Education Ministry in search of Tamil language teacher icon

PUTRAJAYA: The Education Ministry will hold a ballot casting to select a Tamil language teacher to be named as the teacher icon at the "Thesiya Tamilasiriyar Thilagam" Awards 2017 to be held in October.

Deputy Education Minister Datuk P. Kamalanathan said the activity, in conjunction with the 200 years of Tamil language education in Malaysia celebration, was expected to be participated by about 12,000 teachers who taught the language throughout the country.

"This event is the first of its kind to be held in appreciation of the service and excellence of Tamil language teachers as well as to enhance and uplift the Tamil language teaching profession in the country," he told a media conference here today.

Kamalanathan said it involved selecting icons in three categories, namely teacher, leadership and retiree in which five finalists would compete for the grand prize of RM3,000 for the Teacher Icon Award under the leadership category.

The selection and screening process would be conducted in cooperation with the Tamil Se-Malaysia Teachers' Union Council and Headmasters' Council whereby only one teacher would be selected from each state to present their capabilities to the national level voting committee before being announced as the winner.

All headmasters and school administrators can send their candidates nominated via the selection form that can be obtained from the State Education Department and district education offices, he added.