By Helena M. Mahathir & Sonia K
His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Deputy Sultan, highlighted the duty of guiding or teaching as not merely a common career or profession, but also an enormous and challenging responsibility entrusted by the nation. "It is an extraordinary pious duty if discharged at its best".
HRH also stated that, in continuous efforts towards quality education, commencing from the first school term in 2006, the control of religious schools and Arabic secondary schools including the Religious Teaching College would be handed back to the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
The Deputy Sultan stated this in a 'sabda' during the 15th Teachers' Day Celebration in the Sultanate yesterday, in which HRH represented His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam. The event was held at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Berakas.
Accompanying HRH the Deputy Sultan was HRH Prince Abdul Malek, who were greeted upon arrival by the Minister of Education Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Lela Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman.
HRH the Deputy Sultan also consented to present Special Teachers' Day Awards to 11 teachers, whereby the Meritorious Teacher's Award went to Orang Kaya Jaya Putera Cikgu Hj Muhamad Taha bin Abdul Rauf.
HRH stated that, "His Majesty would like to express his regret for being unable to attend today's function because His Majesty is still abroad after attending the Asean-UN Leaders Meeting, High-Level Plenary Meeting and General Debate of the 60th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York".
"Nonetheless, His Majesty does not at all forget to congratulate the entire teacher community, and to those associated with this historic celebration".
"His Majesty also prays that Teachers' Day will remain an avenue for us in honouring and recognising the good deeds of our teachers, as the foundation and attributor to the success of the race."
Touching upon the theme for this year's Teachers' Day Celebration - that is "Teachers The Foundation To My Success" - HRH remarked that this truly reflects the teachers role as the initiator of the race's future, in which "this beautiful theme should not only be an expression but should be translated as a bona fide attitude towards the teachers. As the founder and initiator of success, they should be acknowledged, least with saying thank you and prayers for them.
"Though it is an enormous respon-sibility, but for those who understand well its astuteness, will remain enthusiastic as well as be pleased with it, whereby the satisfaction will be further supplemented upon witnessing their students achieving success," HRH stated.
HRH added that success is tightly associated with the education quality as well as the schooling environment, whereby quality does not only include having absolute infrastructure, but is also influenced by the spirit of optimism and cheerfulness among the students to indulge in their lessons.
HRH then stressed that a school should have firstly, a comfortable environment, and secondly, good and experienced teachers, whereby these two factors are the central attraction and encouragement for students to study harder.
HRH emphasised everyone's responsibility, especially the teachers, in making the school as the student's second home, a place they enjoy and can be proud of, and not consider it as a place of encumbrance or burden.
HRH underlined the nation's main aspirations for students to completely understand the importance of knowledge, and the need to achieve a level of education that is on par or comparable with developed nations.
"Among our efforts in inculcating ourselves with knowledge is by the country's participation in the United Nation's Education, Science and Cultural Organisation or UNESCO, and what have been learnt can be applied where appropriate," HRH continued.
HRH also advised that, although in relative terms, we have achieved a lot in the field of education, however due to the nature of knowledge itself, the attitude of seeking continuous achievement and progression in learning must be preserved.
HRH expressed hope that the entire teaching community in the country will continuously enhance their education tools, which is their respective competencies and skills, for the benefit of the nation, whereby an adept educator will in turn produce successful students.
The Special Teachers' Day Award for retired teachers went to Cikgu Dato Paduka Hj Ahmad bin Kadi, Cikgu Pengiran Dato Paduka Hj Mustapha Pg Hj Metasan, Cikgu Dato Paduka Hj Mohd Suni Hj Idris, Cikgu Hjh Kadariah bte Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Seri Paduka Hj Awg Umar.
Special Teachers' Day Awards were also presented to Cikgu Hj Junid Penyurat Pali, Cikgu Hj Muhamad Akbar, Cikgu Hj Matamit bin Iradat, and Cikgu Pg Hj Besar Pg Hj Ahmad.
Awards of Excellence for teachers in their fields were awarded to Dk Hjh Jabaidah Pg Hj Sulaiman and Fatmah bte Hj Mahadi.
After a choir presentation and the reading of the doa selamat, HRH then consented to meet officers and teachers.
- Borneo Bulletin
(25th September 2005)
