Later that afternoon I was told by our teacher that they tried telling Ronnie to go home first to get a change of clothes but he wouldn’t. I came in late already, he said. I don’t want to miss the whole lesson altogether. The teacher took a few pieces of paper to put under Ronnie’s shirt, just like what they did to the other kids who refused to go home even when they needed a change of shirt. It has to do for now she said-just to absorb the water and protect their backs. Besides, we didn’t really know how far their houses are so it might not be wise to send them home. I felt warm with the gesture of the teacher. That is a mark of a very good teacher-love for the children. And the lesson I learned from Ronnie, he came to learn. Seriously wanted to learn. We should not shortchange him.
Ronnie’s story did not end there. That week. I looked for his Mom when at times he would be absent from class. I learned Ronnie earns RM17 a day, a big contribution for his family to survive and eat everyday. I told the Mom if it will be possible for Ronnie to stop work and go to “the school.” I told her we cannot afford Ronnie’s daily income (truth is we were not ready to give any scholarship of some sort but I just can’t seem to pass up this opportunity). But if Ronnie works in the school I could come up with RM200 a month for him.
And that’s how it started. Our first work-to-study program. Ronnie, opens and locks up the school house. He was the leader-keeper of toys, books, and brooms. He makes sure our two tiny classrooms are neat and orderly all the time. The following year I had to stop Ronnie’s allowance because I took in her older sister as teacher trainee and I did not have enough funds. Ronnie kept on his duties. And how he learns inside the class-it is such a joy to us who are teaching.
This year, Ronnie was able to get certain documents. He can now write and read well and also converses in confident English. His Mom and sister (who are our teachers) plus what their Dad can bring in pooled together their resources to send Ronnie and his younger sister to town to study. The school is admitting non-Malaysians who have certain documents. The fees and the school bus are beyond what any normal family in their kampong can afford. Ronnie and his sister plus another boy is now a special case. They are like a breakthrough for each family’s dream. It ‘s like them seeing that dreams do come true. That their kids will not stay ignorant. That it could happen.
to be continued