Thank you: VI students and teachers waving goodbye to Robert.
“ALWAYS keep your passion for teaching alive.”
That was Victoria Institution (VI) co-curricular senior assistant Robert Vijayakumar’s parting advice to his fellow teachers during his farewell speech in the school hall.
“Keep up the fighting spirit as you will face lots of trials and hardships during your tenure,” he said, addressing his colleagues, family, friends and students.
The 60-year-old bade farewell to the teaching profession on Jan 26, after having served in various roles for the past 33 years.
Robert credited his endurance to his late father, Rajasingam Solomon, and his grandparents, Rev L.A. Samuel and R. Thirunavukkarasu, who left an indelible mark on his early life in the 1970s.
They encouraged him to be a third-generation English and athletics teacher, alongside his elder sister Caroline and younger brother Simon.
Born in Port Dickson, Negri Sembilan, the father of two daughters studied in St. Paul’s Institution (SPI) in Seremban from 1971 to 1981.
“My journey as an educator started in 1990 after I completed my Certificate in Education at Temenggong Ibrahim Teachers College (MPTI), Johor Baru.
“After college, I was posted to SK Palong (Felda), NS. I had to stay in the quarters with only four hours of electricity per night, no telephone and limited access to bitumen roads.
“But in return, I had the privilege of teaching rural, Felda settler kids who were very loving and naive,” he said in a press release.
He was later posted to SJK(T) Ladang Kombok, Rantau – a school at the edge of an estate where there was not even a canteen.
“After I completed my BA in English at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in 1999, I taught at SMK Batu 5 Jalan Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur. The students were very active and mischievous but I enjoyed my four years there while I worked on completing my master’s degree at UPM,” he said.
From 2002 to 2005, Robert joined the Education Ministry’s Education Technology Division (BTP), contributing to the Smart School administration as an assistant director.
He returned to teaching at SMK Seri Bintang Utara, Cheras, where he spent the next nine years.
“The students there were very independent and well informed. I was motivated to teach them.
“In 2014, I moved to SMK Miharja, Cheras. Most of the students were from B40 families and they needed my guidance not only in school, but on other matters too.”
He was promoted to head the languages department at SMK St. Gabriel, KL, in 2017.
“I enjoyed teaching and interacting with the kind and loving students.
“Finally, I am ending my career as a civil servant after teaching the Victorians from 2020 to 2024.”
At VI, Robert played an instrumental role in assisting the school to emerge champion in the Malaysia International Marching Arts Championship 2023, Super Schools Rugby, and Premier 10s Rugby Tournament.
He also led VI to a 35-medal haul at the Kuala Lumpur Schools Sports Council (MSSKL) aquatic and water polo events and a bronze medal in the Malaysian Schools Sports Council (MSSM) meet.
VI was also MSSKL football state and MSSM champions, said Robert who, in his heyday, was the Boys’ Under-10 SPI Primary School champion in 1974.
“I had won gold medals in 100m, 200m and 4X100m.
“In 1976, I reached the pinnacle of athletics when I emerged as the NS State Schools Sports Council (MSSNS) long jump champion at SMK Tunku Besar, Tampin,” he said.
In 1980, he had the honour of being the Barnitus House’s Captain at SPI and went on to earn his Karate Seibukan Black Belt in 1985.
“In 2011, I passed my International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Grade One exam to become an international athletics official and in the same year, became a Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) Level One umpire in badminton.”
