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Veteran Teacher Retires

After working for ILTI (Ipoh Learning & Training Institute and Bonanza Educare Sdn Bhd, 18 and 2 years respectively), Thomas Kok has finally decided to call it a day just recently. 

Prior to that, he was the principal of four secondary schools for 20 years, the fourth school was the premier school, Anglo Chinese School (ACS), Ipoh where he worked for eight years.

Kok completed his secondary education at the prestigious Methodist Boys’ School (MBS), Kuala Lumpur in 1963, and passionately chased his dream the following year to become a teacher at Pasar Road School for a year before teaching at Victoria Institution for two years.

Fast forward, he had served as a teacher, senior assistant and principal in Temerloh and Bentong for 20 years before his posting to ACS, Ipoh in 1992 and retired from the government service in 2000 –  thereafter to work at ILTI.

To him, teaching is the most rewarding and fulfilling profession. Teachers are truly molders of the students’ minds as their personalities mature. His unwavering belief is that exemplary leadership roles are the most effective tool in influencing students to learn the values taught by them. 

At the end of the day, it is walking the extra mile for the students, that is, being prepared to sacrifice energy, time, effort and sometimes money for the students, whom we should embrace as our children.

Albeit times has changed, so has the environment; however most importantly, never should the teachers abandon their roles in extramural activities, such as like the good old days when teachers mandatorily put in a minimum of three hours a week for co-curriculum events, especially urgently needed nowadays when parents are unable to allocate enough time and space for their children. This is the holistic approach to produce all-round wholesome students.

On this note, Kok said, “I would sincerely like to express my profound gratitude to my tens of thousands former students, many of whom are certainly contributing positively to nation-building to make Malaysia great. To all my ex-colleagues, with humility I earnestly offer my immense thanks to you for your utmost cooperation and support in my career as a principal cum teacher for no less than half a century.

Cheerio and may God bless you richly! Happy teaching!”   

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