Cikgu Faridah

Cikgu Faridah was the only teacher in the school who has spent ALL her career life in the school (from 1974 all the way to 2004 when she finally retired!). Any student who studied at any time during this period would remember this petit dame. She declined any promotion that requires her to be transfered to a different school. She has even taught some students whose parents she taught in the 70s!

I was lucky to have been taught by her in 1978 (while I was in form 4). What I remember most about her was that she handled the Biasiswa Kecil Petronas (4 of us from the class of 79 received it). When I was in Form 5 (1079) she no longer taught us. So, whenever she called us, I would know that it was time to get some pocket money from Petronas :-)

In 1979, Cikgu was given the task to look for students to represent the school in the Kuiz Geografi, organised by the Geography Club, Universiti Malaysia. In those days most of us were not competitive, so nobody was interested to offer himsel/herself to compete.

I think Cikgu must have been quite desperate, that she called Mazlin (Prof, UKM), Hassamudin (Senior Researcher MPOB) and me to represent the school. ALL three of us declined, citing our inferiority, saying that we were not that good (actually we were not sure if we could do well, since the quiz was opened to studnets up to Form 6, where as wewere only in Form 5). Our Sixth formers then were all science students and they did not do any Geography anymore, so the school had to get competitors among the fifth formers (i.e us).

Cikgu, with the sweet smile and soft voice said to us "kalau awak tak mau masuk, saya tak bagi duit biasiswa......" (if you do not agree to enter, i will not give you your scholarship), while holding the money!! Well, even in those days, money rules!! So, desperately wanting to get hold of the money, we reluctantly agreed.

It turned out that for the state level competition, we came out champion, beating the sixth formers from other well known schools in Kota Bharu!! Hence, wewere chosen to respresent the state for the national level!! We couldn't believe it ourselves.

In that year, the school policy was that if any of the students wins some competition at the state or district level, the school itself would gift its reward. The reward for winning the quiz was RM10 (to be used to buy useful items). I used my 'reward money' to but the novel that was hot that year, "saga", which had won the annual literature award.

When we went to collect the reward money, cikgu managed to say to us "kan.... boleh pun....." (see... you could do it!).

The national level quiz was done during the 2nd term holidays, in Univ Malaya. It's so happened that it was on the same day as the Final round of Malay Debate for the Prime Minister's Trophy. We didn't win the quiz (there were teams from other boarding schools; if my memory is right, there were RMC, SMSPP, MCKK, I think..).

For the debate final, though we have already lost to STF in the semi-final in SDAR, we attended the final never the less. Mazlin went up the stage to receive the (supposedly) certificates of participation but until TODAY I have yet to receive it!! I think it never reached our school! :-(

Back to Cikgu, when she was about to retire in 2004, the alumni association, SEMESTA, managed to collect enough money to present to her some parting gifts in the form of gold chain and bracelet. It was really nothing compared to what she has given/taught. Unfortunately, when the alumni had the "Kembali ke Sekolah" (Back to School) event I was not able to attend - I was in Tokyo for a 7-week training on e-learning! It was during that event that the toke nwas presented to her. Her x-students recited poems dedicated to her!

Anywa,y cikgu, thank you very much for your lessons and guidance!