SERDANG: A teacher from Beaufort, Sabah was determined to complete his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in order to be an inspiration to his students, even after being diagnosed with stage four lymphoma.
Dr Syahrin Awang Besar, 50, who currently teaches at SMK Beaufort in Sabah, said he almost gave up when he received the life-shattering news in January.
He said getting the diagnosis was like a death sentence that stopped him dead in his tracks -- he was then in his final year of studies in the field of Malay language.
"At that time, I had already finished my viva voce presentation and my thesis needed some correction, but when I received the news that I was confirmed as a cancer patient, everything seemed to stop and at that moment, I did not even touch my thesis at all.
"But when I thought of my students, I realised I had to be a role model to them, that whatever our situation in health or economy, education should come first," he related to Bernama after the 46th Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Convocation (second session) here today.
Syahrin, who has taught at the Beaufort school for 28 years, reflected that some of his students had to skip school several days a week to earn extra income for their families by weaving oil palm leaves, with some even turning fishermen, while some even stopped schooling midway.
Earlier, the Raja Muda of Selangor Tengku Amir Shah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, who is UPM Pro-Chancellor, consented to award PhDs, masters, degrees and diplomas to 834 graduates at the convocation.
Meanwhile, private sector worker Mohd Nazim Abdul Karim, 43, said he was inspired to pursue his Master of Business Administration after his wife Masuri Mokhtar, 40, was offered the same course after successfully securing a federal study grant.
The father of four children between the ages of two and 17 said he and his wife helped each other complete academic assignments and manage the family.
"Classes start from 6 pm to 9 pm, and every time there is a class held online, my mother-in-law will take care of our youngest child," said Nazim, who also runs a business importing coffee beans from Indonesia and Brazil.
Nazim said that even though they were in the same class, the couple still competed in a healthy way to excel as students.
Masuri, who is also an administrative and diplomatic officer at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), said to ensure that the family was not neglected during the couple's two-year studies, she had planned their daily activities in advance.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Wed Nov 30 2022
A teacher from Beaufort, Dr Syahrin Awang Besar, was determined to complete his PhD degree in order to be an inspiration to his students, even after being diagnosed with stage four lymphoma. - BERNAMA
Kertas kabinet wujud sektor sukan dibentang dalam tempoh sebulan - Hannah
Hannah berkata dengan data yang lebih menyeluruh melibatkan sektor industri sukan nanti, pihaknya akan mampu merangsang pertumbuhan sukan di negara ini dengan lebih baik.
Tiga Syarikat Semikonduktor umum melabur di Pulau Pinang - Kon Yeow
Tiga syarikat semikonduktor dari China menyatakan komitmen untuk membuat pelaburan baharu di Pulau Pinang.
Pindaan garis panduan lawatan: Sekolah diharap susun semula program - Fadhlina
Semua sekolah diharap dapat menyusun semula program lawatan masing-masing berikutan pindaan Garis Panduan Lawatan Murid Sekolah pada tahun lepas bagi mengukuhkan pembelajaran di luar kelas, kata Menteri Pendidikan, Fadhlina Sidek.
Kebajikan pendidikan anak-anak dijaga sehingga tamat sekolah - KPM
Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia akan memastikan kebajikan pendidikan anak-anak 10 pegawai dan anggota Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia yang terkorban dalam nahas helikopter di Lumut, Perak, terus dijaga sehingga mereka tamat persekolahan.
Chegubard ditahan polis berkaitan hantaran mengenai kasino di Forest City
Chegubard ditahan di Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah (IPD) Dang Wangi di sini berkaitan hantaran mengenai pengoperasian kasino di Forest City pada Sabtu.
Zahid minta pihak dalam BN buka "buku baharu"
Ahmad Zahid menegaskan senario politik tanah air sudah berubah dan terdapat banyak video lama dari parti lawan yang meminta pengundi menyokong DAP.
Malaysia kongsi pengalaman dalam usaha berterusan mempertahan Palestin
Delegasi negara akan berkongsikan peranan Malaysia dalam usaha berterusan mempertahankan nasib Palestin dalam Persidangan Liga Parlimen Al-Quds kelima yang berlangsung di Istanbul, Turki pada Sabtu.
Universiti Malaya mohon maaf kepada seluruh rakyat Malaysia
Jabatan Pengajian Antarabangsa dan Strategik, Universiti Malaya memohon maaf kepada seluruh rakyat Malaysia berhubung kenytaaan tidak bertanggungjawab Profesor Dr Bruce Gilley pada 24 April lalu.
Genting Malaysia nafi terbabit perbincangan
Selepas Berjaya Corporation Bhd dan Kerajaan Negeri Johor, kini Genting Malaysia Bhd pula menafikan sebarang penglibatan dalam perbincangan mengenai pengoperasian kasino di Forest City, Johor.
Berita tempatan pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Berikut adalah berita yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang Sabtu, 27 April 2024.