What's the story behind SJK Su Kwong 泗光 Primary School at 5.5km Repok Road? You know, the one that you have driven past countless times but have never entered the gate.
Sarikei Su Kwong School, 2009
Front gate at Repok Road and covered basketball stadium
Front gate at Repok Road and covered basketball stadium
Source: Kenny Ngu
Su Kwong's roots can be traced back to its humble beginning in a standalone house at 6.6km Repok Road in 1920. It started with 20 students and 2 teachers which was a very good ratio compared to nowadays.
Sarikei Su Kwong School founder, Yek Suk Kang
Source: 1956 Sekolah Tinggi magazine
Its principal then was none other than Yek Suk Kang 葉菽幹, also one of the founders of Sekolah Tinggi (Sarikei High School).
Sarikei Su Kwong School, 2009
School Gate
Its current site was rented in 1922 by the Methodist Church to build the school and it was then named as Su Kwong 泗光. Su Kwong 泗光 means a beam of light on Sarikei because this is the earliest school in 6th Division of Sarawak. Other schools followed in the 1920s.
Sarikei Su Kwong School, 2007
Former canteen block demolished in 2007 due to termites
Su Kwong Chinese 泗光 Junior Middle School and Su Lu 泗蘆 Chinese Junior Middle School were merged to form Hua Chiew 华侨 Middle School (now Sekolah Tinggi) in 1936. 华侨 means overseas Chinese. In 1938, the first classes of Hua Chiew 华侨 Middle School started on the premises of Su Kwong. However, in 1939, the classes were stopped at the Su Kwong site because Hua Chiew 华侨 Middle School started its 3 classes at its current location.
Sarikei Su Kwong School, 2008
Entry road completion
The Su Kwong School site was closed during the Japanese Occupation in World War II from 1941-45 and reopened in 1946. In the 1950s, Su Kwong School had an average of 150 students in 6 classes with 5-6 teachers. In 1959, there were 280 students taught by 9 teachers. Since then , the student count had averaged 250 in the 1970s and 240 in the 1980s.
Sarikei Su Kwong School, 2009
Block A (Primary 5 and 6)
The population of this Chinese medium school declined further to 217 because parents sent their kids to other schools with the Ministry of Education's focus on English and Bahasa Malaysia. In 1983, it accomplished the school class of KBSR (Kurikulum Bersepadu Sekolah Rendah; Integrated Curiculum of Primary School) ).
Only 2 buildings that were built in the 1960s were left. One was used as an assembly hall and church. Another was utilised as a resource centre and a science lab .
Sarikei Su Kwong School, 2009
Science Garden
An open air basketball court was constructed in the late 1960s. You may recall their strong basketball teams of the 1970s. A concrete block of toilets were added in 1974. Badminton courts were completed in 1977 and the volleyball court was up in 1980. All these were funded through its own private fund raising. SJK Su Kwong is privately run (SJK - Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan means that maintenance and development is privately funded while the government only funds the management fees)
Two one-storey high blocks of classrooms were completed in 1970 - half was funded by Jabatan Pendidikan.
Sarikei Su Kwong School, 2009
Pavilion
In 1992, a room for Practical Skills and canteen was constructed. Under the determined efforts of the staff, a car park, a concrete gate and a school badge were made and the main road was tarred. In 2001, a computer lab was established. A fountain and the Science Garden was added to beautify the environment.
Computer classes started in 2002 with a MYR$10 fee per month, a small sum to pay to put the world of knowledge into the finger tips of a kid. The covered stadium was constructed with the help of then MP, Law Hieng Ding. A toilet for teachers and a fish pond were added. The Science lab was cemented as its condition has deteriorated.
Sarikei Su Kwong School, 2009
Pond
In 2003, new concrete based toilets were built under the effort of Ms Christina Chieng Hee Sieng to replace those built in 1974. In 2004, the school was fenced up with help from JPB. In 2005, the roof of the library was replaced and the staff and principal rooms were tiled with funding from JPB. In 2006, shades for the Primary 5 and 6 classes were sponsored by Public Bookstore Sibu and Millennium Bookstore Sarikei.
In 2007, the block serving as rooms for Practical Skills, store, kitchen and canteen was demolished due to destruction by termites and re-construction began in march 2007. An area for rubbish dumping was built in 2007.
Sarikei Su Kwong School, 2010
The school has rejuvenated after its history of ups and downs. It has made significant progress in various areas. Visit their website for more information.
SJK SU KWONG, SARIKEI, SARAWAK
5.5KM, REPOK ROAD,96100 SARIKEI, SARAWAK
Tel & Fax : 084651340
email : sjksks@zoom-a.com
website: http://sjksks.zoom-a.com/
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