Friday, February 19, 2016

Tuan Haji Mohd Nordin’s Retirement Story


 
The above retirement message is specially dedicated to our Timbalan Pengarah (Deputy Director), Tuan Haji Mohd Nordin bin Abdullah who will be retiring on 29 February 2016.  
Tuan Haji Mohd Nordin bin Abdullah was born on 5 June 1957 in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, as the fifth son of Abdullah bin Abu and Nambun bt Ahmad. He has 8 siblings, 2 elder brothers, 2 elder sisters, 2 younger brothers, and 2 younger sisters. His father was a FELDA settler and his mother was a housewife. He received his primary education at SK Sendayan, Seremban, from 1964 until 1969 and his secondary education at SM Sedayan, from form 1 to form 3 after which he was offered a place at Sekolah Alam Shah in Selangor to pursue his upper secondary education. However, he rejected this offer and continued with his upper secondary education at SM Tengku Ampuan Durah instead which is located in his hometown, Seremban. He studied form 6 in this school for a while after which he did his matriculation at Sekolah Alam Shah in Selangor even though he had earlier rejected the offer to pursue his studies in this school. After the matriculation program, he went to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia to pursue higher studies from where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in chemistry in 1980. After graduating from the university, he was first posted to Sekolah Menengah Teknik in Johor Baru in 1980 where he taught chemistry for form 4 and form 5 students. As a young teacher back then, he was the given the challenging task of being the sports secretary of this school, something which not many fresh graduates could afford to do but despite his lack of experience, Tuan Haji Nordin has proven that he could make a success out of his new position with the support of his colleagues. Formerly, a school hockey player, Tuan Haji Nordin has since become the hockey coach for SM Teknik and led his school in the MSSD (state level) sports programs. He also became the softball coach at SM Teknik and Maktab Perguruan Tengku Ampuan Afzan (which was then located in Kuantan) even though he has never played softball in his life. When he first became a lecturer in Maktab Perguruan Teruntum, he was chosen to be the head advisor for scouts even though he has never taken part in any scouts activities earlier. Although he did feel a little bit tense in the beginning, he has since developed a strong interest in scouting after attending some courses. In him, we can find the scout spirit, an ideal attitude that Scouts around the world are supposed to show, based on adherence to the Scout Oath and Law.
 
Tuan Haji Mohd Nordin - proud to be a scout and looks very smart in his scout uniform
 
In him, we can find the scout spirit, an ideal attitude that Scouts around the world are supposed to show, based on adherence to the Scout Oath and Law.
In 1986, Tuan Haji Nordin got a transfer back to his hometown in Seremban where he taught at SM King George V, Seremban. He got married in 1986 but the marriage only lasted for one year and ended in 1987. He has no children from this marriage. 30 years after the divorce, he is still a bachelor – perhaps the most eligible bachelor in the world. Still looking handsome and fit at 59, he has been living a very meaningful and fulfilling life all these years devoting all his life to his career. He is the kind of man who loves family life and would not miss a single weekend travelling back to his hometown to spend some precious moments with his mother, brothers, sisters, and nieces, nephews, grand nieces, and grand nephews. When asked why he still remains single, Tuan Haji Mohd Nordin said, “Marriage is in the hands of God and if it is God’s will that he should meet someone special someday, then why not.” Tuan Haji Nordin, you are right and we sincerely hope that you would find what you are looking for in life.



On 1st of January1989, Tuan Haji Nordin moved on to Maktab Perguruan Teruntum as a lecturer. He stayed on in Maktab Perguruan Teruntum until it was closed down in 1999 after which he was transferred to Maktab Perguruan Tengku Ampuan Afzan which was then located in Semambu, Kuantan. In the same year, Tuan Haji Nordin also graduated with a masters degree in education management from UPM after 1 year of study. In May 2002, Maktab Perguruan Tengku Ampuan Afzan moved over to its new campus in Kuala Lipis, Pahang, and this is the place where Tuan Haji Nordin celebrates his retirement 3 years later. Tuan Haji Nordin became the deputy director of IPGK Tengku Ampuan Afzan in April 2013 and since it has been a common sight to see him walking around the institute, checking on every nook and cranny to ensure that everything is in order. A kind and thoughtful man well known for his compassion and generosity, Tuan Haji Nordin can also be very strict at times as he is the kind of man who would not stand any nonsense from anyone.


When asked why he has opted to retire before 60, Tuan Haji Mohd Nordin said that it is due to certain health problems that come with his age and he also finds it very tiring to travel to Seremban every weekend to visit his mother. As we all know, Tuan Haji Nordin is a filial son who cares a lot for his mother.

Tuan Haji Mohd Nordin’s advice to the lecturers is to face all challenges in the teaching profession with an open heart and always be ready to give their best to the profession. According to Tuan Haji Mohd Nordin, the trainee teachers who belong to the present ‘Y Generation’ are different from the past generation of trainees and cannot be treated in the same way as the trainee teachers of the olden days. The present generation is well equipped with the latest technological development such as the internet, computers, and handphones and are therefore more advance compared to the older generation. Lecturers should therefore try to understand their background situation so as to avoid conflict when dealing with them. Lecturers should also try to instill good moral values amongst the trainee teachers and be their role models

When asked what his future plans are, Tuan Haji Mohd Nordin said that he would indulge in gardening, such as planting flowers, trimming and fertilizing the plants, and tidying up his house and lawn. Although Tuan Haji does feel sad about his retirement as he has been in this profession for such a long time, he also feels that it is time that he should give other lecturers a chance to be the deputy director. Although we do feel sad that Tuan Haji Mohd Nordin will be retiring in 10 days' time (on the 29 February 2016), particularly when we see him clearing up the things in his office, we sincerely hope that he will find a new life filled with happiness and joy after his retirement. Let us all wish him a Happy and Successful Retirement as he opens another new chapter of his life. Many people look forward to retirement and studies have proven that on average people are happier in retirement and that their health also improves. Retirement therefore appears to be the best period in one’s life! We will miss you, Tuan Haji, but as long as you are happy, we will be happy for you too because you are going to enjoy the best period of your life in the days ahead.

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