SMK Kapit No 2 holds grand farewell for beloved educator

KAPIT (Dec 24): It was a grand celebration held by SMK Kapit No 2 to bid farewell to its beloved teacher, Teoh Say Beng.

The 60-year-old educator is now retired after having served in Sarawak for 36 years 10 months.

Penang-born Teoh and his wife, Wee Hui Ping, attended the recent event in full songket attire.

Wee had just retired from the Agriculture Department, where she was a senior clerk in the Kapit office.

The organising committee, led by the school principal Nawang Budi, had arranged for the presentation of memento and also a cake-cutting ceremony for Teoh, who started his teaching career in 1989.

Throughout his long service, he had taught at various primary and secondary schools in Kapit.

“Many of my students are now in the civil service and also the private sector,” he said.

“In fact, a few of them are fellow teachers in this same school,” he smiled.

Born on Nov 21, 1965, in George Town, Penang.

He entered St Mark’s Primary School in Butterworth in 1971, before proceeding to St Mark’s Secondary School in 1978.

He was later accepted to the Penang Malayan Teachers College (MPPPP) in 1988, where he obtained the Basic Teaching Certificate (Primary English Studies).

Later on, he graduated with a Bachelor’s of Arts (Honours) with a major in History and a minor in Political Science, from Universiti Sains Malaysia in Penang in 1999.

Ten years later, he received a Master of Education (Curriculum and Pedagogy) from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

Many locals in Kapit know him, and call him ‘Cikgu Teoh’.

His first posting was SRK Nanga Kain in Baleh in 1989, after which he was transferred to SJKC Hock Lam Kapit, and then – still in the same year – to SK Sungai Amang where he was made the acting senior assistant for students affairs.

Teoh became a senior assistant (students affairs) at SK Nanga Antaroh here in 1999.

In 2002, he was transferred to SMK Kapit, where he served until 2020 after getting his bachelor’s degree.

In January 2020, he was placed in SMK Kapit No 2, following the centralisation of the Form 6 education in the division.

Among his contributions throughout his years in education were co-writing the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) History Reference Book Semester 3 (SAP Publications), and being appointed a Police Cadet Corps Cadet Inspector.

Teoh received the civil service’s Excellent Service Award (APC) in 2007, 2013 and 2024. He was also honoured as the Sarawak State Contingent Police Cadet Corps Officer Discipline Runner-up Award in 2005.

Teoh is also active in local community activities, despite him not being a native resident.

He has been the secretary of the Fort Sylvia Unit of Sarawak United National Youth Organisation (Saberkas) since 2010; the Kapit District committee member of National Association for the Prevention of Drugs (Pemadam) since 2001; the assistant secretary for Klan Zhang Association Kapit since 2018; and member of the Tai San Ten Association since 2018.

He was the Kapit chairman for Sarawak Teachers Union (STU) from 2005 to 2017.

Teoh and Wee have four daughters – three now having their own careers, and the youngest still in university.

In his farewell remarks, Teoh expressed hope for all his students to continue working hard.

“Never stop learning, and strive to achieve the best, as outlined in SM K Kapit No’s slogan, ‘Wild Heart Never Gives Up’.

“To fellow teachers and the prospective ones, accept your postings regardless where they are.

“I hope some would get to experience Kapit – a unique place with friendly and welcoming residents,” he said.