Sabah Tshung Tsin Secondary School
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| Motto | In the progress, strive for the progress in the ultimate good |
|---|---|
| Established | 1965 |
| Type | Chinese Independent High School |
| Chairman | Datuk Yong Kyok Ming |
| Principal | Mr. Tsen Kui On |
| Faculty | Science, Art & Commerce |
| Students | 2000+ |
| Location | Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia |
| Website | http://sttss.edu.my/ |
Sabah Tshung Tsin Secondary School (Sekolah Menengah Tshung Tsin Sabah in Malay, 沙巴崇正中学 in Chinese) is a secondary school located in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. It is one of the 60 Chinese Independent High Schools in Malaysia. Tshung Tsin has developed good relationships with schools from foreign countries such as Taiwan and Hong Kong.[1][2][3]
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[edit] History
[edit] Preschool history
In 1962, the Malaysian government brought in the legislation that only pupils who excelled in their Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) or (Primary School Leaving Examination) and were under the age of thirteen were eligible for education in secondary schools. As a result, at least 40-50% of students were unable to further their studies, the majority of whom were Chinese. Consequently the Chinese community began to set up their own independent schools, and Tshung Tsin was one of the schools so formed.
[edit] Foundation of school
The school was founded by the Api-Api Hakka Association in 1965. Datuk Chong Fook Thien, the then President of the Hakka Association and one of the founders of the school, and proposed its building. The proposal received lukewarm support from the people in the Chinese community throughout the state of Sabah.
Within a few days, a committee was set up with Datuk Pang Tet Chung as the chairperson. The first meeting was conducted on 6th January 1965, and the name "SABAH TSHUNG TSIN SECONDARY SCHOOL" was decided upon. Soon after that, the school was approved by the state Education Department and 9.26 acres of land was granted for its construction. The federal Financial Department approved the exemption of income tax as well, to thosewho funded the foundation of the school. On 12th October of the same year, the school finally obtained the title deeds for the land and the construction of school officially commenced.
[edit] Opening of school
Sabah Tshung Tsin Secondary School opened on 25th January 1965, borrowing classrooms of the Chung Hwa School Kota Kinabalu. 78 students were enrolled in the school as the school's first batch of students.
[edit] Developing school
In 1967, the first permanent school building was officially opened by the then Chief Minister of Sabah, Tun Mustapha. Around 670 students immediately joined the school. In 1968, the government introduced a higher graduation rate for primary school pupils, which significantly reduced the enrollment rate for independent schools throughout Malaysia. By 1974 there were only 24 students left in the school, and the school was under a risk of being closed down.
The Api-Api Hakka Association decided to take action and appointed a new management for the school. A new principal, Mr. Chang Yu On, was appointed in November 1974. Some professional Chinese teachers were also invited to teach in the school. The Hakka Association's efforts bore fruit in the very next year (1975) as the enrollment rate went up to 250 students for Junior One(初中), with 60 students for the Senior section (高中). The school's 'grand entrance ceremony' in 1975 changed the local community's impression of the school.
[edit] The road to excellence
In 1975, the school started classes for Senior 3 students, and for the first time participated in the government's Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM, Malaysian Education Certificate). The results which the school's students garnered were good, and as a result, the very next year, 600 students were enrolled in the Junior section. Subsequently, the administrators decided to conduct an entrance examination to take in only the best students.
After that, the Hakka Association tried to implement continuous improvements for the school, independent of the Government because of alleged discrimination against Chinese High Schools. Despite the stress of such a discouraging situation, the Hakka Association was able to persevere, and by the 1980s, many improvements had been made which included the building of more school buildings. The new buildings included two permanent classroom buildings, a building for the school administrators, a hall with a capacity of around 1000 students, a multi-purpose field, two basketball courts and a volleyball court.
On 19 August 1982, a new five-storey building was opened. The new building provided a canteen on the ground floor, a computer lab on the second floor, and a library on the third and fourth floors. The fifth floor was used to provide accommodation for the teachers for two years until a new teacher's hostel was opened in 1986.
In 1984, as the results for the Unified Examinations Certificate (UEC) of the school's students were quite encouraging, the school decided to have classes for qualified students who were planning to further their studies in universities. It was initially planned that a building was to be built in Menggatal, Sabah, but then the school lost the land in which the building was planned to be built on due to the defeat of the then ruling party Barisan Nasional to the Parti Bersatu Sabah in the 1986 Sabah state elections. In the end, the fifth floor of the five-story building was used instead to hold the classes since it was empty. Classes officially started in January 1987 with 152 students. The idea of this "Pre-University" class was warmly received. The method of teaching was also lauded. In the same year, students who went for the A-Level and LCCI examinations organised by the University of Cambridge achieved good results, and this prompted the Hakka Association to raise funds to build a building exclusively for the "Pre-University" students. Finally, in 1989, the building was completed and officially opened. The Pre-University was known as "Sabah Tshung Tsin Pre-University Centre". Now, the Pre-University class is known as Institut Sinaran.
[edit] The new Principal, the new era
On 4 November 1989 the principal of the school, Mr. Chang Yu On, died due to a heart attack at the age of 48. Many mourned the death of the principal who had contributed so much to the school. In 1991, the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sabah bestowed the title "Datuk" to Mr. Chang Yu On posthumously to honour the contribution he made to the state's education.
The school administrators, after asking for the opinions of the Hakka Association, chose Mr. Lau Suan Hok, who was the then vice-principal to be the Principal. In March, 1990, Mr. Tsen Kui On and Mr. Hiew Hoh Shin were chosen as vice-principals of the school.
With the election of Mr. Lau as the principal, the results of co-curricular activities such as basketball, volleyball, choir singing, public speaking, had a significant improvement. It was also during his time that air-conditioning was installed in the classrooms. The library was also expanded, with a bigger collection of books. Mr. Lau decided to retire in 1996. With his retirement, Mr. Tsen Kui On was chosen as principal, a post which he holds to this day. Mr. Hiew continues to be the vice-principal to this day too.
With co-curricular activities being actively encouraged, a seven-storey "Co-curricular Activity Building" was built and was officially opened in December, 1994. The canteen was moved to this building from the original five-story building, and another two computer labs were also added. The co-curricular activity offices were situated on the third floor. Music rooms, orchestral rehearsal facilities, photographic studios, and the like were also placed building.
[edit] A whole new world
Due to the tremendous increase in the number of enrolments, the Hakka Association had proposed to build a new school campus in Menggatal. In 1998, the then Chief Minister of Sabah, Datuk Yong Tek Lee, approved a permit and a land title was received. Approximately 40 acres of land was granted to the Hakka Association. The building planned is costly, and fund-raising is ongoing. Phase 1 of the school's new campus is planned to be completed by 2008. [4]
[edit] School fees
The school fees ranges from RM2,095 to RM2,586 per annum depending on which year the students are in. It includes insurance, sports fees and the cost of living skills classes. Students who cannot afford the school fees can apply for financial assistance.
Scholarships are available for pupils who score an overall A1 in the entrance examination, or those who achieve 7As in UPSR with an A2 in the entrance examination. Staff's children also benefit from reduced fees. The scholarship covers the fees for three years in the Junior section. Students that qualify for the financial help only pay between RM770 to RM825 annually. No scholarships are available for students in the Senior section.
Secondary schools run by the government in Malaysia are either free or the students are only charged a minimal amount. Due to the vast difference in fees between private and government-run schools (e.g. students attending Tshung Tsin pays approximately RM200 a month in fees while students in government schools around RM20 a year). This has led to some members of the public perceiving the students from the school as 'rich spoilt brats'.
[edit] Success
The school has a passing rate of 100% for the past six years in both public examinations, SPM and PMR since 2001. The straight-A students in these public exams are quite often from Tshung Tsin.[5][6]
Beside SPM and PMR, students at Tshung Tsin have to sit for the Chinese Independent Schools' Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) examination. In the most recent result, Tshung Tsin broke its own record and with an overall pass rate of 96.17%.[7][8]
In the MSSM Kota Kinabalu South Track and Field Championship 2007, the school managed to secure third place with 13 gold, 23 silver and 12 bronze medals.[9]
In the year 2007, the school was chosen as one of the ten Chinese Independent High Schools in Malaysia to be included as a Cluster School under the Education Blueprint of the Malaysian Government's Ninth Malaysia Plan.[10]
The school's representative also managed to obtain second place in the mock trial organised by the Queensland University of Technology's Law Faculty on 30 June 2007. The trial was held at the Kota Kinabalu high court. [11]
A student of the school also won the Grand Prize of the 4th Japanese Speech Contest for Secondary School organized by The Japan Club of Kuala Lumpur, the Japanese Chamber of Trade & Industry Malaysia (JACTIM), the Embassy of Japan in Malaysia and the Japan Foundation Kuala Lumpur (JFKL). [12]
[edit] International Intercourse
In 2005, the school recognised the importance of international intercourse and decided to take part. In March 2007, the school had its first group of interchange students from Hong Kong's Lee Kau Yan Memorial School. Later in the same year, the school will again send a group of students to Japan, as well as welcoming the arrival of students from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea and China.
[edit] Facilities and Buildings
The school consists of three blocks of classrooms, two blocks of dormitories, an air-conditioned hall (兆龙堂), a multi-purpose co-curriculum building, four workshops for Living Skills, parking lots, a football field, two basketball courts, a volleyball court and four indoor badminton courts in the school hall.
[edit] Multi-purposed Co-Curriculum Building
This building has 7 levels and is the tallest of all the school buildings. The ground floor (Canteen A-C, E-J) and first floor (Canteen D) is the school canteen. There is also a hairdressing salon, Sharon D' House, and a stationery shop on the first floor. Computer Lab B and the Multimedia Room are both located on the first floor. The Multimedia Room is usually used for lessons, international interschool communication and sometimes, for students' computer lessons as well as the "Campus Cinema". Computer Lab B has 60 computers, all with internet connections. The co-curriculum office is located on the second floor of the building. From the 2nd floor onwards, there are over 25 co-curriculum activity rooms such as the Cultural Orchestra practise room, Concert Band room, Dancing room, Knitting room, Music room (equipped with piano, guitar, television and radio), etc. The 6th floor is an open space and is multi-purpose. A surau for Islamic students is also located in this building.
[edit] Classroom Building
The building has over 50 classrooms (44 main classroom, a special room and 4 extra classrooms) which are all air-conditioned. There are also 5 science laboratories (Junior Science Lab A & B, Physics Lab, Biology Lab and Chemistry Lab) and a computer laboratory. The building also houses the Teachers' Office (office B for Chinese, Malay, English, Moral education and Art teachers while office A for teachers of other subjects), an Education Department Office, the Vice-Principal's office, the Secretary's office, the Principal's office, the General Affairs Department, the Administration Department, a Meeting room, the Financial Department, the Health office, the Teachers' and Students' Welfare Department, the Counselling Department, theDisciplinary Department, the Prefect Board and the Computer Lab. Opposite Teachers' office A is the teachers' rest room, which includes wash rooms, a dining room, a computer room and a meeting room especially for teachers. The broadcasting room is found opposite the Principal's office. It is usually used for announcements and for the broadcasting team to play music or programmes during the third recess period. The double-storey building fully air-conditioned library is located above the Teachers' Offices. The library has more than 10,000 books and magazines. A photocopy shop can be found on the ground floor.
[edit] Gardens and Kiosk
The Yu On Court (佑安苑) is located next to the broadcasting room. The garden is named after the previous headmaster, Mr. Chang Yu On.
The western-most part of the school compound is the herb garden. Inside the garden there are benches and tables for relaxation or a game of chinese chess.
There are 3 pavilions located in different parts of the school. These pavilions are named Jing Si Ting (静思亭), Si Yuan Ting (思源亭) and Tshung Tsin Pavilion (崇正亭).
[edit] Annual Events
The school holds various activities throughout an academic year. Events are listed as below:
[edit] Sports Meet
The Sports Meet is an annual event which is held for six days consecutively. The first 3 days (Monday till Wednesday) is the preliminary round of some events such as long jump and also finals for specific events such as shot putt. From Thursday until Saturday, there are no lessons. Most of the events will be held on Thursday and Friday. The sports meet is only officially open Saturday afternoon by a guest of honour. It is usually held during the month of February.
The main aim of this event is to create the Olympic spirit among students, to develop leadership among senior students and also to strengthen the relationship between students.
Athletes to represent the school in the state or national level are selected on the results of this event.
The event is planned and held by the Senior 3 students, from selecting athletes to compete in the events, logo and mascot designing, choosing a 'cheering slogan', cheerleading practice, marching practice, house camp design and build.
Camps are pitched next to the field, so that supporters from each house can cheer for their house. Students of the school are divided into seven houses, and the houses are (Red, Pink, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue and Purple. The members of the houses will be competing in various sports events.
However, the overall results are not based on the points gained in the sport events alone. Overall results are accumulated based on the performance on the camps, cheering team, cheering dancing, marching and special activities. To make the Senior 3 students responsible for their house, points are deducted from the overall result of a house if any member of the houses breaks the school rules when the event is being held.
[edit] Bazaar
The annual bazaar is usually be held on the fourth day of the sports day, from 8 a.m. to 3p.m. Coupons are sold by the Prefect Board and Monitor Board of the school weeks before the actual date of the baazar. Various stalls selling a wide variety of food ranging from western foods such as spaghetti to Japanese foods such as takoyaki and local foods such as satay are set up around the campus of the school.
There are stalls for games where students use their coupons to take part. Prizewinners who have won several such games, may redeem prizewinners certificates for presents. Games usually vary from year to year, depending with the Prefect Board's decisions.
As the canteen is closed, coupons are needed to buy food from stalls.
[edit] Cross-Country Race
The cross country race is an annual event which is held around the period of the sports day. Each and every student of the school is required to participate in the event. The students are divided into 3 groups, which are Group A (Senior 1, 2 and 3 students), Group B (Junior 2 and 3 students) and Group C (Junior 1 studnts). The race is approximately 5.2 km, both starting and finishing in the school compound. There are usually 2 checkpoints set in the race, and students must collect checkpoint tickets and bring them back to the finishing line within the given time. The time which is set are different for boys and girls in each group.
The seven houses have to compete for the first place of the race, as the result of the race will go directly into the total score of the Sports Meet. The first 30 student from each group who complete the race are awarded medals, while 5 trophies will be prepared for each group for the first 5 students who finish. For students who able to complete the race within a given time, a point will be added to the house total.
In 2007 and 2008, the cross-country race was cancelled due to the upgrading works of Jalan Damai, the road outside the school. The event is expected to resume as usual in 2009.
[edit] Teachers' Day
Teacher's Day celebration is held in the month of July. Usually, a party would be held by each class to thank their teachers and express their gratitude. Students programme the party, prepare food and decorate their classrooms.
Later on, all the teachers and students are invited into the school hall where there is a Teachers' Day Celebration Ceremony with exclusive performances and entertainments for the teachers by students. An audition would be held to those select students and classes who are interested in performing in this performance, making it the one and only 'open-for-all' performance in the school as opposed to the Tshung Tsin Night where only musical societies can perform. During the ceremony, only one lucky teacher is chosen to give a speech.
The celebration will go on until night. At night, there is a Teachers' Day feast in the hall where all the teachers, staff and administrative workers gather to have dinner and share their feelings about teaching. Also, the 'Most Outstanding Teachers Awards' are given out here as well.
[edit] Tshung Tsin Night
Musical societies such as the Cultural Orchestra, Concert Band, Violin Club and the Sunflower Choir perform in this special performance. It's an annual event organized solely by the officials of the Co-Curricullum Activities Department of the schools. Tickets ranging from RM10-RM20, can be bought 2 weeks prior to the event.
[edit] Concert Band Annual Concert
Every year, there is an annual concert by the school's Concert Band. Tickets are sold at prices from RM10 to RM50. The main purposes of this concert are, 1) To provide the member of the Concert Band an event to perform for themselves; 2) To let the public know about the Band; and 3) To raise funds for the uses of the club itself.
Usually, there will be a theme of the night and the songs will be played about that theme. For example, the concert of 2007 is the 30th anniversary of Concert Band and the concert is given the title: "The Melodious Aurora" while the theme for previous year was "Symphonic Rendezvous".
[edit] Cultural Singing Competition
This singing competition had been a tradition of Tshung Tsin for decades. The categories are the junior and senior section of male solo, female solo and choir. Participation in the choir category is compulsory for each class of the school. Male and female representatives from each class will compete in the solo categories the same day too.
Usually, both preliminary round and the final round would be held in the school hall. For the preliminary round, the competition will start in the morning with the male solo of Junior section, followed by Junior female solo, Senior male solo and Senior female solo. After a short break around noon, the competition of the choir will begin, also from the Junior section followed by the Senior section.
The 5 finalists from each group will be chosen to perform in the finals. The finalists are announced the next day in a school assembly. Tickets are sold to the public to watch the competition. Besides the winners of each group, prizes will also be given to the overall Best Solo, Best Accompanist and Best Choir Conductor.
[edit] Trilingual Speech Competition
Students who participate in this competition have to present their speeches in 3 different languages, Chinese, English and Malay). The marks of these 3 speech will be given by specific judges and the marks will be accumulated. In the preliminary rounds, the 3 speeches will be held on 3 different days.
In the finals, 5 competitors chosen from the preliminary rounds will have to give their speech on the stage. First, 5 contestants will give their Chinese speech. The contestants will not have the chance to prepare anything of this section as the titles of their speech would only be given by the organizer half an hour before the competition starts and they only can finish their scripts within this period. After that, the contestants would have to give their Malay and English speeches together. The results are announced soon after the competition. Prizes and certificates are given away.
Representatives of the schools to compete in the State competition as well as the National competition are selected among the finalists.
[edit] Current Administrators of the School
Principal : Mr. Tsen Kui Onn
Vice Principal : Mr. Hiew Hoh Shin
Dissiplinary Master : Mr. Lai Pak Dong
Assistant Dissiplinary Master: Mr. Francis Y.L. Lee
Assistant Dissiplinary Master: Mdm. Mary Liau
Co-Curicullar Activity Master : Mr. Y.D. Chan
Head Librarian: Ms. K.S. Chan
Counselling Department Master : Mr. Tang Poh Mee
Information and Technology Development Department Master: Mr. William Chu
General Affairs Department Master : Mr. Lim Jit Boon
Financial Department Master : 黄晓诗主任
Teachers and students Welfare Department Master: Mdm. C.C. Tan
Assistant Educational Department: Mr. Gan Ping Koon
Dormitory Supervisor : 余国伟老师
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ "Tshung Tsin creates history".
- ^ "Tshung Tsin was invited to Hong Kong".
- ^ "Tshung Tsin was invited to Guangdong".
- ^ "School History".
- ^ "Press Release: SPM 100% Passing Rate".
- ^ "PMR Results from 1993-2006".
- ^ "Junior Section UEC Results from 1992-2006".
- ^ "Senior Section UEC Results from 1992-2006".
- ^ "St Francis Convent Steal The Show".
- ^ "獨中獲選為示範學校的意義"
- ^ "First Time In Court"
- ^ "The Result of the 4th Japanese Speech Contest for Secondary School 29 April 2007"
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