Happy Teachers' Day, Che'gu!

"Kalau tak hormat saya pun, at least hormat lah 87 cikgu-cikgu lain esok. Kalau tak hormat semua pun, at least mesti ada sorang yang kamu suka atau hormat. So, nyanyi la dengan hormat untuk dia."

Those words were uttered by a friend of mine, who's a teacher in a local technique school. Those words were blurted, out of frustration because the students were not taking the rehearsal for Teachers' Day celebration seriously.

My soul sista, the wife, said that the students couldn't even spare RM1 to pool the money to buy present for the teachers. And they all come to school with kereta besau-besau.

Those days, when I was in school, teachers have this, urmm... effect? aura? on us, the students. We love them because they are our parents at school. Imagine spending their time to teach children who are not their own. I owe my knowledge to them, for without them, I wouldn't be where I am and who I am. Teachers have bigger responsibilities. They are not there to just teach us one plus one is two, or A is for apple, they also taught us to be humans.

I do not know how the teachers are nowadays, but those days, they left prints inside our hearts and minds.

So, why do students nowadays have lesser respect for teachers? Teachers nowadays could not even 'sebat' the students for doing something wrong. But students nowadays are beating up teachers. How bizarre! Let me share a little story.

I was seven years old. Standard/primary one. In the year 1985. I was the class monitor. The teacher was not in the class. The class was noisy. Macam pasar jual ikan. Everyone was talking (shouting more likely). Some were walking/running here and there. What do you expect? A bunch of seven year olds. The teacher came in, and suddenly WHAM! I felt pain in my back. Oh-oh... apparently the teacher hit me with that one metre ruler, because she said I was not doing my job as a class monitor.

Sounds harsh, isn't it? Because how much can you expect out of a seven year old? But did I went back home and cry my heart out saying that the teacher beat me and tell tale to my parents? Nope, I did not. Gosh... maybe I was wise beyond my age. I accepted my punishment. And I never hated that teacher. In fact, she's one of favourites. And I was one of hers.

These days, a little slap can cause the teacher a night in lock-up. Or a diciplinary act. Is that fair? I'm sure the teacher punish the students to make them a better person. Unless of course, if the teacher has mental instability history running rampant in the family, or the teacher him/herself was a patient in Hospital Bahagia. Right or not?

So, kids, stop blaming your teacher. Love 'em 'cause they are your parents at school. They help you to be a better person. They pour tears and sweat to bring out the best in you. Take that slap or that beating with dignity. If you can be an adult in other matters, why not in this? And to the parents, since you have no time to teach your kids some manners, let the teachers do their part, will ya?

To all the teachers out there, SELAMAT HARI GURU, CHE'GU!