Dr Wan Azizah: Access To Education Must Reach School Dropouts, Children In Remote Areas

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 (Bernama) -- Children who have dropped out of the schooling system and those living in remote areas need to be given access to education so that they have the opportunity to develop their potential and build a better future.

Prime Minister's wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said the success of educators in elevating the status of students in Kuala Lumpur should be celebrated without forgetting children who have yet to receive educational opportunities.

“Alhamdulillah, the teachers here in Kuala Lumpur have elevated the status of our children, but those who are far away, those living in remote places, they are also our children,” she said when delivering her speech at the launch of the 2026 Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur Educational Inspiration Discourse here today.

Dr Wan Azizah, who is also the Member of Parliament for Bandar Tun Razak, said teachers play an important role in students' lives by inspiring them to lead better lives and build a brighter future when given the opportunity.

She added that educators must also be sensitive to students who require attention and affection alongside formal education, with teachers serving as a crucial source of support after their families.

Describing parents as the first teachers in a child's life, Dr Wan Azizah said formal education helps prepare children to face life in the future.

Reflecting on her experience as a lecturer, she expressed pride when meeting former students and seeing the outcome of her teaching, while also expressing appreciation for the contributions of teachers in her own life.

Meanwhile, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur Education Department (JPWPKL) director Megat Affandi Ismail, in his speech, said efforts to achieve educational excellence also require students who need support to receive interventions tailored to their needs and potential.

“True success is not when those who are already excellent continue to excel, but when those who need support also move forward,” he said.

He added that in the first screening of the Special Remedial Programme 2026, a total of 106,552 out of 110,573 Year Two to Year Six students had mastered the designated skills.

However, he noted that there are still students who require intervention, particularly in Bahasa Melayu and Mathematics. Therefore, they must be identified and assisted early, as well as monitored until they have truly mastered the relevant skills.

The discourse celebrated 91 recipients across 35 award categories at the JPWPKL level, including former department deputy education director of the District Education Office Planning and Management Sector Dr Zalina Mohd Tahir, who received the Tokoh Kepimpinan Pendidikan award, and former Special Grade C Outstanding Teacher of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Seri Bintang Utara Lee Saw Im, who was named the Tokoh Guru recipient.

Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Fadil Marsus was also among the recipients of the Education Director's Special Award.

Zalina, 61, when met after the event, expressed her gratitude for the recognition after dedicating more than three decades to the field of education.

She said the challenges faced by educators today are different from when she first started teaching in the 1990s due to the rapid advancement of technology; however, patience and the intention to educate remain crucial principles in guiding students towards success.

“Among the greatest satisfactions throughout my career as an educator is when former students, who are now teachers themselves, came to see me at this event to express their gratitude for the knowledge and guidance given,” she said.

Meanwhile, Lee, 62, shared that one of her most unforgettable memories throughout her 36 years of service was starting her career at a school in Sabah that lacked facilities, but the situation did not diminish her spirit to educate the students there in the slightest.

-- BERNAMA