To Sir With Love

" Selamat Hari Guru "
All Teachers of Malaysia


Every year Teacher's Day is celebrated in Malaysia on 16th May.
It brings back to me nostalgic memories of School and Teacher's Day celebration in Malaysian schools. It is all the more significant to me because I have been in the school all my life - first as a student, then teacher and finally principal.

The whole day is devoted to the celebration.The day kicks off with a special assembly conducted by the students.The following speeches are read out by the senior assistants and principal - the Minister of Education, the Director General of Education and the Principal. Finally the Head Prefect of the school reads a speech on behalf of the all the students in the school.

The teachers are praised for their noble and caring duty of educating the country's future leaders and citizens. It is a difficult task because it is an all round education of the students both curricular and cocurricular-wise. It involves the minds of students and hence a honourable and delicate task. If you don't reach out to the students, you are doomed.

The prefects then give out a rose stalk to all the teachers, symbolising "thank you and we love you teachers for your dedication to us." A round of football, netball and volleyball between teachers and students follows. After a short break, a variety performance by the students from all the classes is held. Prize-giving for the events held during the day is then held and the students then go back home.

A Teacher's Day lunch is then held in the hall for all teachers and supporting staff of the school.

This is a typical Teacher's Day event in this country with slight modifications and changes to suit individual schools.It is for me a day of great significance and meaning because I was involved in the education of students for almost three decades before my retirement two years ago. It is so wonderful to run into a student, be it Malay, Chinese or Indian, boy or girl who then asks me
" Cikgu, kenalkah saya ?...... "


This year's theme: The teacher is the thrust for the excellence of an individual.