| More than a hundred
Kirkby-trained teachers in their 60s and 70s took time for
lunch today to celebrate the 80th birthday of their former
lecturer.
Baharuddin Marji or Cikgu Baharuddin,
as his former students address him, has the distinction of
being one of the few Malaysians who taught at the Malayan
Teachers Training College in Kirkby. He was also among the
pioneer batch of students sent there in
1951.
Baharuddin said he had a good time teaching
Bahasa Melayu in Kirkby. "It was a very happy period of
teaching," he said, adding that he had an average of 150
students a year. Baharuddin taught at Kirkby from 1956 to
1960.
Baharuddin was modest about the reason he was
given the option to teach at Kirkby three years after he
graduated from there.
"I did quite well in my exams.
That was the main reason, but you don’t have to write that,"
he added.
Baharuddin excelled in teaching, judging from
the warm praise bestowed upon him by his former students.
"Extremely patient" and "humorous" were their description of
the man.
Daljit Singh, 65, who was Baharuddin’s student
in 1958, said: "He was a very understanding teacher. He never
got impatient, as we were just introduced to the
language."
Teresa Voon was overwhelming in her praise
for Baharuddin. "He took me from zero to hero where Bahasa
Melayu was concerned," said Voon who was in Kirkby in
1960.
Baharuddin, like many good teachers, went beyond
the classroom to interact with his students.
"During
Hari Raya, we would be fed with all sorts of goodies. He was
concerned about our welfare," said Voon.
The love and
respect for their former lecturer was evident as the
ex-teachers sang him songs, gave him presents and
hugs.
Baharuddin gave a speech where he reminisced
about the old days at Kirkby. "The locals found us a novelty.
They could not believe that so many multi-coloured people came
from one country."
His ex-students rallied him on and
provided sound effects when he spoke of strong winds blowing
in the cold nights.
He also spoke of the Kirkby spirit
which was evident in the life-long friendships that had
endured the test of time.
Former MIC secretary-general
and Baharuddin’s junior at Kirkby, Tan Sri Datuk G. Vadiveloo,
said: "Baharuddin was a great educationist and helped create
the spirit of Kirkby."
Today, Baharuddin is actively
involved in organising Quran reading competitions and plays
golf in his free time. |
