Extraordinary Malaysian Teachers: The Light in the Darkness for Malaysia's Education System

But who can blame them? As parents and outsiders, we can only support our younger loved ones by spending a bit of time and guiding them. But not everyone has the means to do so, or send them for extracurricular means.

These discussions are as old as time but have recently gotten even worse due to the pandemic as parents worry about their children’s progress in their studies. Virtual classrooms don’t offer the same authentic experience of being present in a classroom.

But dark times present opportunities for heroes to shine - teachers who educate their students out of love. Educators who defied the odds and pushed the envelope in ensuring that their students are equipped with whatever’s necessary to become successful in the present and future.

That’s why PEMIMPIN joined arms with YTL Foundation to establish the inaugural “Malaysia Teacher Prize” to uphold and appreciate teachers and their outstanding achievements in their career. The award celebrates teachers on a national level with a long-term professional development plan alongside prize money for the Top 5 teachers.

Spearheading the awards are Cheryl Fernando and Samuel Isaiah, humble teachers known for the extraordinary lengths they took to educate their classrooms. If you’re familiar with the film Adiwiraku, then yes, the character was written based on the experiences of Cheryl Fernando. Samuel Isaiah received his fair share of accolade as he was listed in Global Teacher Prize presented by the one and only Stephen Fry.

Speaking to Cheryll, the duo are searching for the right teacher profiles for this award: ‘We’re looking for stories from teachers across Malaysia and how they are impacting their students through innovative classroom practices. For us, it’s about discovering the everyday things that happen in the classroom that makes the biggest change to the lives of the students’

‘We want to search for that teacher that has amazing ideas to enhance student learning, that teacher who is active in building community in their school, that teacher who goes beyond the call of duty to uplift the teaching profession and that teacher, with a journey and a story that can inspire all of us in Malaysia.’ Cheryl adds.

As someone who’s given enormous amount of effort for his students, Samuel is determined to ensure other teachers get recognised as well. ‘As I dived into the livelihoods of my students, led interventions with the Indigenous community that I taught in, and trained teachers in various capacities, the desire to contribute to systemic changes blossomed. I have also seen how teachers give their all in their vocation, with brilliant and creative ideas, but are often hindered by the lack of support and autonomy.

‘Therefore, fuelled by experiencing education inequity and the struggle of teachers and schools, the determination to lead changes on a larger scale came through PEMIMPIN GSL. The work we do is an extension of my aspirations to champion quality education for every child in Malaysia by empowering school leaders and teachers nationwide.’