Changing lives through education

The Star

15-05-2025

Students' joy, gratitude make challenges in career worthwhile, say teachers
PETALING JAYA: They are more than teachers – they are parents, protectors and givers of hope.
Long after retirement and outside official classrooms, their passion for teaching endures.
For these teachers, it's not about the money – the hugs, the smiles and the whispered 'I love yous' from children are the greatest rewards.
These are educators who believe fervently that every child, regard­­­less of background, deserves a chance to learn.
Mary Stella Anthony Alphonse, 69, first stepped into a classroom in 1979 and officially retired in 2015.
Yet every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, she teaches English and Mathematics to underprivileged children aged seven to 12 in Port Klang.
She was first asked to help by a group of nurse-nuns back in 1992, and she has never stopped.
'We also provide food, transport and even basic life skills like cooking or dental care.
'Their eagerness to learn keeps me going,' she said.
There have been hard times: She once faced the challenge of teaching a special-needs child in a mainstream classroom, at a time when awareness was lacking. But she remained steadfast.
'The beautiful moments outweigh the difficult ones. I love every minute and will continue as long as I can.'
Sengkuttavan Manickam, 66, remembers well the day he started teaching: April 13, 1979.
His fondest memories were from his early years in Kemaman.
His headmaster had challenged him to produce one student who could get an A in English.
When the results came, four of his students scored As.
'I still remember their names – Azman, Khairul Anwar, Rosdi and Zalina. They still keep in touch,' he said.
He reminisced about dusty shirts and long walks to school in Kemaman whenever he missed the bus.
Now retired, he teaches through the Gurukulum Seva, an initiative he and friends began as a means to reach underprivileged students.
'Some hug me before class. That alone is enough. It's been a full life and I love it. I stick to what my parents taught me – do good and good karma will follow.'
He too has had his ugly moments. Once, a parent threatened to sue him for not appointing her child as a prefect.
Tulasi Govindasamy, 75, was never a formal teacher but she has spent decades giving tuition and the last 13 years teaching refugee children in Bangsar.
'I'm a cancer survivor, and this keeps me going. Being around the kids makes me happy.
'When they say 'I love you teacher', I feel I must be doing something right and that they feel safe with me. That's enough to make me content,' she said.
Hazdalila Zai Ibrahim, 38, was inspired to teach after watching To Sir, with Love, a movie that deals with social issues in schools.
For the past 13 years, she has been doing exactly that at Yayasan Chow Kit, working with children who are underprivileged, stateless or part of migrant and refugee communities.
'Every morning, when they say 'Selamat pagi, Cikgu' with a smile – that's the moment I look forward to,' she said.
These teachers, many of them unsung heroes, hold the key to the future success stories of their charges. And so, they deserve all the gratitude they get on Teachers Day.