By Sarah Rashdi
GOMBAK, 6 October 2021: Academia Day is not just a day but a call for all to understand the roles and responsibilities of an academic.
The academia does not merely refer to lecturers. Instead, they are passionate intellectuals, researchers, innovators, writers and motivators. They carry the power that enables dreams to be materialised in society.
They are more than an ordinary community but the greatest asset in the countrys possession. Their passion for education is the essence in creating a good future generation.
Their skills and experiences are the epitome of dedication that should be admired in order to invigorate the spirit in the development of the country.
They have made endless efforts to contribute towards the development of the community and create an excitement in higher education. All their contributions in the education services should not be forgotten.
The word œacademia should be infused with meaning. Hence, October 5th has been proclaimed as Academia Day. This is in conjunction with Worlds Teachers Day introduced by Unesco in 1994.
Teachers Day was celebrated to remember the teachers greatest contributions in imparting knowledge to the students at school. Hence, the academia at the higher level of education shall receive the same appreciations to value their roles in the industry.
Aside from teaching, academics shoulder the responsibility of conducting research, undertaking community and consultancy projects, and carrying out administrative tasks.
For the record, Academia Day was officially launched by former Minister of Education, Dr. Maszlee Malik back in 2019 at the University of Malaya. ***