By Subaashinee Kupusamy,
20 October: Veteran teacher Ooi Kean Heng, a four-time recipient of the Excellence Service Award, retired on October 4 after 36 years of dedicated service in schools across Selangor and Negri Sembilan. Speaking at his farewell event at SMJK Chan Wa (SMJKCW), Seremban, where he has spent the past three decades, Ooi shared reflections on how teaching has evolved, emphasizing the importance of keeping up with modern methods and technology.
“Aspiring teachers must stay updated with the latest teaching and learning practices, especially in today’s fast-paced digital world,” he said. However, Ooi admitted to missing the simplicity of handwritten record books, attendance registers, and notebooks from the 1980s. “During the Covid-19 pandemic, everything became digital,” he added.
Born in Taiping, Perak, Ooi, the eldest of six siblings, began his education at SJKC Tung Hwa before moving on to SMK Bagan Serai and later SMK Methodist for Form Six. He pursued a Certificate of Education in Chinese Studies at the Muhammad Khalid Teachers College (MPMK) in Johor Bahru, followed by a Bachelor of Mathematics (Honours) at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris.
Ooi’s career took him to several schools, including SJKC Chung Hua Banting, SJKC Serdang Baru 2, SJKC Chung Hua Port Dickson, and SJKC Sino English (St Mary), where he taught Mandarin, Mathematics, Physical and Health Education, and Moral Education. Over the years, he held numerous roles, including examination secretary, discipline teacher, and basketball coach.
At Ooi’s retirement ceremony, fellow teacher R. Sathiyakumar praised him as a patient, kind, and thoughtful colleague. “We share many values as teachers and plan to spend more time together enjoying our hobbies,” Sathiyakumar said.
Ooi’s commitment and contributions have left a lasting legacy in the teaching community as stated in The Star.
