A teacher is seen giving instructions to her pupils at a school in Setapak. — Picture by Saw Siow Feng

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8 ― A global education charity foundation’s study has found that Malaysians have the highest regard for school principals among 35 countries polled.

The Varkey Foundation's Global Teacher Status Index 2018 (GTSI 2018) revealed that respondents were asked to rank 14 professions in order of respect and Malaysians ranked its school principals the highest out of other professions including doctors and social workers.

A key finding in the report was the direct correlation between teacher status and pupil performance as measured by the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) scores.

“Countries which have higher teacher status are more likely to record higher PISA scores. This new finding for the 2018 Index shows that high teacher status is not just a nice to have ― increasing it is likely, all things being equal, to lead to greater student outcomes in that country.

“Crucially, the report reveals that teacher status is rising globally. Of the 21 countries polled in 2013 and again in 2018, 13 have seen their teacher status score increase.

“The biggest increases were seen in Japan (which rose from 17th placed out of the 21 countries polled in 2013 to 11th of 21 in 2018) and Switzerland (15th of 21 in 2013 and 8th out of 21 now),” said the press statement.

Malaysia was also second only to China in its GTSI survey in terms of respect for teachers.

The survey revealed that Malaysia is one of only three countries ― alongside China and Russia ― in which people think doctors are the most similar profession to teachers.

By comparison, respondents in18 countries felt social workers were as important as doctors and 10 countries said librarians.

“This index finally gives academic proof to something that we’ve always instinctively known: the link between the status of teachers in society and the performance of children in school.

“Now we can say beyond doubt that respecting teachers isn’t only an important moral duty ― it’s essential for a country’s educational outcomes,” said founder Sunny Varkey.

However, Malaysian teachers reported working the least hours of all countries surveyed (26.1 per week), around half what teachers say they clock in countries such as New Zealand, the UK and Singapore with the Malaysian public assuming they only work at 17.8 hours a week.

Other findings by the survey include that almost half (49 per cent) of Malaysian people would definitely or probably encourage their children to become teachers, the fourth out of the 35 countries polled.

It also found that 58 per cent Malaysians pupils respect their teachers in comparison to the 36 per cent average.