THE STAR, Nation, Monday, April 18, 2005
‘Spell out plan for old schools'

PENANG: The Education Ministry has been urged to elaborate on its plan to help schools of over 100 years to continue producing students with excellent results. 

Old Xaverians Association president Dr Goh Cheng Teik said that although he had read about the ministry's recent announcement he was still unclear as to what the plan entailed.

“We will wait for the Minister (Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein) to spell out what he has in mind,” he said when contacted yesterday. 

Formed in 1929, the association has about 1,000 ex-students.  

Dr Goh was responding to Hishammuddin's announcement on Friday that schools of over 100 years would be given a special benchmark status under a ministry programme. 

Hishammuddin had said their infrastructure and facilities would be upgraded under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, noting that many of them had been producing students who excelled both in the classroom and outside. 

The 153-year-old St Xavier's Institution is the country's first school to be run by the La Salle Brothers. 

On Saturday, its principal Rev Bro Paul Ho said the school was in dire need of funds to improve its infrastructure. 

Other such schools are ACS Ipoh, Penang Free School and Convent Light Street in Penang, Methodist Girls Secondary School in Malacca, and Methodist Boys Secondary School, St John's Institution and Victoria Institution in Kuala Lumpur. 

In Petaling Jaya , retired teacher Vincent Fernandez is “over the moon with the Education Ministry's announcement”. 

The St John's Alumni Association president said it was timely, as mission schools had been producing great people with limited funds, citing Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak as a shining example of the institution's academic excellence. 

Fernandez, 63, studied at St John's Institution, Kuala Lumpur, for 11 years and spent his entire 34-year teaching career there. 

“I was inspired by the brothers' dedication to help everyone regardless of race, religion or status,” he said.  

“It was payback time. I wanted to continue the tradition left behind by the La Salle brothers.” 

Victoria Institution's old boy Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam, 70, said the announcement was a laudable gesture and an excellent idea.  

“I've attended many schools at Ipoh, Taiping and Kangar, but my best time was in Victoria Institution, Kuala Lumpur,” the Sunway Group corporate director said. 

He said that at Victoria Institution he was encouraged to identify his own talent and develop his potential – and the attitude carried on into his university and working life. 

“The school culture is that of high respect and service to the nation. 

“The emphasis is not only on academics but on all-round excellence,” he said.  

Another Victoria Institution old boy, David Lian, 23, said the extra government support would help the school to continue producing excellent students. 

“A great thing about the school culture is that students are given a lot of freedom to express themselves and lead,” the public relations consultant said. 

He said the school spirit was so strong that some old boys helped by providing funds to the school. 

“With the extra bit, we managed to get the old clock tower serviced in 1999. 

“We also helped fund the school band to go overseas in 1997,” he said.

SPECIAL STATUS: The 153-year-old St Xavier's Institution in Penang is among several schools that are over 100 years old which stand to benefit from a programme under the Education Ministry.

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