Mirror Mirror on the wall

Dear readers,

Sorry about the long absence, it is finally the end of the Summer Break for me.

Last month, I stepped into Penang Free School after almost being away for 5 years now. Was curious how things have changed in the school. What better way than to see with my own eyes.

As I drove into the school compound, I was greeted by the guard who had no problem letting me in. I told them I was an Old Free and was back to meet my old teachers.

The school is a little better in terms of infrastructure:

1. The school is fenced up in brick walls so that no, you don't have to break wires to ponteng, just literary pijak and lompat pagar.
2. The teachers now have shaded parking spaces. Thank god. I measured the temperature of my car before in the Penang sun. 60 degrees Celsius on a normal day. There is even a shade extending from the school pond to the school building. Good shelter for those rainy days.
3. There are mirrors on every corner of the school. What better way to tell someone, look in the mirror. They were not small mirrors you get in the school toilet. No, they were this huge ass full length mirrors! Hope it helps!
4. The teachers now have a 5 start toilet next to the office. Wow, now this brings meaning to sitting on the throne.
5. The canteen now has permanent benches stuck to the floor. I dont know what logic it is but at least some money was spent there.
6. The pond area has about a dozen new pondok bacaan for students to hang.
7. There is this absurdly huge badge facing the road.

So, as I walked into the school. The first teacher I met was none other than Mr Ho Nean Chan. Discipline Teacher and scout master extraordinaire. How five years in PFS will change someone. So, he ushered me into the discipline room where he lives with Mr Lim Ah Seng.

I said to him, "So Sir, how's my son?" and we laughed. He told me that many Old Frees came back often, once in a while, most with very very long hair and all sorts of funny antics.

But our meeting was short lived as he was kinda busy. I followed him for a while and it was obvious the female teacher there was uneasy with one of the kids. Ah Seng took out his big rotan and we headed to the Principals office.

Woot... got to witness kids getting whacked. I guess some of you felt that before. Raw discipline. Did not get to know what happened but En Ramli, the headmaster looked serious.

Next was my visit to my old Ed Board adviser, Ms Mabel. If anyone can remember her, she was the teacher teaching English in form 5 and 6. It was clear that she was quite upset at the quality of students in the school. I don't blame her.

It seems like the Editorial Board has been invaded by the likes of the Headmaster. Previously, the Editorial Board held a fund to produce the school magazines. It costs RM40,000 every year to print 2000 magazines. Previously it was funded half by students paying the compulsory fee, and by the Ed Board members somehow miraculously coming up with RM20,000 from canvassing and the goodwill of people. Right now, the magazines are no longer compulsory for the student population while the Headmaster has turned the once high quality of the school magazine into a cut and past photo album.

As for the Ed Board facilities, with no budget, all the Macs in the room are all aged and not maintained. I remember every year we would get our Mags somewhere after Speech Day on October 21st. It was a tradition. Right now, with no Mag to look forward to, and ISA policy from the HM, another tradition is on the line. Only the current students will lose out.

I do have in my reach, the soft copies of the school magazines for about ten years back and probably further, but right now, given the condition in the alma mater, I cannot upload the soft copies. Still hot politics going on between the OFA and the HM.

I wait in patience for next HM to see his policy on tradition and vision.