Unite to maintain school

I REFER to the letter entitled “Maintain premier schools” (StarEducation, Sept 18) and would like to express my opinion on some of the issues raised by the writer.
I am the father of a Form Six student studying at SMK Anderson, and I drop and pick up my daughter from the school every day.According to the writer, the physical condition of the school is not the same as it was 50 years ago.

In my opinion, there is no point lamenting the physical condition of a school which is 96 years old.

Can we compare the physical appearance of a 20-year-old with that of a 96-year-old?

I agree that the desks are old and worn but is this the fault of the principal or the teachers? I cannot even fault the government on this as it cannot allocate a large amount of money for just one school every year.

Next, the writer mentioned that the doors could not be closed because the hinges had been ripped out and that the paint on the wall was peeling off. Yes, that is true but the school was repainted just three years ago.

To me, the physical environment of SMK Anderson is not that bad. I also feel that the physical appearance of the school does not reflect the non-physical aspects and that we should not judge a book by its cover.

The principal has done his part – there is now a new building for the bookshop and the library is air-conditioned.

I agree that we have been so busy building new schools that we have allowed our old smart schools to rot. But who are the “we” here? The teachers, the principal, the administrators or the students?

It is not fair to say that the pride teachers, headmasters and administrators used to have in their work is gone – many teachers are still highly committed.

Instead of criticising, let us all contribute and give our support to upgrade the physical condition of the school.

MD NAVANATHAN DORAISAMY
Via e-mail

Upset over condition of school

I REFER to the letter Maintain premier schools (StarEducation, Sept 18). I fully agree with the writer that the once-colourful green glass panes are mostly broken, have cracks in them or are missing. The same goes for the doors too! The writer admitted that he was unable to talk to the principal when he visited the school as it was a Sunday. He thus probably also missed a visit to the school hall for the same reason.

I was a student of Anderson School in the early 60’s

My official duties as a medical officer later included visits to the school; I also visited the school hall on occasions and what I saw there was heartbreaking.

The annually updated rolls of honour for the captain of the school, the head prefect, scholar of the year, outstanding sportsmen in Divisions A, B, C and D, the champion houses, list of past principals and their year or years of service were all missing. Some of the information has not been updated for more than a decade!

Is it shame of our colonial past that brought things to such a low level?

DR PURAN SINGH (MBBS)
Ipoh

Maintain premier schools

WHEN I was in Ipoh recently, I decided to look around my alma mater, Anderson School.

I had literally grown up in the school, some 50 years ago, spending a great deal of time in the classrooms and on the playing fields. I was fortunate as I not only studied in this school but also taught in it.

I spent a good 40 minutes walking around the school that day. What I saw shocked me.

This was not the school I knew, the school I loved, the school I had spent my most formative years in. This was an eyesore, a school in ruins.

The desks were old, worn out and in disarray. The once-colourful glass panes were mostly broken or had cracks in them. The doors were dirty; some could not be closed because the hinges had been ripped out. The paint on the walls was peeling off. The environment was not at all conducive, either to teaching or learning. The only place that showed any sign of maintenance was the field which had recently been mowed.

Premier schools like SMK Anderson have groomed many of the nation’s top leaders. It is disheartening to see the sad state of disrepair in some of these schools. – Filepic

I asked myself: “If this is the physical condition of the school, what about the non-physical aspects?

And then I asked myself another question: “What went wrong here?”

I did not have the opportunity to talk with the school principal that day as it was a Sunday. It would have been interesting to hear his side of the story. But whatever the reasons, the sad state of affairs is not justifiable.

I was once the organiser of schools for Perak and the deputy chief education officer of Penang. There is no way we would have tolerated that condition in any school, much less a premier school.

This was Anderson School, the school that has, over the years, produced some of the best minds in the country.

During my school days, I had been under several colonial headmasters, the last being Dr. G. E. D. Lewis. I’m certain they would not have tolerated the present shameful condition of the school.

It is a disgrace that we cannot even maintain the excellent institutions left behind by the British.

What worries me is that what I saw in Anderson School that day may not be the exception. How many of the other excellent schools of the past are in similar ruins?

What is the problem then? Is it a lack of resources, apathy, attitude, culture or policy? There is a real need to get to the root of the matter. If this could happen to a premier school, what about rural Malay, Chinese or Tamil schools?

I feel the problem is not a matter of resources but attitude. In our quest for mass education, we have abandoned some of the country’s best schools in the past.

We have been so busy building new smart schools that we have allowed our old smart schools to rot.

The pride that teachers, headmasters and administrators used to have in their work has gone. The truly competent people today are no longer in the education service which has become largely a place for the mediocre.

This has resulted in a general decline in the quality of the education service. The recent death of a teacher in Kedah falling through the termite-eaten floor of a school exemplifies my concern for administrative slack.

Ultimately, smart schools will only succeed if there are smart people in them.

There is a need to create a more compe-titive education service with quality as the only agenda.

While there is a need to improve rural schools and bring them into the mainstream, there is an equal urgency to maintain and improve the premier schools of the past as centres of educational excellence.

The present leadership of the country came largely from these schools. It would be a shame and a mistake to let them wither away.

It is time to do away with our tidak apa culture which emphasises slogans and trimmings rather than substance.

DR. I. LOURDESAMY

Petaling Jaya

BNM offers scholarships for nation’s top three SPM scorers

KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 (Bernama) Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has established a Special Scholarship Award for the nation’s top three achievers in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination. BNM Governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz said as a knowledge-based organisation, the bank accorded the highest priority to developing and nurturing top human talents and promising youths to realize their full potential.

The three recipients for last year’s SPM examination were Nur Amalina Che Bakri from SMK Ulu Tiram, Johor, who scored 17 A1s, Anushree Lalitha d/o Subramaniam (14 A1s) from SMK (P) Sri Aman, Petaling Jaya, Selangor and Leong Tian Seng (13 A1s) from SMK Anderson, Ipoh, Perak.

Students under this Special Scholarship Award would be given the freedom to pursue their own choice of study and career, she said when announcing the establishment of this scholarship award, here Thursday.

They would be also granted the opportunity to pursue pre-university courses abroad.

The central bank governor said BNM would work with the Department of Higher Education to provide recommendations for students on applications to gain entry into the best universities in the world.

 We will not impose any bond on these students upon completion of their studies, but expect them to contribute to the nation upon completion of their studies, she said.

Source : Bernama

Top scorer is an all-rounded student

PETALING JAYA: An avid swimmer, accomplished musician, recognised public speaker and top student, Anushree Lalitha Subramaniam has achieved a lot for someone her age.

However, when Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein announced that she was the second-best student in the country with 14 A1s, she got the shock of her life as she did not expect to be “so far top”.

In addition to the five core papers of Bahasa Melayu, English Language, Mathematics, History and Moral Education, the articulate Anushree scored distinctions in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Additional Mathematics, English for Science and Technology, Principles of Accounts, Economics, Art and English Literature.

“I only took tuition for accounting and English Literature as they were not offered in my school. Economics was also not offered but I studied for it on my own,” she said.

Cream of the crop: (From left)Anushree Subramaniam,14 A1s from SMK Sri Aman, Petaling Jaya, Nur Amalina Che Bakti,17 A1s from SMK Ulu Tiram, Johor Baru and Leong Tian Seng 13 A1s from SMK Anderson, Ipoh.

The keen musician not only plays the organ, piano and violin but also composes music.

Anushree, who scored straight As in her Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) and Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah examinations, now wants to pursue a liberal arts degree.

“I hope to do a double major, perhaps in economics and music. I cannot give up music as it is my passion,” said the 17-year-old, who was awarded a Diploma in Music from Trinity College, London, when she was just 14.

On plans for the future, the SMK (P) Sri Aman student said: “I am not really sure right now but I will work towards becoming an economist. Whatever it is, I want to make a difference in the world.”

In Ipoh, Leong Tian Seng obtained the same straight A results as his younger brother, Tian Weng when they both sat for the PMR in 2002.

This time round, Tian Seng came out tops when he emerged as the nation’s third best student for last year’s SPM.

“I didn’t believe my ears when my teacher told me. I was wondering if my teacher had mixed up Tian Weng’s results with mine,” he said when contacted yesterday.

Despite checking with his form teacher, 17-year-old Tian Seng was still not convinced until his results were announced yesterday.

“I had only expected to be the best student in my school,” said the SMK Anderson student.

Tian Seng, who hopes to study mechatronics engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States, is so excited over his results that he plans to send an online application to the institution today upon his return here from Johor.

The King Scout, who is also involved in The Star’s BRATs (Bright, Roving, Annoying, Teenagers) programme, dismissed the notion that top scorers were usually “bookworms who spend eight hours a day studying”.

His mother, See Ai Kiong, is hoping that 16-year-old Tian Weng, who took 12 subjects, will also bring home good news today.

“Hopefully, tomorrow (today) we’ll have a double celebration,” said the 52-year-old nurse.

Source : TheStar.com.my

Anderson rout Datuk Taha

SEREMBAN: Defending champions Anderson of Perak and Kelantan’s Hamzah Machang, as expected, qualified for the final of the 17th Champion Schools hockey tournament at the Seremban Two Hockey Stadium here today - but they did it in contrasting styles.

Anderson trounced Datuk Taha 5-2 in the first semi-final while Hamzah had to endure extra time in their match against SAB College before winning 3-2 off a golden goal.

The winning goal came in the 74th minute, thanks to a penalty stroke conversion by Mohamed Firdaus Othman.

This is the second time Anderson and Hamzah are meeting in the final. Their last encounter in 1999 went in favour of the Kelantan side.
This time, though, Anderson seem to have the upper hand, with their remarkable run of 29 matches unbeaten in the Champion Schools series.

They have not been beaten since that 1999 final and have won the title four time since then. Today, they could make it five in a row.

Anderson coach Mokhtar Baharuddin said they were proud of their record and would like to see it kept for the final.

“It will be a difficult record to break. We have been unbeaten since the 1999 final and there were two seasons in 2002 and 2003 when we did not even concede a goal.

“The main thing tomorrow (today) is to win and win the title. It does not matter which team we play,” he said.
Yesterday, Anderson just took eight minutes to open the scoring. Mohamed Ali Zakuan dribbled into the D and sent a hefty shot at goal which sailed past a sea of legs and goalkeeper R. Viknesh.

That put them completely in command and soon they were attacking incessantly.

In the 15th minute, off their fourth penalty corner, Anderson increased their lead with Mohamed Razali flicking the ball high past Viknesh. Three minutes later, Razali scored his sixth goal of the tournament off a field attempt.

In the 33rd minute Mohamed Hafiz scored off a penalty corner but the match was far from over.

Datuk Taha decided to discard their defensive strategy and go on the attack.

This provided some positive results and S. Vimalan and S. Muniandy scored in the 41st and 64th minutes respectively. {mosgoogle}

But the two goals woke up Anderson and Mohamed Noor Khairul put the issue to rest with a strike in the 67th minute, off a penalty corner.

Anderson coach Mokhtar said that the early goals helped them to pace themselves.

But he was furious with the boys’ second half performance.

“They took it too easy and allowed their concentration to waver at crucial moments. We cannot allow this to happen in the final,” he said.

The Hamzah and SAB College match proved to be an absorbing contest. Hamzah took the lead in the 11th minute through Mohamed Amir Shamsukhdir and this was followed by a field goal by Mohamed Firdaus Othman in the 17th minute.

SAB, however, kept up the pressure and Hang Edzhar was their hero with two goals in the 20th and 40th minute. But four minutes into extra time Firdaus settled the issue when Hamzah received a penalty stroke.

BY S. RAMAGURU

Source : TheStar.com.my

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