Teacher's Day - ACS Style

Last Friday, 23/5/08, the last day of the first semester, we celebrated our Teacher's Day celebration. On the whole, it was a great celebration - some new innovations on the agenda. I particularly liked the multimedia show..an insight to the goings on in school throughout the year. Great job done - oklah...I will mention the names, Darleen and Amelia, and all the Fraternity club AJKs! Heartiest congratulations on a task well executed.

The point that I am interested to highlight though is this...you know what? On that particular day, we were instructed to wear our formal batik attire, the red silk batik designed specifically custom made to be made the ACS formal batik attire/uniform for teachers. Now if that wasnt an issue in itself. When suggestions were made to have teachers to wear a common formal batik attire, I was probably the only Malay teacher opposed to the suggestion. As to the other non malay teachers, quite a few objected as well. I wasn't particularly interested to be in uniform, it felt to me like a loss of one's individuality. Finally, a vote was made, and it was in favour of having that formal batik uniform - red in colour, never my favourite colour. But, a decision is a decision made, and I bow to the unanimous vote..., after all it was just an issue of batik dressing, the fashion is left optional to us. So I figured that it doesnt really affect my principles, except for my distaste to the colour red. This formal uniform is to be worn on special occasion, such as on this Teacher's Day celebration.

A bit about this batik wearing day. I think everyone knows by now that this is the idea of Pak Lah, in memory of his late wife, who championed the Malaysian batik industry. And this instruction is to be acknowledged by all government employees - from the highest ranking right down the line.

And so, on this auspicious teacher's day, reluctantly I wore my red batik baju kurung, telling myself it is a directive from the head of the government himself (...more frighteningly... from mdm Darleen hahahah...gotcha). But ironically, most ironic, in ACS, I was immensely surprised to witness some teachers not wearing the formal batik attire. And most disconcerting was that, those that purposely or unpurposely did not wear this batik were the higher ranking administrators...which made me wonder why? I have heard prior to this. that some teachers were not too happy with the choice of colours...what??then why did you guys agree with the colour in the first place? Once a vote is made, then the decision stands, over riding individual preference. And what is worse..was that, those who did not wear the formal batik were mostly the non malay teachers...how come, why so? My mind strays, I dont voice it out, but I am putting it down here on my personal blog. Is it because you guys associate it with something Malay? Perhaps it used to be...but now it is a nation's issue..propagated by the Premier himself. Maybe you guys do not like the pattern, the colour choice, but surely, it is not big deal to get another batik design...as long as it is batik..just to get into the mood of unity on that day.

Maybe some will argue that it is not compulsory. Well maybe so...but it is propagated and made as instruction by the PM, so as far as I can say, at least, at the very least. the administrators should show. even just apparently so, their support of the government's campaign. After all. they are the administrators, what they do, reflect the school and affect the other staff members. If an administrator does not see it in her/him to show respect for the government's campaign, what more is to be expected of the teachers...the students? You guys are the administrators, decision makers of the school, and the top liners who are supposedly the ones who preach implementation of the various government policies. I remember everytime a teacher is found to be lacking in his/her service, it will be droned into his ear. "If you don't feel you are up to doing this job, then leave...change profession". Then perhaps it should be said too that, "If you as administrators cant find it in you to appear to be supporting the government's campaign, even if seemingly so... then shouldnt you...." It is said that once you gain power in the government, then the more you have to comply to their commands, or else....It is for this very reason, that many people refrain from working with the government...any government today for that matter.

We are teachers, first and foremost. What we do, what we say, knowingly, or unknowingly, are being watched and evaluated by our students. Sometimes, I begin to glimpse the reason why some students here just dont seem to have the respect for other people's race and culture, and forever insisting on theirs. But...it is no longer that..the batik is now a national issue...a Malaysian issue, there is no need to prove that you have your own culture at this point...Wallahualam.