Prize award ceremony @ SKTC

31.1.2010

Prize award ceremony @ SKTC

Today, Danny received his Std 3 awards. He managed to grab the award for being first in Std 3, best in Mathematics and best in Moral Studies. The whole ceremony was a mundane affair, a far cry from the razzmatazz and pomp of the yesteryears. At least I can tell from my experience in Hutchings and PFS.

I remember in Std 1, I was chosen by Mr GS Reutens to partake in a Mexican dance. 5 “couples” were chosen and it was an all-boys school, I was dressed up as a Mexican girl. I remember somebody (one of my classmates) called out, “hey, mummy, see black girl!” Now who says that Malaysia was utopia and land of milk and honey then? Racial stereotyping and discrimination was very much alive then as it is now. Anyway during the dance, my head scarf got loose and fell off, much to the amusement of crowd.

In one of the later years in Hutchings, my seniors (with the help of Ustaz Sheikh Muhammad) managed to put up a brilliant puppet show. I cannot remember the plot of the story but I remember that they used the theme score from the TV series “Voyage to the bottom of the sea” when the puppets had to go underwater to salvage something! It was a hit with the audience. In Std 6, I was chosen to be one of the dancing members of Boria. I was in a dilemma then as we were required to wear long pants for the event and I had never owned or wore a pair of long pants in my entire life (at that time). The question of asking my parents to sew a pair for me as the Sham household was perpetually in dire straits all the time. In desperate situations, the pawn shop will be the guiding light and saviour. In fact, my first pair of long pants was sewn for me for Deepavali by Malaya Tailor in Campbell Street when I was 14 years old. Anyway, I managed to borrow a pair of light purplish pants from R. Charles. After all the effort, I was dropped from the Boria group as I was apparently not good enough and had to contend with watching the show from the audience’s seat. These ceremonies were highly prestigious and a lot of effort was put into it by dedicated teachers. Off the cuff, I can enumerate a few; Mr Phuah, the Senior Assistant (who drove a station wagon Austin) who had eyes at the back of his head as well, Mr Khay, the music teacher, Ustaz Sheikh Muhammad and many more.

In PFS it was done at a much grander scale, full with pride and tradition. Scholars and board of visitors donning complete traditional colours and tunic used to be present on their Speech Day, which is what the award ceremony or parents and teachers’ day is called. Unlike in Hutchings where it used to be a real important day for me where I will be receiving awards every year without fail, it was a non event for me until Form 6. Now that is when I finally managed to wrangle myself a prize in Physics. There is a story behind this achievement.

It was May 1982 and monthly Physics test was due. As usual Mr Khoo Kay Tatt (@Ketat @Tennish) was elusive, mystical and vague on what was to be tested. His standard answer was you will be tested on what you were taught. The problem was nobody understood what he was trying to teach. He makes the subject mind boggling and mysterious than it already is. And finally test was out, 3 long questions and 2 of the subjects not covered in his classes! For the first and last time in my life, I actually failed a test! I only obtained 16% marks. I was devastated. I made a vow never to let that incident to repeat itself. I drew up a strategy to cover myself in all areas of Form 6 Physics so as not to be caught with pants down again. I detailed a comprehensive plan to cover all areas to be tested. I remember the Physics midyear examination paper was scheduled for a Monday and Friday was on off day. For three complete days (24 hrs – 6hrs for sleep), I was eating, drinking, breathing and seeing Physics and nothing else. Exam came and went like anything else in life…

When the results were out, the Physics results was last to be out as Mr Khoo was marking it. I obtained 90% compared to 3 other guys in U6Sc2 who had 92%. After going through the paper, I realized that my marks were under recorded. Then came the tormenting task of squeezing 2 marks out of Mr Khoo and I eventually succeeded! I got top marks for Physics in the whole of form 6!!! From someone who got a miserable 16 marks in the monthly test, to suddenly leap frog to receive the Physics prize is a formidable achievement I should say. RRF boy does it again!