PM: Media should be fair to teachers

Here’s to you: Anwar giving out an award during the event in Seremban. — Bernama

SEREMBAN: The misdeeds of a handful of teachers should not overshadow the sacrifices and commitment of the hundreds of thousands others in service, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The Prime Minister said the media should also be fair when reporting on difficult teachers as they made up an “extremely small” number.

“The majority of teachers are passionate, have sacrificed a lot and given extraordinary guidance to their students,” he said at an event to celebrate teachers at the MBS Hall here yesterday.

Recalling his own experiences, Anwar said he had only encountered one or two “problematic” teachers during his primary and secondary schooling. Hundreds more, he said, would go out of their way to help students.

“I remember when I was on the Malay and English debate teams while in Malay College Kuala Kangsar.

“The teachers would train us and listen to us, and were so passionate about teaching,” he said.

Anwar said it was a proud moment for him when he became Education Minister, as his former teacher Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Arshad was then the ministry director-general.

Anwar also spoke at length about Datuk Ghazali Hanafiah, who taught him in Form Five and Lower Six and became director at the ministry’s teachers’ division, and Prof Datuk Dr Siddiq Fadzil, the father of Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.

Anwar said he kept in touch with his teachers and each time they met, they would give him good advice.

Also present at the event were caretaker Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun and Fadhlina.