A preschool boy has warmed the hearts of many after surprising his favourite teacher with an unusual farewell gift — a whole durian.
The touching moment involved Affan Maleeq Muhammad Irsyaduddin, a pupil at a Tabika KEMAS preschool, who wanted to show his appreciation before his beloved teacher transferred to another school.
His mother, Nur Syazwani Alia Hassan Basri, 29, said the incident took place on July 22, after Affan learned that his teacher would be leaving following a farewell ceremony.
The night before, Affan’s late grandfather had bought several durians. Without telling anyone, the young boy picked one and quietly placed it inside his school bag.
His mother said she tried to stop him from bringing the fruit because it was heavy and had a strong smell.
“I told him not to take it because it was too heavy and I said there wouldn’t be enough if he wanted to give one to every teacher,” she said.
“But he insisted. He told me the other teachers had already eaten durian, and this one was specially for the teacher he loved.”
She only realised it was meant to be a surprise after receiving a message from the teacher shortly after Affan arrived at school.
According to the teacher, Affan first gave her a hug before telling her, “Teacher, I have a surprise for you,” and then proudly pulled the durian out of his school bag.
His mother said the heartfelt gesture reflected the close bond between Affan and his teacher, who had helped transform his attitude towards school.
She explained that Affan, who has a weaker immune system and often falls ill, previously disliked going to school because he was afraid of teachers.
However, his teacher’s kindness and patience gradually made him feel safe, happy and excited to attend school every day.
Although Affan now has a new teacher, he still talks about his former teacher and occasionally says he wishes he could be in her class again.
His mother added that while Affan continues to enjoy going to school, he misses the daily hugs he used to share with the teacher who made such a lasting impact on his early education.
