Recruitment challenges for international schools in Malaysia

Abstract

There is a critical need for international schools to attract and retain quality teaching staff to ensure the quality of learning for the students and maintain their competitiveness within a dynamic market. This paper reports the findings of a study that investigates teacher recruitment challenges in international schools in Malaysia. A series of semi-structured interviews involving four management personnel from a sample of international schools revealed six recruitment challenges and five solutions highlighted by the participants to respond to these challenges. Such identification of the challenges and solutions would enable administrators to plan for the talent pipeline of their institutions and prepare for unknown disruptions that might occur in the future. This study offered empirical proof of the administration's difficulties during the hiring process and their solutions. Researchers and human resource managers or practitioners facing comparable recruitment challenges can apply these solutions to entice the top candidates.