PETALING JAYA: A teacher’s quiet acts of kindness more than two decades ago have captured the hearts of many as his former student shared a heartwarming story on social media.
In a video on TikTok, police officer Ain Ahmad recounted how her former Geography teacher, Koay Aun Chuan, helped her when she was struggling to pay for her Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) fees in 2004.
“I was in Form Six when Cikgu Koay asked me when I was going to pay my examination fees.
“There was only a week left before the deadline and if I did not pay, I would not be allowed to sit for the exam,” said Ain who was a Form Six student at SMK Kuala Ketil in Kedah in 2003 and 2004.
“I told him that I did not have the money. I was even thinking of pawning my belongings, but the shops were closed because of the Chinese New Year holidays,” she said in the video.
She said Koay immediately told her not to pawn anything.
“He asked me to meet another teacher during recess to apply for financial assistance and said he would inform the teacher about my situation.
“With Cikgu Koay’s help, I received the assistance and was able to pay the examination fees.
“After that, whenever I had to buy reference books, photocopy examination questions or spend money on anything school-related, Cikgu Koay would quietly come to my desk and place the money there so that my classmates would not notice,” she said.
“His advice was always the same: study hard because education is the only thing that can change our lives,” she said.
Ain said she had been searching for her teacher, who has since retired, and only recently managed to find him.
“It has been a very long time, but I have never forgotten his kindness until today.
