Teachers must continuously foster unity among their multiracial students although the country had achieved independence 60 years ago, said the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah.

He said teachers had a strong influence in promoting the spirit of 'muhibah' (goodwill) among students who came from multireligious, multiracial and multicultural backgrounds towards ensuring the country's resilience and stability.

"The concept of education excellence is upheld by those who are fully talented, determined and industrious," said Sultan Nazrin when launching the book, 'Yahaya Ibrahim; Ikon Pendidikan Negara' (Yahaya Ibrahim: National Education Icon) at Sultan Abdul Jalil Shah Campus, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), here, today.

The 153-page book on educationist Tan Sri Yahaya Ibrahim or better known as cikgu Yahaya was written by UPSI staff A. Halim Ali, Raja Ahmad Shalaby and Ahmad Janatul Firdaus.

The Sultan said outstanding and dedicated teachers were capable of firing up the spirit of learning among students, besides always working at ensuring their students achieved greater success than they had.

He said teachers who were always spoken well by their students were those who could win their students' hearts.

The Sultan said the philosophy held by the Kirkby College-trained teachers during the pre- and post-independence period and the role they had played should be emulated and sustained by the current educators in the country.

"My mother Tuanku Permaisuri Bainun is a Kirkby College graduate. As a teacher, she had an open attitude, and accepted and respected her colleagues, friends and acquaintances, neighbours, parents and students from different races and religions.

"She had set a good example for her students to get to know the world better, and she helped my siblings and I not to have prejudices, and to forge friendships within a wider circle across religious, racial, cultural, political and national boundaries," he shared.

While commending the effort of the writers of the book launched today, the Sultan said it should spur UPSI to come out with more publications on local and international personalities in the fields of education and teaching.

Born in Bayan Lepas, Penang on Feb 18, 1929, Yahaya who was Kirkby College-trained, has been involved in the field of education since 1954, and currently in private and higher education.

-- BERNAMA