Disability No Barrier For Award Winning Teacher

MELAKA, May 15 (Bernama) -- Being a person with a disability (OKU) is no obstacle for Jasmi Md Tegol, 56, to be an exemplary educator, selected to receive the Competent Teacher Award at the 2023 Teacher's Day Awards Ceremony at the Melaka International Trade Centre (MITC), Ayer Keroh, here tonight.

The Malay language subject teacher from SMK China Lubok in Masjid Tanah, Alor Gajah said that being labeled as an OKU at the age of 18 months had instead become an inspiration for her to live a life like a normal person.

"I consider my disability as an opportunity and not an obstacle to be an educator and the award I received today is also due to this.

"Although I have a problem with my left leg and have to use crutches, I am a former national paralympic athlete in badminton and have even been a national, Asian and world champion," said the president of the Malaysian Sports and Recreation Council for the Disabled.

Jasmi received the award in addition to cash amounting to RM3,000 and a certificate of appreciation presented by Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek at the event which was also attended by Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh.

He said the award he won proved to the community that people with disabilities were also capable of being self-reliant and achieving success in their lives, thereby dispelling the perception of many that persons with disabilities were people who liked to ‘beg’.

Meanwhile, the recipient of the #GuruJuaraDigital award for the Primary and Secondary School category, Mimi Norashikin Md Jani, 38, from SMK Panchor, Negeri Sembilan said her success would encourage her to provide further opportunities and space for her students to delve into the world of robotics.

The Design and Technology teacher said that although the school she was in was based in a village area with very limited digital access, a 'Digital Maker Hub' of the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation was successfully established in the school recently.

"I was nominated to be the champion because I have managed to establish a robotics group known as 'tech genius' since I began teaching at the school in 2017.

"Starting with the project, there are many more innovation competitions involving environmental sustainability at the national and international level that our group has won," said Mimi Norashikin, who won cash, a certificate of appreciation and a plaque.

The award tonight featured four categories, namely the Special Education Award (six recipients), the Innovative Teacher Award (six recipients), the Competent Teacher Award (seven recipients) and the Iconic Teacher Award (nine recipients).

Also presented at the ceremony was the Minister of Education's Special Award: Sekolah Citra MADANI, which was won by SK Guar Nagka, Perlis, in addition to three #GuruJuaraDigital awards.

-- BERNAMA