Never look at skin color when educating children

Nordiana Shafiee

UUM News Editor, Journalist

Pic by Hairul Nizam Zahari

SINTOK: “As a teacher, never view the skin color of our students in the classroom as a means of differentiating treatment to them,” said the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Haim Hilman Abdullah, who spoke at the My Hero Programme: Inspiration and Aspirations from Kedah’s Outstanding Teachers ‘Professional Teachers at the Core of National Development’ at the SOIS Auditorium.

According to him, being an excellent educator is contingent not only on academic achievement, but also on having a heart that breaks whenever a young child is denied the best education.

Take a look at their tables and chairs. Never look down on anyone, but rather make it possible for them to feel loved in class.

Haim Hilman said that, as a teacher, never view the skin color of our students in the classroom as a means of differentiating treatment to them. Hairul Nizam Zahari/UUM Today

Help those children to believe there is still hope for them to continue in life when they believe no dream is possible for them. Therefore, academic achievement is not the key to excellence; rather, it can be found in acts of kindness and love.

Prof. Dr. Haim Hilman stated that a teacher should never be sad because he was assigned to a rural school rather than the best performing school.

“As a teacher, avoid using derogatory language toward the students because we can never fully understand the struggles, pains, and suffering they experience on a daily basis. Assist them all.

He urged outstanding educators to never lose faith in their students and never judge those who struggle financially but still make the effort to attend class.

Haim Hilman presented souvenirs to outstanding Kedah educators at the My Hero Programme: Inspiration and Aspirations from Kedah’s Outstanding Teachers ‘Professional Teachers at the Core of National Development’ at the SOIS Auditorium. Hairul Nizam Zahari/UUM Today

At the event hosted by the students of the Postgraduate Diploma in Education Programme for the 2022/2023 academic session, Prof. Dr Haim Hilman also presented souvenirs to outstanding Kedah educators who had been invited as guest speakers to share their insights on how they had achieved success in their respective fields.

Amongst them were the Malay language and the president of the Kedah Excellent Teachers Council, SMK Bukit Payong, Pokok Sena, Dr. Abdul Ghani Jalil; Excellent English Teacher, SMK Sultan Badlishah, Kulim, Mr. Zanurin Mohamad Safar, who is also the Senior Assistant Curriculum; Excellent Mathematics Teacher and SISC+ Science and Mathematics Officer, PPD Kubang Pasu, Mr. Ku Haslizam Ku Azmi; Excellent Science Teacher, SMK Tanjung Pauh, Jitra, Mdm. Nurul Hizan Zakaria; Outstanding English Teacher, SK Sultanah Asma, Alor Setar, Mdm. Nurizzati Ko Abdullah and Outstanding Library and Media Teacher and Islamic Religious Education teacher, SMK Syed Abu Bakar, Baling, Mr. Mohammad Noor Azlan Idris.