艾美艾尊

THE Minister of Education congratulated the largest Chinese school in the country for its contribution to the Brunei education system.

At the Chung Hwa Middle School (CHMS) BSB Family Day/Fun Fair 2012 held at the school yesterday Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Hj Abu Bakar Hj Apong praised the Chinese school for its strong performance in the field of education.

He was the guest of honour for the event.

"As witnessed from their performance in public examinations, this school has produced excellent students, and recently, they are among the schools that produce top students in the world, especially in Mathematics and Science," YB Pehin Dato Hj Abu Bakar said on the sidelines of CHMS Family Day/Fun Fair 2012.

CHMS bagged the merit award for the Secondary and Tertiary Categories at the Asia Pacific ICT Award, an international awards programme for ICT, in Thailand last November. CHMS alumna Tiong Yee Eng also became the first student in Brunei to receive a $90,000 scholarship from renowned institution Hwa Chong International School, Singapore, to pursue a two-year International Baccalaureate Diploma in the republic in February 2011.

The Education minister also noted that the school has seen a rise in the enrolment of local Malay students who want to master Mandarin. "I am also impressed with the participation of Bruneian local students, non-Chinese students, who come over to this school to study here, which I believe would be good in terms of their command in Mandarin language," he said.

"Mandarin is an important language now, not only in the region but in the world."

According to Kho Guik Lan, principal of CHMS, Muslim and non-Chinese students now make up 31% of the school's population of 3,250 students. This is higher than the 12 to 15 per cent recorded a few years ago.



Kho said that the students go to CHMS to learn Mandarin, "for economic reasons". The principal also noted that it would be an asset for students to know more than one language.

The Education minister also extended his congratulations to CHMS on its 90th anniversary, which is slated to be celebrated officially in September.

In his opening remarks at the Family Day yesterday, the chairman of CHMS Board of Director, Tan Sen Leong, said the event was held to raise funds that will be used to improve school facilities, which, in turn, will benefit the students' development.

Tan called on the Chinese community to actively support and contribute to local Chinese education in support of the school's 90th anniversary.

Kho later told The Brunei Times that for the official 90th anniversary in September, a "special guest with very high authority" will be invited.

"With the grand ceremony, we will have some Chinese culture performance and to be integrated with the Malay dikir, a poetry recital," Kho said.

She added that it will also be an informative ceremony where the public will get to know how the school is run and how the students' future will benefit from the school's education.

The Education minister opened the ceremony by releasing balloons to mark the occasion. Also present were Yang Berhormat Pehin Kapitan Lela Diraja Dato Paduka Goh King Chin and international actor, singer and fitness guru, Wu Chun. Fung Siew Mun



source: www.bt.com.bn