I wish St Xavier's Institution well

The St Xavier's Institution's long tradition of a white cassocked school principal walking the corridors is about to end. According to newspaper reports, Brother Paul Ho is retiring soon and when he does, he won't be replaced by another La Sallian Brother. Instead his position will be filled by a civil servant. It's a big shame that another tradition is disappearing from our education system.

A member of the school's board of governors is hoping that an Old Xavierian would be appointed to helm the school, someone who is familiar with the La Sallian style of education.

While I support him fully, I have to wish him a lot of luck. If past experience is anything to go by, the school may get an Old Xavierian civil servant there for two or three years. After that, be prepared for the worst. The Ministry of Education will not care about who your next school principal will be. More likely, the ministry will choose someone who will cast the school's traditions to the wind. This person will then ignore the pleas of the board of governors and the Old Boys of the school and insist on doing things his own way.

Believe me, it will happen. After all, they did this to with the Penang Free School. How many of its school headmasters since the days of Tan Boon Lin were Old Boys of the Penang Free School? And how many of them valued and cherished the traditions of the Penang Free School? Why, even the time hallowed tradition of holding the Speech Day on 21 Oct was ignored just because it fell on a Sunday. It shouldn't be this way. In my opinion, headmasters are only transient characters. They should feel honoured to serve a school, not the other way round. They can either leave behind a positive legacy during their short stay or they can run away with their tails between their legs. The choice is theirs how they want to be remembered or reviled.

So let this be a warning to the St Xavier's Institution. The same fate may befall your school. Just be careful and may your own fine school traditions continue with no hindrance.