- A Constant Idol -
One of our most senior member of the Edu Champ Academic team, kaka Rissa was already working as a teacher and an admin at Berkin Kiulap before boss Teck Sion was a teacher there. After working in Brunei for over 20 years, she has found her passion in doing what loves - education. Humbled by her experiences, we sat down with her to ask her to share her story with us.
ECA : Tell us a little about your job.
RISSA : I usually work here as an admin and as a tutor also. I’m a Bachelor of Elementary Education graduate. Yeah. So I teach Primary students. English, Maths and Science. Because, basically, I love children! And as a mother, I know what they want, compared to the single teachers. (Laughs) I know their tantrums and what they really don’t like sometimes.
ECA : How did you come into admin work?
RISSA : At that time, the boss, the old boss, asked me to help with the admin work when a staff left. So, I decided to help him and, at the same time, keep teaching also. As an admin, for me, you can deal with the different types of parents, different types of students. Yeah? But I prefer teaching, because that is my vocation. I started working in Brunei in 1997 and the first employment I had was as a teacher at a tuition school somewhere in Madang.
ECA : Do you have a favourite kind of student?
RISSA : A student who wants to learn and, at least, do what I want him to do - for his or her own good! And studious. All the papers given to him or her, he will do all. Because I’m dealing with small children, they will tell you things like, “Teacher, I don’t want to do this!” Yeah. They are very honest! (Laughs) So I like it if they are an obedient one, and studious also.
ECA : All the teachers seem to love you here. Do you do anything special?
RISSA : No. I mean. It’s like… I don’t see myself as part of a company, but I treat everyone like a friend. A friend who I can chat with and ask something about them and stuff. It’s just acting in a normal way. There are no hindrances between the admin and the teachers. It’s like we are friends.
ECA : How do you feel about working at Edu Champ Academic?
RISSA : For me here, as an admin for sir Teck, you can say that I enjoy working with him. Because he gives us all the necessary things that we need. Before, you have to ask for a long time before all of your request will be granted. But for sir Teck, it’s all given. Yeah. All the daily things that need here, like the toilet stuff, and the office things, the stationery... Before, only a few things were provided. Yeah. It’s a good thing to have sir Teck. As long as sir Teck wants me, I will stay. (Laughs)
We sure hope you stay with us for a long, long time. We can't imagine our school without kaka Rissa. It's the heart and soul of a person like her that makes the halls such a warm place to be. Thank you for making all the admins, teachers and students feel so welcome!