Helping your own school

Bear with me today. My musings here constitutes the message that I had sent to all my contactable friends and acquaintances through social media. It has since been expanded to include my wider plea for people to support their own schools, and I thought that the whole message should be reproduced here in my own blog as a documentation of my thoughts and nothing more.

We had a very satisfactory launch of the Free School Guide before the whole of Penang Free School on Monday last. The launch was even officiated by the Penang North-East District Education Officer. The Head Boy spoke at this special sitting of the School Assembly, followed by the Headmaster and finally, the Education Officer took the stage. At this official launch, the School Band came marching into the Pinhorn Hall and playing the School Rally to everyone's surprise. Everyone stood up to sing. 

I am gratified that Penang Free School saw it fit to truly recognise the work that my friends and myself had put in since 2017. I only wish that many more Old Frees will contribute something back to their education roots, their alma mater.

We often speak about how the standards of our schools today are no longer what it was in our days. While it is true that we often lament the changing educational landscape and the perceived decline in standards, it's crucial to remember that these shifts are a result of evolving government policies. Educational institutions themselves often have limited or no influence over these changes, as they must tow government regulations. Especially so if they are full government schools and not government-assisted schools. And most certainly, please do not vent your displeasure on the present generation of students. They should not bear the brunt of these transformations, mostly because they are there not by choice but often due to circumstances. They deserve our support and guidance, regardless of their race, colour or creed.

By the way, I have finished documenting Monday's launch on this blog, which you can read here:

https://ssquah.blogspot.com/2023/10/free-school-guide-launched.html

Finally, do explore the interactive Free School Guide in PDF format. Just scan the QR code to access the system. Please forward this message to people who may be interested in Penang Free School. Happy exploring!