Building a self-reliant community and instilling values in children

Click here to view current pictures of the school.
 

Petaling Jaya: In line with the spirit of "Malaysia Boleh", Sekolah Kebangsaan Methodist Petaling Jaya is organizing a campaign to get members of the public and Bukit Gasing community to come together to contribute towards the building of a new wall for the school.

"Instead of just raising funds, we also hope to reach out to members of the community for assistance in kind, such as bricks, grilles, cement and sand to build the wall around the school," says Ms Pat Lu, the campaign manager. "In addition, we would also like to invite volunteer builders, contractors, bricklayers or anyone involved in the construction industry to come forward to build the wall during the almost two-month school holidays which will begin on November 19, 1999."

The school has, to date, raised some RM55,000 through a recent "Cleanathon" but it has no intention of spending the entire amount on building the wall. "We have plans to spend about half of the fund raised on the wall so that the remaining portion could be utilized to buy some computers for the students," says Dr Yusoff Musa, chairman of the school's Parents-Teachers Association (PTA). 

Initially, the PTA wanted to replace the dilapidated wire fencing with new wire fencing but has since decided against the idea even though it would cost much less than building brick walls because the school would have to worry about its fence two years down the road (or earlier) because the wire fencing would not last as long. "We rather spend a little more for a more permanent structure where security would also be better," says Mohd Rafiq, Chairman of the School Fence Project 

As such, the school fence would now be constructed with facing bricks (without plastering on both sides of the walls) at the lower portions and metal grilles at upper portion. "The walls would be constructed in standard bays of eight feet (2,400mm) in length with both brick piers at both ends," Mohd Rafiq explains. 

"For the whole school compound to be fenced, we need approximately 250 bays of such brick/metal grille fencing. And we need approximately 10 bricklayers (both skilled and semi-skilled) and three to five general workers," Ken Tan, a committee member of the school's PTA.

As for the material, some 50,000 pieces of bricks (red clay bricks of standard size of 210mm x 95mm x 65mm are needed. Also required are 750 bags of cement, 10 lorries of five cubic metres of washed sand, 250 sets of metal grille (of simple profile 2,400mm x 700mm) and two tons of reinforcement steel bar (10mm in diameter; 12mm in diameter; 14mm diameter) 

"The current fencing around the school is in a sorry state," Lu who is also CEO of Rayma Management Consultants (M) Sdn Bhd points out. "This puts the 800 primary school children at risk. There were some near kidnap attempts recently and we certainly would not want that to happen again.

"Our aim is to create awareness that it is possible to build a self-reliant community," she adds. "Take for example, the estimated population of Bukit Gasing is approximately 35,000 people. If each brings a couple of red bricks to the school, the school wall will be built in no time. Through this effort, we hope to instill the value of self-reliance in the community. If each plays their part, the children will have a safe place to study in."

Also according to Lu, the school wall would also have a "Wisdom Board". Quotations such as, "Give a man a fish, he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime" would be on the board on a weekly basis to instill strong values in children. This Wisdom Board would be managed on a weekly basis by the students (to be rotated among the various classes in the school) under the supervision of their teachers.

"In a urban setting like Kuala Lumpur where life in general can be quite an impersonal affair, it is important that we get members of the respective communities to be involved in their community affairs," Lu says. "This would not only help to cultivate better community relations but also instill good values among its members. In addition, it would also help build the spirit of self-reliance in communities. Malaysians, as a whole, is a caring lot. If we put our heads together and contribute cheerfully as well as sacrificially, a lot of things can be done. Let's not wait for someone else to do the job when we can help ourselves."

Click here to view current pictures of the school.
November 4, 1999
____________________________________________________________________
Released by Persatuan Ibu-Bapa Dan Guru, Sekolah Kebangsaan Methodist
(No. Pendaftaran: 170-Selangor), Jalan 5/37, 46000 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Tel: (03) 756 5015  Fax: (03) 755 2753
For more information and further clarification, please contact 
Dr Yusoff Musa at (03) 759 4133, Mr Ken Tan at (012) 297 0583
or Ms Pat Lu at (012) 210 4898.