By Anne Das
After 37 years in education, long-serving English teacher Sujan Kaur a/p Gurcharan Singh has retired from SK La Salle, Ipoh, concluding a career spent guiding generations of students across the city.
Born in Batu Gajah, Perak, she received her early education at Tarcisian Convent, Ipoh, before continuing at Methodist (ACS) Ipoh. She later underwent formal teacher training at Maktab Perguruan Ipoh and subsequently completed a TESL (Hons) degree with Open University Malaysia.
She began her teaching career in 1989 at SK Methodist (ACS), Ipoh, before moving on to SK Marian Convent, Ipoh. In 2007, she joined SK La Salle, Ipoh, where she remained for nearly two decades and served as Head of the English Panel.
A retirement ceremony was held at SK La Salle Ipoh, attended by current and former school leaders, teachers, students, and members of the Parent Teacher Association. Among those present were PTA Head Dr Sumathy, Principal Encik Norhisham Bin Shukor, and former principals Mr Lai Kum Ming and Mdm Forina Perera.
The gathering brought together colleagues and students from different stages of her career, many of whom had worked alongside her or had been taught under her guidance.
Sujan Kaur expressed her appreciation to school leadership, past and present, for their guidance and commitment to educating students. Looking back, she described the greatest reward of teaching as seeing students grow in confidence and character.
While education has changed over the years, she believes the role of a teacher remains the same, to guide and bring out the best in every student.
Her long service has been recognised through the Excellent Service Award, which she received three times in 2000, 2010, and 2021. Receiving the award on three occasions is a rare achievement.
As Sujan Kaur steps into retirement, she looks forward to life without a fixed schedule, and to having the time to reconnect with family and friends. She also leaves her pupils with a final message, to dream big, stay positive, and grow into proactive nation builders.
All of us at Ipoh Echo wish her well as she begins this new chapter.
