LEARNING is a lifelong journey, even for teachers.
This, says Education Minister Datuk Seri Fadhlina Sidek, is especially so since what a teacher continues to learn will ultimately benefit their students.
“That is where the real return on this investment begins,” she told teachers during the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Educator Excellence and Appreciation Ceremony 2026 in Kuala Lumpur on Sept 21.
Acknowledging the sacrifices needed for continuous learning, she noted their difficulties.
“I imagine it was not always convenient. You still had classes to teach, papers to mark, meetings to attend and families to get home to, yet somewhere in between all of that, you found the time and discipline to become students again,” she said.
She added that the feat was particularly meaningful because “the greatest risk that can happen in education is for the adults in the system to decide that they have finished learning”.
She also pointed out the compounding effect of a teacher’s efforts throughout their career.
“One teacher teaches several classes a year, year after year. The effect compounds. There are very few investments in education with that kind of multiplier,” she said.
The event saw 156 educators who pursued the ACCA Diploma in Financial and Management Accounting (RQF Level 2) receive their certificates of completion in recognition of their commitment to continuous professional development and strengthening accountancy and financial literacy education.
As part of the initiative, this first batch of educators will also serve as ACCA educator ambassadors, helping to raise awareness of accountancy among students and encouraging them to explore further education and career opportunities in accounting, finance and business.
Touching on today’s artificial intelligence (AI)-driven age, Fadhlina said she does not want the education system to just produce students who excel at following instructions.
“The world they are entering will demand curiosity, adaptability, judgement and the confidence to think when there is no model answer at the back of the book.
“Your students will enter a profession very different from the one many of us grew up knowing. What should not change is the expectation that they enter it with integrity,” she told the teachers.
During the event, ACCA chief executive Helen Brand said educators are essential partners in its mission to advance financial literacy.
She added that teachers are meant to inspire their students and to show them a path towards a career where they can make a real difference in the world as well as a good living.
Ultimately, she said, ACCA aims to support the professional development of around 1,000 Accounting Principles educators nationwide.
The collaboration between ACCA and the Education Ministry, particularly the Teacher Professionalism Division, centres on strengthening educator development, financial literacy and lifelong learning.
By bringing together the education system and the professional accountancy community, the initiative aims to expand students’ exposure to quality accountancy and financial literacy education across Malaysia.
