Critical Need for Coordinating Body
There is a critical need for more Christian teachers within our education sector due to the realities and challenges we Christians faced in society today.
This urgency was raised at a recent meeting organised by NECF Malaysia which was attended by 18 educators, including six principals from prominent mission schools in the Klang Valley and several administrators, school counsellors and retired teachers. Also in attendance were representatives from Teachers' Christian Fellowship and Malayan Christian Schools' Council.
This same message of urgency was later presented to the executive committee of the Teachers' Christian Fellowship (TCF) at a separate meeting. At both meetings, the message is loud and clear - the Church needs to raise 'teachers of tomorrow' not just for the Christian community but for betterment of society and the nation.
To raise more Christian teachers, the meeting agreed that firstly, churches and parents must be encouraged to influence their youths to consider taking up the teaching profession.
Secondly, to assist Christians in their application and training to be teachers and eventually be assigned postings as teachers, there is a need to set up a coordinating body.
This is necessary as thus far, no one body or entity is looking into this urgent and critical matter. There may be many Christian youths who desire to become school teachers but have little inkling how to go about it.
Where do they start? How do they go about the application process? What can they do to enhance their chances of getting their application approved?
This coordinating body, comprising people within the system who are well-versed with the process, will promote teaching as a profession, clarify, follow up and walk the applicants through the process.
In order for the coordinating body to function effectively, it needs passionate people to drive its operation and function. Hence, NECF is now calling on educators to consider being part of the coordinating body to raise Christian teachers for tomorrow.
The coordinating body also needs people to conduct roadshows to churches and pastors' fellowships to share the urgent need for more Christian teachers, render advice and consultation of the various options and processes in teachers' applications and nurture and encourage future teacher aspirants/candidates.
Those who feel a sense of calling to this invaluable ministry, please contact Kun Han via email at [email protected]
Meanwhile, concerned Christians can do their part by praying, but specifically through prayer cells. What are prayer cells? They are Christians belonging to a particular sphere and institution of society coming together to initiate, meet and pray intentionally and regularly for the purpose of witnessing to the kingdom of God and to transform the sector of influence they are in.
In the case of education, teachers, administrators, principals, counsellors can come together and pray for God to raise more Christian teachers and for existing Christian teachers to make an impact in the schools they are in and to society. NECF therefore strongly encourages all to engage in this specific step in strategic intercession for education for the future of our nation.
If you desire to start prayer cells and do not know how it can be done or if you need further clarification or information on the concept and formation of prayer cells for the purpose of influencing the education sector or schools that you are in, please contact NECF via email at [email protected] or visit www.necf.org.my
Besides the coordinating body and prayer cells, NECF also hopes to kick off several networks - such as the "Guru Besar" (principals)/Administrators Network and School Counsellors' Network - for the sharing of information, vision and prayer alerts.
Meanwhile, NECF Malaysia values readers' prayers as it seeks to (1) cast this vision and critical concern to Christians all over the country, and (2) be a catalyst and to mobilise concerned parents and educators - teachers, retired teachers, principals, administrators, school counsellors etc. - to be part of this coordinating body to raise the teachers of tomorrow.
The effort to influence the education sector by increasing the pool of Christian teachers is part of NECF's nation-building agenda to impact and influence every sphere of society. |