Educators praised for imparting knowledge to underprivileged children despite challenges
SIBU: Educators should be ready to face challenges when imparting knowledge to students, said former Bukit Assek assemblywoman Irene Chang.
According to her, it takes a big heart and steely determination to put that compassion into action for children who are not one’s own flesh and blood.
“What we have today, as I understand it, are people who are willing to take up that challenge to be educators to all persons who make up the different communities in our society.
“Here, I would like to record my deepest appreciation to you all for being willing to take up the challenge.
“To the educators, as you embark on this journey, I feel compelled to share with you that you have to be ready and that you may have to face some challenges as you try to impart your knowledge.
“To be able to feel compassion for children makes one a compassionate person, worthy of mention. But it takes a really, really big heart and steely determination to put that compassion into action for children who are not your own flesh and blood, to walk that extra mile for them, and to help shape a more positive future for them,” Chang said at the Empowering Grassroots Educators to Deliver Better Education Programmes at Borneo Evangelical Mission (BEM) Church here yesterday.
The programme was organised by Destiny for Children Sibu in collaboration with the Dignity for Children Foundation from Kuala Lumpur and BEM Church Sibu.
Chang also praised the Destiny for Children Sibu and Dignity for Children Foundation for holding the programme to train the educators in order to provide quality education to children.
“I would also like to record my appreciation and admiration to Dignity for Children Foundation and Destiny for Children that, despite the many obstacles and constraints, including financial constraints, you have both managed to push through to make it possible to take the first step together to train educators to provide quality education to a section of children in our midst who are often marginalised and whose existence often goes unacknowledged.
“They are undocumented children born into families who cannot provide official records for their existence.
“These children who will benefit from your teaching will mostly be undocumented or would come from rural schools, who are mostly from underprivileged families.
“Every one of these children has a story to tell,” Chang added.
The programme runs from March 4 to March 7, with the theme ‘Montessori Training’.
Also present were the organisation chairperson Anne Lau and the president of the Destiny for Children Association, Grace Yii.