From Chalk to Change: Redefining Teaching Quality Through Teacher Empowerment in Sabah, Malaysia

This study examines the roles and challenges of teachers in improving the quality of teaching and learning in secondary schools across Sabah, Malaysia. Despite numerous educational reforms, disparities in instructional quality between urban and rural schools persist, largely due to geographical constraints, limited ICT infrastructure, and post-pandemic pedagogical transitions. Using a quantitative research design, data were collected from 440 teachers through a stratified, cluster, and simple random sampling approach. Analysis based on the Malaysian Education Quality Standard Wave 2 (MEQSw2) revealed that teachers in Sabah excel as motivators (57.9%) and planners (54.1%), effectively supporting student engagement and structured lesson design. However, lower performance was found in mentoring (40.7%) and facilitating active learning (47.9%), highlighting the need for greater focus on individualized guidance and student-centred pedagogy. The findings underscore the importance of professional development, pedagogical innovation, and sustained institutional support in enhancing teacher competency. By strengthening teachers’ roles as mentors and facilitators through targeted programs such as Professional Learning Communities (PLC) and SISC+ mentoring, Sabah can foster a more inclusive, creative, and equitable educational landscape aligned with 21st-century learning demands.