Reporting For Duty: What It’s Like To Be A Newly Posted Teacher in Malaysia

In mid-February, five million students officially began the 2025/2026 school session nationwide. Among them, 461,198 students started school for the first time as Standard One students, while 460,494 transitioned from primary to secondary education. The first few weeks of school are typically filled with orientation sessions, textbook distributions, club sign-ups and other activities designed to help students ease into their new environment. 

While much attention is given to students’ experiences of starting or returning to school, we rarely hear about what it’s like for new teachers when they report for duty in school. Do they get first-day jitters too? How do they navigate the challenges of an unfamiliar setting, new colleagues, and a new role? 

We spoke to a few teachers to learn about their experiences of being deployed to a new school and the advice they have for new teachers stepping into the profession.

Cikgu Yumni

Cikgu Yumni is a 2019 Fellow who taught English to lower secondary students in Pasir Gudang, Johor.

How did you feel when you were first posted, and how did you prepare?

I started teaching in February 2019 in Pasir Gudang, Johor. When I first found out about my placement school, I felt excited and nervous at the same time. I tried to find information about the school through social media, my leadership development officer (LDO) and the TFM network. I also prepared the necessary teaching materials and resources related to my subject.

Settling into school was relatively easy but also awkward at times. Luckily, my Head of Department and the English panel welcomed me warmly. The teachers were kind and helped me settle in quickly.

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in your first few months, and how did you navigate them? 

The biggest challenge was adapting to the classroom culture and student behaviour. I cried a lot during that time because I struggled to manage my expectations. However, with the support of the Fellowship Alumni in my school, I was able to seek help and advice. I am truly grateful for their guidance during those tough times. My LDO also played a crucial role alongside my housemates, who were also my friends and cohort mates. Since we all went through the same experience, their support helped me get through the transition.

What advice would you give to new teachers?

My advice is to always be humble. Always ask questions if you are unsure. Complete all assigned tasks with the mindset that you will learn something from them. It may be difficult at first, and you may question yourself a lot, but in the end, you will be grateful for the experience.

Find a good support system at school and do not be negatively influenced by others. Always strive to be the kind of teacher you believe a good educator should be. After all, we are shaping the future through education. You may not be able to help thousands of students, but your effort to help even ten students matters. Those ten students may then go on to change another ten lives, creating a ripple effect we may not see immediately.

Cikgu Farhan 

Cikgu Farhan is a Pemulihan (remedial) teacher in Johor who is currently on our KALIS programme. He also teaches Pendidikan Jasmani and Pendidikan Seni Visual.

Apakah perasaan anda ketika anda mula-mula ditempatkan di sekolah?

Saya mula berkhidmat pada 29 September 2024 di SJK (C) Kulai Besar. Perasaan saya bercampur-campur. Rasa gembira dan teruja kerana sudah mula bekerja dan menjana pendapatan sendiri. Rasa sedih dan sedikit kecewa walaupun sudah tahu saya akan ditempatkan di SJKC dan bukan SK kerana saya susah bergaul, introvert dan tidak menguasai Bahasa Mandarin. Tapi saya seorang yang “happy go lucky”. Hadap dulu baru fikir. Jadi tiada masalah sangat.

Oleh kerana saya praktikum di SK, jadi suasana di SJK(C) sangat berbeza menyebabkan terdapat sedikit tekanan. Walau bagaimanapun, guru-guru di sekolah tersebut sangat peramah dan banyak membantu saya dalam segala aspek. 

Apakah antara cabaran terbesar yang anda hadapi dan bagaimana anda menghadapinya?

Cabaran terbesar yang saya hadapi adalah saya dilantik sebagai guru pemulihan sementara dan kekangan bahasa. Cabaran ini sangat besar bagi saya kerana kunci untuk mendapat ilmu adalah melalui komunikasi tetapi mereka sukar memahami apa yang saya tuturkan dalam Bahasa Melayu. Komunikasi yang kurang berkesan menyebabkan saya sukar mengajar murid-murid terutamanya murid pemulihan dan murid Tahun 1. Tambahan pula, saya juga tiada asas dalam mengajar murid pemulihan. Cabaran yang seterusnya adalah dari segi teknikal iaitu pengurusan maklumat seperti IDME, PBD, HRMIS, mengisi markah dan pelbagai lagi. 

Apakah yang telah membantu anda menyesuaikan diri dengan peranan dan persekitaran yang baharu? 

Perkara yang paling banyak membantu saya adalah mencari seseorang yang kita selesa untuk bertanya dan dibimbing. Sama seperti budak yang baru masuk ke sekolah, mereka dapat bertahan untuk bersekolah setiap hari selama beberapa tahun kerana adanya kawan mereka. Oleh itu, peranan rakan sejawat sangat penting untuk membantu saya menyesuaikan diri di persekitaran yang baharu. Perasaan dibantu dan diterima itu akan membantu kita bertahan di tempat baharu.

Apakah nasihat yang anda boleh berikan kepada guru baharu? 

Untuk guru baharu terutamanya yang introvert, kita perlu banyak bergaul dan bertanya mengenai semua perkara yang kita tidak pasti. Bina hubungan baik dengan guru-guru yang lain kerana mereka adalah individu yang banyak membantu dan mengajar kita menyesuaikan diri. Saya berharap agar saya dapat membina hubungan yang lebih baik dan selesa dengan lebih awal. Perasaan seronok pergi ke sekolah itu wujud apabila kita sudah membiasakan diri di tempat baharu dan berjumpa dengan orang yang kita sudah selesa untuk bergaul.

Curious about what is pemulihan? Click here to find out more.

Cikgu Lin Li

Cikgu Lin Li is a 2019 Fellow, teaching English to upper secondary students. She was first posted to teach in 2019 in Semporna, Sabah.

How did you feel when you first found out about your placement?

I was anxious and people around me showed concern as it was a place that had a history of terrorism-related kidnapping cases. We got to know our placement in late January and had to report for duty as soon as possible. There wasn’t much time to really consider, so I went anyway.

What was it like settling into a new place and workplace?

It was tough to look for a place to stay as Semporna was starting to develop its tourism industry so a lot of houses were turned into homestays. I slept in someone’s living room with another Fellow for about 4 months before we found a proper place to stay. In school, my colleagues were welcoming and supportive.

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in your first few months, and how did you navigate them?

Other than not having a place to stay, it was shocking when I learnt some of my lower-form students could not even speak the most basic English sentences such as, “May I go to the toilet please?” Hence, there was no way I could use the textbook to teach English so I had to create my own syllabus to help students learn the basics.

Looking back, what kind of support did you find helpful?

Having a Leadership Development Officer (LDO) and TFM Alumni in the school was helpful as they served as an anchor to remind me to be resilient and never give up trying to give my best for the students. It was also helpful that there were a bunch of Fellows who were sharing teaching resources and ideas to make learning more engaging.

What advice would you give to new teachers? 

This is something my PK Pentadbir told me, “Find your team – not people who agree with you all the time, but people who voice out their opinions to make things work, even if that is something completely opposite to yours.” So surround yourself with people that you wish to become and not what you already are. I wish I knew how much administrative work I had to do and be more prepared for that.

Cikgu Narmatha

Cikgu Narmatha is a Pemulihan (remedial) teacher in Johor who was first posted in 2018. She is currently one of the 105 teachers in our KALIS programme.

Apakah perasaan anda ketika mula-mula ditempatkan di sekolah?

Saya berasa berdebar dan tiada ‘idea’ tentang sekolah tersebut kecuali ia berada berdekatan sempadan negara Singapura dan kawasan luar bandar. Saya perlu mencari rumah sewa tetapi sukar kerana tidak mengenali sesiapa di sana. Saya terpaksa menyewa satu bilik kecil yang menyerupai bilik stor di rumah orang yang saya tidak dikenali.
Pada mulanya, susah untuk mengadaptasikan diri dengan persekitaran baharu. Tambahan pula saya sahaja seorang guru India di sekolah tersebut. Namun, semua cikgu dan pentadbir sekolah tersebut menjalin hubungan yang baik dengan saya. Saya sentiasa disokong dan dibimbing oleh rakan sekerja saya.

Apakah antara cabaran terbesar yang anda hadapi dalam beberapa bulan pertama anda?

Saya merupakan guru beropsyen Pendidikan Pemulihan tetapi subjek yang saya ditugaskan untuk mengajar adalah Matematik, PSV dan Sejarah jadi pada mulanya, susah untuk fahamkan kandungan kurikulum. Selain itu, ia menjadi cabaran untuk kawal kelas kerana saya mengajar murid Tahun 1.

Saya juga tidak memiliki lesen memandu dan tidak mempunyai kenderaan pada masa itu. Saya terpaksa menumpang orang yang menyebabkan saya kerap lambat ke sekolah. Saya pulang dengan menaiki Grab tetapi kadang kala saya perlu tunggu Grab selama dua jam untuk pulang.

Oleh itu, saya sarankan kepada guru baharu untuk sentiasa berdikari dan tidak bergantung sangat dengan orang lain. Jangan jadi seperti saya—disebabkan tiada lesen, saya terpaksa menumpang motosikal abang yang tidak saya kenali hanya untuk ke sekolah.

Apakah yang telah membantu anda menyesuaikan diri dengan peranan dan persekitaran yang baru? 

Sokongan dari ibu bapa dan kawan-kawan saya telah banyak membantu saya untuk menyesuaikan diri dengan persekitaran baharu. Sokongan guru di sekolah juga telah banyak membantu saya dari segi pengangkutan dan sokongan mental.

A New Chapter, A Lasting Impact

Starting out as a new teacher comes with its share of uncertainties, challenges, and adjustments. From navigating unfamiliar environments to overcoming language barriers and classroom management struggles, the experiences shared by these teachers highlight the resilience and adaptability required in the profession. Yet, amidst the challenges, support systems—whether through colleagues, family, or friends —play a crucial role in helping new teachers find their footing.

A new school year brings fresh starts, not just for students, but for teachers too. As we welcome the 2025 academic year, let’s also acknowledge the educators taking on new challenges to shape young minds in classrooms across the country. For those stepping into their first teaching role, the journey may feel overwhelming at times, but with the right mindset and support, it is also one of the most rewarding.