PETALING JAYA: In conjunction with the annual Teachers Day celebration, social media has been flooded with wishes by politicians from both sides of the divide.
Some emphasised the sacrifices of their teachers and others highlighted their contributions to the education sector.
Themed "Guru: Obor Hemah Menyinari Pertiwi (Teachers: Beacons that light up the nation)", the celebration this year is aimed at highlighting the dedication, sacrifices, responsibilities, challenges and commitment of an educator.
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in wishing “Selamat Hari Guru” (Happy Teachers Day) on Twitter Thursday (May 16), took the opportunity to express gratitude to his teachers during his schooling years.
“I want to take this opportunity to wish Happy Teachers Day to every teacher in Malaysia.
“For my teachers whom I respected and loved, only Allah SWT will be able to repay their deeds and sacrifices,” he said.
Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik, on the other hand, listed several initiatives by the government on education, and to ease the workload of teachers.
Among them were the revision of the SPM timetable, the allocation of RM35.2mil for schools to hire replacement teachers, as well as several other initiatives to better protect the welfare of educators in Malayisa.
“Selamat Hari Guru! Guru, Obor Hemah Menyinari Pertiwi. Thank you, teacher,” he tweeted Thursday.
Former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who was education minister from 1995 to 2000, also took the opportunity to convey his wishes to teachers across the country.
In a Facebook post, Najib reminisced about his achievements as a former education minister, among them increasing the salary of teachers by upgrading the status of the then Malaysian Certificate of Education to a Diploma of Teaching.
“The diploma was introduced for two reasons. First, I wanted teachers to hold a higher image in the teaching profession and to replace the previous Basic Teaching Course.
“The second and most important point, I wanted teachers to have a high starting salary under the government scheme,” he said, pointing out that teachers back then had started with a salary of RM917 compared with the previous RM652 per month.
“To me, appreciative gestures to teachers mustn’t only come from the parents or students. The government should also take steps in appreciating teachers and ensure that their welfare and needs are looked after.”
PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim posted his wishes on Instagram along with a picture of his teacher, known as Cikgu Syed Bakar.
“Teachers are the pearls of society and the guide of the people, just like a burning candle that burns itself to illuminate dark spaces.
“Hopefully, their deeds and sacrifices in building the nation will have a special place in our hearts and minds,” the Port Dickson MP said.
Social media users meanwhile called for the salaries of teachers to be increased.
Joshua Tan said teachers who took their own initiatives to further their education should have their salaries increased, as it could lead to more teachers furthering their education in the future.
Hafiz Adruce expressed similar sentiments, urging the government to invest more in the education sector.
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