“Long after your students have forgotten the 14 causes of the War of 1812, the Pythagorean Theorem and the sonnets of Shakespeare, they will remember a much more important lesson: how you made them feel about themselves and their possibilities in this life” – John Jay Bonstingl 

A good teacher understands that they have the power to make or break a child’s future. This may seem presumptuous but let us think about it: 

Can you name a teacher who made you feel like the sky’s the limit? A teacher whose name you remember not for the subject they taught you but for how they made you feel about yourself, your future and life as a whole? 

I can. 

Cikgu Ramlah 

Those of us who went to government schools will remember that there was no room for dialogue or debate to better understand why and how an historical event unfolded – these questions were deemed unnecessary to our understanding of Sejarah. What mattered was our ability to memorise historical facts. Such a rote learning environment and exam-focused education system earned Sejarah education a bleak reputation – “boring”, “tedious” and “irrelevant”. 

However, if you had Cikgu Ramlah as your Sejarah teacher as I did, you would have had a vastly different experience learning Sejarah. 

Cikgu Ramlah, from SMK Bukit Jelutong, taught me Sejarah – a subject that would define my professional life. Her interest in the subject and passion for teaching was evident to me. In the three years that she was my Sejarah teacher, she did not use any fancy teaching tools or styles instead, she simply made time for my endless questions. 

It may seem like such a straightforward approach especially with the bountiful innovative teaching practices employed in the classroom today, but her ability to recognise my curiousity for the subject and her capacity to develop my curiousity in a way that I would enjoy learning, encouraged me to pursue my History-related degrees and become a lecturer.

This is only one story exemplifying the power of a teacher. What about the other equally impactful stories – told and untold? 

Where Would Malaysia Be Without Our Teachers 

Over the years, Malaysians have celebrated their teachers on May 16 – Teachers’ Day with an event (normally hosted by teachers themselves) in schools or a social media post to appreciate our teachers. This isn’t enough especially for a nation that is actively transforming its education landscape to fulfil its national philosophy of education: 

“… to develop the potential of individuals in a holistic and integrated manner, so as to produce individuals who are intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically balanced and harmonious, based on a firm belief in and devotion of God” (Ministry of Education Malaysia, 2023). 

If Malaysia wants to effectively transform its education landscape to raise generations of values-driven leaders, it needs to prioritise teacher education and teachers themselves. We know, now, that when we strip away the fancy teaching tools, the continuous revision of the curriculum, the constant switch between English and Bahasa Melayu, the introduction of top-down policies each time a new government comes into power and the many other frills that supposedly make the classroom experience better, we are left with a classroom full of students and a teacher. 

Therefore, we need to appreciate courageous teachers who dare to collaborate with one another, to build an inclusive classroom that delivers the same learning experience for all students at a level that best fits each student’s learning needs. We also need to provide these outstanding teachers with a platform and opportunities to scale their sustainable practices because the quality of an education system cannot exceed the quality of its teachers. 

Malaysia Teacher Prize 

This is what the Malaysia Teacher Prize by PEMIMPIN GSL, seeks to accomplish – to reward outstanding teachers and elevate the teaching status and profession in Malaysia. If you are an outstanding teacher who wants to share your best practices or know of a teacher (like that of Cikgu Ramlah) who is positively influencing their students’ learning experience, I encourage you to apply for the Malaysia Teacher Prize 2023. 

Not only can you win RM50,000.00, you can scale your teaching practices and be part of a community of professional teachers to promote a more equitable education space in Malaysia.

Written by Michelle Low