WE undoubtedly have a good number of sweet memories concerning our formative years, especially during primary school. The same can also be said about the bad ones.
Young and separated from our parents which are our only safe space, we have every reason to be terrified, mingling among the toddlers of our age.
But most of us can agree that there is no scarier moment than when it’s time to go home, and mom and dad aren’t waiting by the school gate.
An exemplary teacher understands this feeling, which was why she waited with her student until 8pm for her parents to come pick her up. Note that the school in question was in Johor Bahru.
The story has by now turned into a sensation on the internet, where a good number of netizens applauded her sense of responsibility that went beyond working hours.
Dilema Cikgu Sekolah: Bila Mak Bapak Lambat Ambil Anak, Siapa Yang Susah?
Kecoh baru-baru ni pasal satu post viral berkenaan seorang cikgu yang sanggup tunggu anak murid kat sekolah sampai dekat pukul 8 malam.
— It’s Amey 𝕏 (@ameydeen_) August 17, 2026
Netizen @ameydeen_ who made the post about it said, “The dilemma of a school teacher: When the mother and father come late to pick up the children, who is being inconvenienced?”
The discussion continued that if the teacher went home and something bad happened to the student, can the parents sue the teacher?
A sarcastic netizen in the comment section suggested instead that the teacher call the police to pick up the boys. “The mother and father can then go to the police station,” he said.
Also, @janleek9 added that parents should not turn schools into free daycare centres.
“A good teacher. I was once late and I sat alone with the guard,” lamented @_underscore1_ while @al_harith pointed out that it was unnecessary for the teacher to wait with the student since the guard is available.
“The longest I waited was until the Maghrib call to prayer. Congratulations to the teacher who waited until 8 at night,” said another netizen who claimed to be a teacher.
Perhaps @ameydeen_ who started the post, has a solution to this problem too. According to him, there should be an added charge of RM15 an hour for the parents, payable to the guard, if they intend to pick up their kids late.
Perhaps RM15 an hour is not such a bad idea after all. It may teach parents an important lesson about punctuality, while giving the school guard a little extra motivation to stay awake.
The teacher gets to go home, the child gets to go home, and the guard gets a little extra income. Most importantly, parents might finally discover that “I’ll be there soon” is not actually a recognised unit of time.—Aug 18, 2026
Main image: Norhafizah Binti Ismail (Facebook)
