The Professional and Personal Benefits of Being a PPG Student

Post Degree Graduate Program (PPG) is a government initiative under the 10th
Malaysia Plan with the supervision of the Ministry of Education Malaysia. The
implementation has been carried out by IPGMs (Institute of Teacher Education
Malaysia) fully to the education services officer diploma (PPPLD) for them to pursue
their studies to a higher level. The sincere desire of the government is to ensure that
educators have the knowledge and exposure to new greater knowledge and
experience. Thus, in further education it is hoped it can widen the knowledge and
experiences to the group of students at school. In addition, the government also wants
to upgrade the quality of the education system in Malaysia so that the existing education
system will increase and reach a level of quality that can come into play and the catalyst
to a developed country with its own mold. The government has also implemented this
program to ensure the group of educators will have a better standard of living. This
program is a government move to enhance the teaching profession towards an ideal
profession in this country.

There are several major advantages in terms of teacher professionalism by

participating in this program. Beginning in 1996, the government announced that the
teaching certificate obtained from teacher colleges throughout Malaysia is upgraded to
Malaysia's education Diploma (KDPM).The development of this educational system as
well as rising standards and increasing the feasibility stage of the academic or college
ikhtisas certificate to diploma. From this, the level of qualification has been increased
with targeted that 90% teachers of primary school and 100% teachers of secondary
school will hold degree in education to fulfill critical subject in primary and secondary
school. With this, the teaching profession is no longer looked down upon by some
people who claim to this noble profession as second-class profession. Through PPG
channels, PPPLDs teachers can upgrade their education to degree level and the
program is fully sponsored program by the Ministry of Education Malaysia.
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The program is seen to provide a deep impact in the soul of professionalism. No

doubt the Malay proverb saying "follow the customs of rice, containing more and more
down". The higher the education level of the teacher, the better and in performing their
professional duties and responsibilities as an educator. This is because the teacher is a
determinant of the success patterns of students who are heirs to a developed country
and competitive. Charisma and dynamism of the teachers was evident with high
knowledge and experience. Apart from learning theories obtained by following this
program, these student teachers are also exposed to a form more dynamic education
system thus can be applied in teaching and guiding students to greater heights,
especially in academia.

The continuation of the increase in this academic level, successful students

obtain undergraduate education personally will be offered higher salaries in the
remuneration system of Malaysia (SSM). In the table salary payment scheme, the
diploma of education services officers (KDPM) with grade DGA29 are starting from as
low as RM800 only. This situation changed when they are appointed as officers
graduate educational services (CPS) with a grade DG41 with a higher salary. This
proves that the higher level of academic qualification a person is, the higher the
qualification to their basic salaries. With the acquisition of high salaries, the possibility to
increase the standard of living is higher. The second class profession seriously now can
be denied to people so that this profession can now being look up as one of the
professional career too.

In conclusion, it can be concluded that the program offered by PPG is able to

cause major changes in the current profession towards a form of dynamic profession.
Soul educators who are trained in this program could provide an optimal impact not only
to the educators themselves, they also affect the motivation and determination to make
sure students are generally in excellent outcome can be enjoyed. There is no doubt the
increase the living standards claimed to the rising cost of household expenses which is
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also a catalyst for encouraging participation in this program. The success of this PPG is
a testament to the passion and commitment of the government as well as staff
educators to create an education system that is optimistic and competitive in progress
to produce the developed countries as well as professional educators in the field of
education.

Siti Asiah Binti Abdul Rahman

780123-08-6730