Free Malaysia Today (19 Feb 2026) reported that the expansion of Bahasa Melayu (BN) and History in private and international schools may be affected by a shortage of qualified teachers.
Teh Choon Jin, Deputy President of the National Association of Private Educational Institutions, said the shortage of BM and History teachers in private and international schools is quite significant.
“A number of private schools that already align partially with the national curriculum are better positioned. But many international schools were designed around foreign curricula, with staffing models built accordingly.
“The pipeline of teachers trained specifically to deliver BM and History, particularly within English-medium, internationally benchmarked environments, is limited. We should not confuse willingness with readiness.
“Teaching History meaningfully requires subject mastery and the abiklity to navigate sensitive historical narratives thoughtfully. Therefore, a short course will not transform a teacher into a condifent civic educator.”
NAPEI supports efforts to strengthen Bahasa Melayu and History for nation-building. However, implementation must be realisitc, phased, and supported by sustained teacher development to ensure quality delivery for students.
