Tribute to the teacher

Tribute to the teacher

The author always remembers his secondary school experience, especially during the day he studied at SMKTU, Johor Bahru. Those were the day when he feels that there is more than learning in school. Even though he wasn't that important to the school, (as he is not even a class monitor!) but he have a good time being a student as he only become "the man behind the scene" – some teacher may familiar with my face and some may not.

One name that the author should mention is Puan Zarina, his English teacher. She was also the person who in charge with the SPBT (Skim Pinjaman Buku Teks) for the school. The author himself did not eligible to lend the text books but he became one of the "personnel" to the SPBT (that why it is called irony..). One of our job was to count the stock of the text books – how many left in the store and how many that been lend to the student. We were also the person who became the runner to announce to each and every class when the students were to take the books and when they were to "give back" those books.

That was when the author saw the behaviour of the students who lend books from the scheme. Some of them took care of the books and some of them won't even bother to wrap the books. So much for free education in Malaysia! But, being the one who is in charge for the scheme was a nightmare. Puan Zarina needed to keep the record of the students who borrow the text books, to keep the track on how many books that were damage, how many books that were shortage in stocks what were the titles that needed to be added etc. The author wonders whether she got additional allowance or not for such additional job. Yeah, teacher wasn't only meant to only teach but also need to do some this and that work associate with the school...

Because the author's class was the Special Religious Programme (Rancangan Khas Agama – which just adding Arabic Language as the subject!), she usually discuss about the religious stuff such as the demon (the author assume that to be dajal), the Judgment Day right or wrong in Islam, the Quran – interesting as she herself was an English Teacher. So the author was pretty amuse that she really care about Islamic world view and she herself always advised us student to keep on the in the right track of the journey. The author truly agrees, you do not need to be an ustaz or ustazah to say give advice about religious matter.

The last time the author heard of her was when she was promoted to become the Senior Assistant I (Penolong Kanan I) of the sister school of Tasek Utara (SMKTU 2?!).The author hopes and pray she will be successful for becoming a truly admired teacher.

Another name that is slipping in the author mind was the late (Almarhum) Tuan Haji Anuar Daud. He was the Bahasa Melayu teacher and a really multi talent teacher – he know how to draw, he know how to act (as he was the teacher in charge for Drama Club of the school), he know how to write and he himself was the poet, he know how to perform silat, how to dance the zapin and he was so active in sport. The author was one of the actors for his stage drama for two consecutive years. The author was the Raja Kechil of Johor in his "Lambaian Sukma Ujung Tanah" performance and the next year, the author and the author's friends wrote a "cynical political" act of Tangga. The idea of Tangga was from the late Tuan Haji and us as the students just developed the very drama – and perform it at Pesta Teater 2000 at JOTIC.

The late Tuan Haji was a busy man. Sometimes, he could not make it to the class he taught because he was busy manage other students' extracurricular activity. He was a true sportsman. Contra to other teachers, who supervised the "rentas desa" with riding the motorcycle, he always joint the race; he ran from the beginning till the end. He taught school athletes how to perform well in their event; from shot put to how to exchange the baton in relays. His fierceness was well known at the school as he was the unofficial disciplinary teacher. But in class, he is such a cool man with so many stories to tell to us. He had been around the world and never "mingy" to tell us his experience in Swiss, UK etc. Al-Fatihah to Almarhum.....

Teaching is a holy job that been created by the God. Yes, it is difficult and sometime it really pays as it will create a better future for the then generation. And with the "so called" globalization, teaching is not a fancy job anymore. The students are getting smarter and smarter. Their parents are cleverer then the former generation – so as time goes by, they demand more – as they also "know." But, the people who want to become a teacher also have their own issue. Some of them take teacher as the last resort – which sometimes perform their job not in their faithful manner. So, this sort of problem also needs to be catered by the authority. As been said, teaching is a holy job for teacher.

To all teacher a round Malaysia, whether you are a teacher teacher, or a polytechnic teacher, or a matriculation teacher or a lecturer at any institution– Happy teacher's day. May God bless you.

"A Good teacher teaches, a great teacher inspire!"