they were not being taken by the ministry.

"Problems like this surface when the number of university graduates in education exceeds the needs of the ministry. We note that many education graduates of public universities are jobless.

"We will hold talks with the Higher Education Ministry to sort this issue out," he said at the ministry's quality awards function yesterday.

Puad was responding to grouses expressed by graduates on teacher placements at schools, which they said seemed to have eluded them.

Present were the ministry's secretary-general, Tan Sri Dr Zulkurnain Awang, and Education Director-General Tan Sri Dr Alimuddin Mohd Dom.

Puad said teacher placements had been completed for the start of the school session on Jan 3 and 4.

The ministry, Puad said the ministry's training institutes' intake depended on the education sector's needs.

This year it took in 5,000 teachers to undergo KPLI. The number would be reduced to 1,500 next year.

However, he said the demand for English teachers remained high and the intake for these teachers would be held in stages.-NST

Catholic Magazine Herald Can Use Allah, High Court Rules

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 31 (Bernama) -- The Catholic weekly magazine, Herald, can use the world "Allah" in its publications, the High Court here ruled on Thursday.

The court said the everybody had the constitutional right to use the word "Allah".

Justice Datuk Lau Bee Lan held that the Home Minister had acted illegally in prohibiting the use of "Allah" in the weekly.

-- BERNAMA

Prinsip Meritokrasi Untuk Masuk Ke IPTA Kekal

KUALA LUMPUR: Prinsip meritokrasi yang mengguna pakai 90 peratus markah akademik dan 10 peratus markah kokurikulum dikekalkan untuk pengambilan kemasukan institut pengajian tinggi awam (IPTA).

"Markah kokurikulum 10 peratus diselaraskan oleh Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia memandangkan penganjuran, pemantauan, penilaian dan penglibatan pelajar adalah di bawah kawalan kementerian berkaitan," kata Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Pengajian Tinggi Prof Datuk Dr Radin Umar Radin Sohadi dalam satu kenyataan di sini hari ini.

Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi akan terus menerima markah kokurikulum 10 peratus daripada Kementerian Pelajaran untuk dipadankan dengan markah akademik 90 peratus yang diperoleh daripada agensi-agensi peperiksaan bagi menentukan markah merit seseorang calon, katanya.

Dr Radin Umar berkata Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi menerima pertanyaan daripada orang ramai mengenai dasar yang diguna pakai bagi pengiraan markah kokurikulum dalam permohonan dan pemilihan kemasukan ke IPTA.

Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi telah mengedarkan brosur lengkap ke semua sekolah menengah seluruh negara mulai minggu pertama November lepas mengenai dasar, prosedur permohonan, pemilihan dan kaedah pengiraan markah merit bagi pencapaian akademik dan kokurikulum calon untuk kemasukan ke IPTA.

"Pemohon digalakkan untuk mendapatkan bimbingan, khidmat nasihat dan panduan yang jelas serta tepat daripada guru bimbingan dan kaunseling sekolah sebelum mengemukakan permohonan kemasukan ke IPTA bagi sesi akademik 2010/2011," katanya.

Mereka juga boleh melayari laman web rasmi bagi mendapatkan maklumat lanjut mengenai kemasukan ke IPTA di www.upu.mohe.gov.my.

Mereka juga boleh mengunjungi Karnival Pengajian Tinggi Negara "Jom Masuk U" Tahun 2010 di 10 zon terpilih di seluruh negara mulai 9 Januari hingga 29 Mac bagi mendapatkan khidmat nasihat dan bimbingan kaunseling daripada institusi pengajian tinggi terlibat. -BERNAMA