TEACHERS’ DAY AWARDS: FOUR EDUCATORS HONOURED FOR EXCEPTIONAL DEDICATION

KUCHING, May 15 (Bernama) -- Four dedicated educators from diverse backgrounds were honoured with the highest accolades in education at the 54th National Teachers’ Day Awards ceremony here, in recognition of their exceptional contributions to nurturing the nation’s future generation.

Zarlina Ahmad, recipient of the ‘Anugerah Khas Bitara Bahasa’, was honoured for her efforts in championing the Malay language. Although she retired in 2016, her commitment to youth development remains undiminished.

She continues to play a vital role as a certified language expert with Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka and language workshop facilitator, with the aim of nurturing linguistic potential among students and the community.

“During my years of active teaching, I applied the fun learning and active communication approach to make the Malay language more engaging and meaningful for students,” said Zarlina, who served as a teacher for 30 years, when met by Bernama here today.

For Muhammad Nazmi Rosli, a teacher from Sekolah Kebangsaan Long Sebangang, Lawas, and recipient of the ‘Anugerah Khas Menteri Pendidikan’, he adopts a contextual learning approach to make lessons more appealing.

“This includes transforming the classroom environment into a swimming pool, beach or aircraft to offer an experience that is not only enjoyable but also meaningful to students. The aim is to increase student engagement and make learning more dynamic and practical.

“The main challenge in rural education is not the facilities, but the mindset of teachers and the need for empathy, patience, and passion in educating the children,” said Muhammad Nazmi, who was listed among the world’s top 10 teachers in the Global Teacher Prize.

Meanwhile, Amirudin Razali from SMK Puteri Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, who was named ‘Guru Ikon STEM’, expressed hope that the recognition would inspire more STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) teachers to nurture talent and take students to the international stage.

He added that among the methods he often applies are outdoor learning and hands-on activities, which open up opportunities for practical exploration and spark creativity and problem-solving skills in students.

As for Nur Ameera Nabila Azmi, a young teacher from SK Padang Pekan, Jitra, Kedah, who received the ‘Anugerah Guru Ikon Muda’, she uses creative methods such as singing and movement in class to encourage student participation.

In addition, she actively records her students’ talents and produces videos to share, aiming to boost their enthusiasm and interest in learning.

-- BERNAMA