KUALA TERENGGANU: Tears flowed from all and sundry as four children of two teachers killed in a road accident, took the place of their parents in accepting a special award from Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman.
Razif paid tribute to the services of former teachers Noor Amalia Noorzan, 34, and her husband Badrul Hisyam Omar, 41, during the Teacher’s Day celebration at the state’s Indoor Stadium in Gong Badak, Kuala Nerus today.
The duo was given the ‘Education Director’s Special Award’.
“This award is to remember the sacrifices and contributions of teachers for their dedication towards educational excellence.
“They were role model teachers who played a crucial part in imparting knowledge to children,” said Razif.
The couple was tragically killed when a Toyota Wish, driven by Amalia, collided head-on with a Hyundai multi-purpose vehicle coming from the opposite direction, at Km41 Jalan Kuala Terengganu-Kuantan in Marang on April 22 this year.
Four of their children – Darwish, 4, Diyani, 7, Danish, 11, and Damis, 9 – who were also in the car, were injured.
Darwish and Damis have since been wheelchair-bound.
Amalia was teaching at Sekolah Kebangsaan Sultan Ismail while Badrul was stationed at Sekolah Kebangsaan Binjai, both in Kemaman.
Also given the ‘Education Director’s Special Award’ were Kamaruzaman Yusuff and the late Rosdi Mohamad Salleh and the late Masni Ngah.
Meanwhile, former science teacher Hamzah Othman, who retired in 2010, was chosen as the Tokok Guru 2017.
Hamzah was among the first batch of undergraduates at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in Bangi, Selangor in 1974.
“Teaching is and will be in my blood. I will continue to teach on an ad hoc basis, whenever necessary, and when time permits,” said the father of six, who taught at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sultan Mansor, Marang.