GUA MUSANG: The desire to change the lives of the Orang Asli children has prompted two Orang Asli from the Temiar tribe to take up the job as teachers of the kindergarten (tabika) run by the Community Development Department (KEMAS) in their respective area.
Robiah Rami, 42, a teacher at the KEMAS kindergarten at Pos Hendrop for the past 17 years, said she is determined to devote herself to raising the living standards of the people of her tribe, who are said to be lagging behind in education.
The woman, fondly called Kak Bie said nothing would make her feel proud than seeing her students master the three fundamentals of education, namely reading, writing and counting, as early as at the age of four years.
“The joy and satisfaction cannot be expressed in words. I am very proud of their achievements. I’m able to see their progress, with some of them able to continue their studies in higher learning institutions or universities,“ she said when met at the Appreciation Day and programme with KEMAS Director-General at the KPTM-Kesedar Hall, in Taman Etnobotani here yesterday.
Another is Sarudin Johari, 30, who teaches at Tabika KEMAS Kampung Menrod, Pos Brooke. He is the only male teacher at the kindergarten and he sees it as an opportunity to change the stigma that in the Orang Asli settlement, men should be working in the forest area.
“I am a kindergarten teacher because I am determined to provide early education to the Orang Asli children here,” he said.
Now in his eighth year of service, Sarudin said the method used is fun learning.
“The purpose is to make learning fun for the children and this attracts them to come to school,” he said, adding that enrolment had increased tremendously from his early years at the school. –Bernama
