PETALING JAYA, July 25 — Appreciating the work of unsung heroes is a value that should be encouraged from a young age.
Pre-school teacher Nur Syuhaida Ali saw an opportunity to instill this lesson in her pupils when she noticed them constantly dashing out of class to wave at rubbish collectors whenever their truck passed by.
One Monday morning, she had the kids prepare some drinks just before the garbage truck came by and invited the Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai (MPSP) workers in for some refreshments.
She then shared heartwarming pictures on Facebook of the kids finally getting to meet their “wira oren (orange heroes).”
“Today is special. The kids were so excited to offer drinks to the workers.
“As teachers, it’s our responsibility to instill good values like respecting the professions of other people and to appreciate the efforts of unsung heroes,” Syuhaida wrote.
She also shared a few incidents during the meeting that left a profound impact on her.
As the workers drank their beverages, one of them told the children: “Study hard, so you won’t become like us.”
While the students were initially confused by the statement, Syuhaida said that it was important for them to get an insight into the work that council workers go through.
“The kids were confused. Maybe they understand and maybe they don’t.
“What’s important is that they’re given the exposure and the experience. This meaningful encounter will become a beautiful childhood memory for them in the future.”
Syuhaida also recounted how one of the kids was eager to shake hands as the workers bid their goodbyes, but the request was eventually turned down.
“We only had a brief window before the rubbish collectors had to get back to work, so one of the students wanted to shake hands before they left.
“The workers humbly refused, saying their hands were smelly even though they actually wore gloves,” she told Malay portal mStar.
Syuhaida, who runs the nursery with her sister, hopes to make the meeting between the kids and the MPSP workers a weekly affair.
She added that educational activities at the pre-school level should not be restricted to colouring and drawing alone and that kids should be allowed to explore out-of-the-box activities that can teach them moral values.
The excitement of Syuhaida’s students was a bright spot in the day for MPSP workers who go through many challenges to keep the city clean.
Their efforts were lauded earlier in May and was highlighted in the Malay Mail when a heavy downpour caused streams of litter to clog up Seberang Perai’s drains.
The official MPSP Facebook page shared pictures of the workers staying up until the wee hours of the morning to clear out litter from the drains and prevent water from overflowing onto the streets.
