Westlands Secondary School or SMK Westlands

Westlands Secondary School or SMK Westlands

Westlands Secondary School or SMK Westlands (1957),is  located at No.3, Jalan Khaw Sim Bee,Penang. It was an English school established in 1957, mainly taking students from Westlands Primary School and other English primary schools in the city. Later the school also started remove classes for students from Chinese primary school, Malay primary schools and Tamil primary schools.



The school was established just before Malayan independence in 1957.  How did the school obtained its name?

The name may be named after the more older and established primary school, Westlands School or Westlands Primary School (SK Westlands). Westlands School was probably established around 1921/1922(?), but now the school had been closed due to poor enrollment.  How did Westlands School get its name? There is Westlands Road  around the area, Westlands Road is very common road name in commonwealth countries.

From the Kelly Map in the year 1893, the area opposite Pykett School, Pykett Avenue(not exist), Burmah Road, Westland Road (not exist) was called "Westlands" .  There was also bungalows called Westlands Bungalow, some called it Westlands House. Obviously the Westlands School is named after the name of the area. Noticed there was no “Westlands Road” in 1893,  the row of houses is still not built in the area. The area is mainly bungalows. But there is a bungalow called “Westlands”. This proved that the area may be named Westlands, even before the building of the Westlands Road, and Westlands School.  The  road and the school(Westlands School ) are probably named after the place,  Westlands.

1957 – Westlands  Secondary School was opened  in January 1957, with only 4 classes of Form 1 drawn from various primary schools in Penang , and  two Form2  Vocational classes from Francis Light School.  There were 7 teachers, initially with Mr Hooi Yip Hoong, the Headmaster of Westlands School as acting headmaster of  the school. Later Mr A William, an Australian became the Headmaster, and held the post for only 5 months. He was succeeded by  Mr Ooi Khay Bian in the same year.  The initial aim of the school was to serve as  a secondary vocational school. However with the introduction of standardized syllabus for the secondary school after Malayan  independence , the  plan for a vocational secondary school was dropped.  The standard type of the general secondary education was adopted. LCE or Lower  Certificate of Education was introduced as lower secondary school’s examination, FMC Exam(Federation of Malaya Certificate of Education) for Form 5 Malay medium students, QT(Qualifying Test) for repeated students, OSC(Oversea Cambridge School Certificate) for English medium students.

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1958 – Mr Lim Boon Hock took over as Headmaster, and the school prepared the students for LCE Exam.  The school started as a center for 10 Further Education Classes(Sekolah Menengah Lanjutan Westlands)  from 6 p.m. to 9p.m., from Monday to Friday. The classes continued until 1963, when they were transferred to Georgetown Secondary School. The school  premise was also make use by the Continuation Classes in the afternoon, there were 7 classes.  However they were separate entity.

1959- Datuk Salleh Hussein who was headmaster from 1959-1966. It was the only government secondary school  which have Malay as headmaster.  The school has become a complete lower secondary school offering LCE.

1960- Form 4 class was started.  SRP or Sijil Rendah Perlajaran exam was introduced(until it was abolished in 1993, and replaced by Penilaian Menengah Rendah or PMR ). LCE remained for English school.

1961- The school offered candidates  for  SC  for the first time, and become a complete secondary school with 17 classes and total enrollment of 650 pupils. The curriculum consisted of academic and vocational subjects.  The first to introduce Malay secondary education in the state, four years after its establishment in 1957. It becomes a two medium school. They were 2 Malay medium class with 30 pupils. They were boys and girls selected from Malay Primary Schools from Georgetown, Butterworth and other schools in PW.

1962 – A new block consist of 4 classrooms was constructed.  The FMC Examination in Malay Medium was taken for the first time.

1963 – 22 classes with pupil enrollment of 840 pupils, 97 were girls.

1964- The two language stream however only last 3 years, because the Malay medium students were moved to Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Jalan Residensi   in 1964. The school however still make use of the Science Laboratories and the classrooms on Saturday and Sunday.  The  girls were transferred to St George’s Girls’ School.  The school become a smaller school with 18 classes and enrolment of 708 pupils.  The school become one medium  school and a boy school.  The first issue of school magazine  appeared in May 1964. It was 50 pages and was called “Maju”(literally means Progess  or Forward in Malay).

FMC was abolished and MCE or Malaysian Certificate of Education was introduced to replace FMC.  SPM for the Malay schools. 

1965 – The 4^th form was removed. The students who passed their LCE will continued the 4^th Form in St Xavian Institution(SXI).

1966- When the Malay medium class was moved to the new school. Datuk Salleh Hussein was transferred to the school.  Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Jalan Residensi   was renamed  Sekolah Abdullah Munshi in 1966, he remained as headmaster until his retirement in 1969.  Mr MSR  Ambrose , a senior teacher  from Penang Free School, was appointed as headmaster of Westlands Secondary School to replace  En Salleh.  The school had grown to 22 classes with enrollment of  600 students.  The last two Form 5 classes sat for their SC Exam and FMC Exam(Federation of Malaya Certificate of Education)

1967 – The school again become a lower secondary school.

1968- OSC(Oversea Cambridge School Certificate) abolished

1969 – One Leng Gin was appointed as headmaster from Dec 1969. Form 4 classes started to conduct again.

1970 – The Form 5 class took the MCE  Exam and the school again become a complete secondary school. In 1970, it was stipulated that a candidate must have the minimum of a 'pass' in Bahasa Malaysia (as the National Language was then named), in order to qualify for the school-leaving certificate called the MCE or Malaysian Certificate of Education.

1972 – The Form 5 student  took their  MCE Examination under the new syllabus that Malay is a compulsory pass . Many students failed the Malay language subject in 1972, even  students  from  the top schools  all over Malaysia. Pillai (1973:16) reported that in 1972 more than half the English medium pupils failed to obtain the MCE despite performing well in other subjects. The large number of failures served to remind the public of the earnestness of the government to implement the national language policy.

1976- MCE taken over by the local Examination Syndicate. Malay as medium of instruction for Form1 started in all secondary school. Up to 1978, GCE examinations in Malaysia were conducted by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate, when two agencies of the Malaysian Ministry of Education took over the role with UCLES retaining an advisory role on standards.

1982- HSC or Higher School Certificate Cambridge  abolished, STPM took over.

1983- LCE abolished

1987 – SPM held throughout Malaysia, MCE Abolished

1990- Lim Chin Kee joined as headmaster in June 1990. Westlands  was all  boys’  school  since 1964 until December 1990, and when 37 girls were admitted. Westlands become co-educational school again.

1992 – Choong  Hean Chuan was appointed as Headmaster

Westlands  secondary school famous alumni

1.      Datuk Yong Soo Heong, Editor-in-chief and acting GM, Bernama. Yong, who holds a diploma in business journalism from the Centre for Foreign Journalists in Virginia, USA, joined Bernama as a cadet reporter in 1974. He was the agency's Economic Service editor from 2000 before his promotion to Bernama Economic Service executive editor on Aug 1, 2004.

2.      YB Abdul Malik Abul Kassim, state assemblyman for N37  Batu Maung  in the 2008 general election. He was appointed  The State Minister for Religious Affairs, Domestic Trade And Consumer Affairs, Penang.

3.      Tang Kye Kian, lawyer, who started his legal career with Lim 30 years when he was bright-eyed legal eagle described Lim as a true community leader."I was 22 when I returned from England and joined Kean Siew's legal firm. Tang who also served as a municipal councillor and continued working with Lim when he won the Pengkalan Kota state seat in the 1980 by-election following the death of CY Choy."I branched out after working with him for five years.

4.      Saw Hai Earn, founder and CEO of Pacific West

http://www.vistage.com.my/experience/advantage/success-stories/profiling-for-success/
http://www.penangpassion.com/article.aspx?secid=13&catid=61&artid=327

5.  Assoc Prof Ng Heong Wah, Associate Professor, Division of Engineering Mechanics , School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering , College of Engineering, NTU, Singapore

6. Dato' Ir. Ho Phea Keat, Managing Director of Kuantan Port Consortium Sdn Bhd., Pahang

7. Captain Chin Kon Wing, Manager, Operation & Training, Petroleum Industry of Malaysia Mutual Aid Group

 

Note: Hope readers can help to provide latest updates on the name of Headmaster

References:

New Strait Times, August 30^th 1992, When it was Westland to start with,  http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1309&dat=19920830&id=BrFUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YJADAAAAIBAJ&pg=6658,5426570

Convent Green Lane(青草巷修道院女中)

1961 Convent Green Lane(青草巷修道院女中)

CGL, or Convent Green Lane, full name is SMK Convent Green Lane(CGL) Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus, better known as Convent Green Lane, is a girls' secondary school in Penang. It is located along Green Lane, with one side along Hamilton Road.
Convent Green Lane was established by the Roman Catholic missionaries, primarily instrumental being Father M. Surmon of the Missions étrangères de Paris. Father Surmon serves as the parish priest of the Church of the Holy Spirit (now Cathedral of the Holy Spirit) while staying at the Little Sisters of the Poor along Batu Lanchang Lane. Convent Green lane was opened on 3 April, 1961.

The first headmistress of Convent Green Lane was Sister Helen O'Sullivan. From a beginning with just twelve classrooms, the school has expanded over the decades. The school hall was added in 1968 while a library came into being six years down the road.

Ven. Fr. Nicholas Barre first started small schools in France for the education of girls who couldn't afford to study. In 1666, he started the first group Infant Jesus Sisters and in 1852 the sisters came to serve in Malaya. Convent Light Street
On that eventful morning of 2nd January 1961, a small group of teachers and students gathered at the compound of the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus Light Street to mark the birth of Convent Green Lane. Prior to the completion of the new building on Jalan Masjid Negeri, 13 teachers and 377 students moved in. Times were tough but they preserved. The building was then officiated and blessed by Rev.Fr. M. Susmont on the 3rd of April, 1961. At that time, there were only 12 rooms. Ten were classrooms while the other two were the Staff Room and General Room.

In August 1961, under Sister Helen O'Sullivan our first principal, the Art and Needlework rooms and Junior Labs were built. The board of Administrators was set up and the school hall was later completed in 1968. The senior block comprising classrooms, senior labs and a library was ready 6 years later. One of our pioneer teachers of Convent Green Lane, Madam Fong Chee Kway was the first teacher to retire in 1979.

CGL’s principal s

1961- 1972?
Sister Helen O'Sullivan, Sr. Helen O’Sullivan, (Baptised ‘Nora’) in Drishane . Taught for many years in Malaya. Sr. Helen also had two aunts (Foleys) in Drishane. Canovee in the Parish of Kilmurry, Ireland. Kilmurry is a rural Roman Catholic Parish in Co. Cork, Ireland. It spans both sides of the main Cork-Killarney road for about 10 Km between Ballincollig and Macroom. It includes the villages of Farnanes, Aherla, Cloughduv, Crookstown, Lissarda, Canovee and Kilmurry. Drishane Convent was founded in 1909 by the Sisters of the Holy Infant Jesus http://www.kilmurry.ie/history/missionaries/missionaries_1.htm

1972 to 1988,
Sister Aidan Fitzgerald, from Holy Infant Jesus Mission, who obtained her Malaysian citizenship in 1966. She come to Malaya in 1954. Sister Aidan left her hometown in Cork County, Ireland, to teach in Malaya. She taught Science in Con-vent Light Street Secondary School from 1954 to 1965 before being transferred to Convent Green Lane where she later became its prin-cipal from 1972 until retiring in 1988. Headmistress Sekolah Menengah Convent, Green Lane, Penang(1972-1988). Member of Religious Congregation (HIJ) 1952 Graduated from National University of Ireland 1954 came to Malaya and became a Malaysian citizen.
Sister Aidan's Block was named after her.

1988- ? Ms. Oh Siew Keng
? to 2001 Pn Balkish Mohd Isa,
2002-2005 Pn Sharifah Hamidah bt Syed Mohd Alhabshi
2005- 2006 Pn Patimah bt Othman
2006 Pn Lim Yen Lee

The famous student of CGL, Datuk Nicol Ann David

Datuk Nicol Ann David is a Malaysian female professional squash player. She is currently ranked world number 1 in women's squash, and is the first Asian woman to achieve this. She won the British Open title in 2005, 2006 and 2008, as well as the World Open title in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010.
Nicol David was born in Penang. She studied in Green Lane Convent Secondary School. Her parents are Ann Marie David and Desmond David. Her father is an engineer and her mother is a retired school teacher. Nicol has two sisters,are all students from Convent Green Lane. Lianne and Cheryl, both of whom are accomplished squash players at the national level.



Suggested websites:

1. Nicol David, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicol_David
2. Nicol David personal website; In my own words; http://www.nicoldavid.com/
3. Penang's Green convent turns golden; http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/green2/Article/

SMK Haji Zainul Abidin

SMK Haji Zainul Abidin, had strange history for a school.

1. It had changed name twice, from Scotland Road Secondary School, then to Haji Zainul Abidin School, and now SMK Haji Zainul Abidin.

2. It was formed by 6 extension schools, namely Sekolah Menengah Lanjutan Westland(Westland Extension Secondary School), which together with Sekolah Menengah Lanjutan Georgetown(Georgetown Extension Secondary School), Sekolah Menengah Lanjutan Tanjong(Tanjong Extension Secondary School), Sekolah Menengah Lanjutan MaCalister(Macalister Extension Secondary School), Sekolah Menengah Lanjutan Jalan Kelawei(Kelawei Road Extension Secondary School) and Sekolah Menengah Lanjutan Glugor(Glugor Extension Secondary School). It was originally a lower secondary school, classes from Remove to Form 3, preparing students for LCE(Lower Certificate of Education).

3. It moved from the original school location at Scotland Road(which the original name was based) to now the Jalan Halminton Road, giving way to Sekolah Menengah Agama Lelaki Al-Manshoor, a residential religious school.

4. It was the school that admit students with special needs, e.g. visually disabled students.

SMK Haji Zainul Abidin indeed had a unique history, that no other school will experience.

SMK Haji Zainul Abidin(再纳阿比汀中学)

Scotland Road Secondary School(1965-1972)

Sekolah Menengah Lanjutan Westland(Westland Extension Secondary School), which together with Sekolah Menengah Lanjutan Georgetown, Sekolah Menengah Lanjutan Tanjong, Sekolah Menengah Lanjutan MaCalister, Sekolah Menengah Lanjutan Jalan Kelawei and Sekolah Menengah Lanjutan Glugor to form a new lower secondary school on 11th January 1965, the name of the school is Scotland Road Secondary School, named after the road nearby. The first headmaster was Mr. Lim San Hoe who was transferred from Westland Secondary School on 1st January 1965.


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SMK Haji Zainul Abidin was located formally at Scotland Road, Penang. It was opened in 1965 to formalize the 6 extension schools into a lower secondary school. It was known as Scotland Road Secondary School with a student population of about 726.
In 1967, the school was officiated by the then cheif minister of Penang, YAB Tan Sri Wong Pow Nee.

Haji Zainul Abidin School(1972-2009)

In 1972 the name of the school was changed to Haji Zainul Abidin School in rememberance to the noble deed of a local Malay educationist who is none other than Tuan Haji Zainul Abidin bin Sultan Mydin of Penang.

In 1982, students with low vision were also placed in this school via a programme known as Blind Students Assimilation Programme and it was the first school in Penang to have such a programme. Blind and low vision students will study together with normal sighted students using the same curriculum and classrooms. This is to ensure that visually disabled students were able to be part of society and be independence when they leave school.

In 1985, Haji Zainul Abidin school became a full-fledged secondary school, and in 1986 112 pioneer students took the SPM examination for the first time.

1986 saw an increase in the number of students to 1371.

SMKHZA(SMK Haji Zainul Abidin)2009 until now

On 12th Sep 2009 Sekolah Haji Zainul Abidin, Jalan Scotland officially transferred to Sekolah Menengah Agama Lelaki Al-Manshoor. SHZA then relocated to Jalan Hamilton and was known as SMKHZA(SMK Haji Zainul Abidin).

It is now located at Jalan Hamilton Jelutong, Penang


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