Fifty years after beginning her work in Maris Stella Kindergarten in Kuala Lampur, Sister Denise Paquette FMM shares her memories.
In 1959, I was learning how to drive a jeep. Along the road to the rubber plantation 10km from Kuantan I met children who had never been to school. After inquiries, I was able to meet with M. Lim, the owner of the rubber plantation whose children were in our big school. He offered me the possibility of using a small building in the kampong (village). It had to be an afternoon class because the place was used for the babies in the morning, as parents brought them in early morning to be cared for by a grandmother while they were at work till 1 or 2 o’clock. Ten to fifteen tiny little ones would comfortably lie in a hammock hanging from the ceiling.
Once I got my driver’s license Sister Lily and I visited the homes of the tappers living in the compound. These workers in the plantations were Indians, Malays, Eurasians and Chinese. Every family welcomed the idea of having a school for young children and the following week, 24 children aged 7 to 12 gathered for the first time, on the bare concrete floor.
At that moment Malaysia was still under British Government so the education in Primary Schools was given in English. Twenty four children speaking different dialects were happily being initiated to "reading pictures" in English. The fun they had! There was no problem with discipline. Every one was so interested in the new experience… handling objects, coloured pencils, counting rubber seeds, singing, moving rhythmically to music. For the next four weeks we came once a week. We were in search of a young lady who could be initiated and take over. So Kamela, who had stopped schooling in grade 7 to help her parents for rubber tapping, was willing to take the bus and come 10 miles away to the main Assunta School, where 120 children were enjoying the facility of the pre-school.
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Kamela telling a story. | Kamela proved to be very gifted with the children and soon was assuming the task in Semambu Estate, continuing her "training" and preparing her lessons, every Saturday. On Tuesdays, the sisters would come. While Sister Lily visited the families, I attended to the children with Kamela. Soon another teacher was needed and trained the same way. Then Kampong Muniandi 20 miles farther offered the community hall to the Sisters and begged them to start. With the same enthusiasm children came "to school". Gradually, tables, chairs, blackboards and different kinds of equipment appeared. Friends were interested to improve the situation and people made good use of local means. At the time, the Holy Childhood Association helped us with this endeavour.
January is the official opening of the academic year in Malaysia. Children, aged seven, enter Primary One after the long months of holidays in November and December. It is then that parents realized how helpful had been this initiation in pre-school. Their children were able, then, to travel by bus to primary schools in the city. In these areas there was great progress for many, many years after. In 1968, though I had to leave, others continued faithfully.
After my first home leave to Canada in 1968, there were new beginnings in Kuala Lumpur in the middle of the city, in the former church building next to the New St. John’s Cathedral. The building was to be renovated and become another pre-school: Fatima Kindergarten. Enrolment began with 25 little ones that year and increased to 180, then to 220 and reached 500 in the ‘80’s. There were now both morning and afternoon classes. These students were from more affluent families who appreciated the kindergarten's location close to both the primary and secondary schools run by the de La Salle Brothers and the Sisters of the Holy Infant Jesus.
Elsewhere in the outskirts of Kuala Lampur the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary had dispensaries for the people of the kampongs. Gradually within a radius of 30 Km I opened seven kindergarten centres with the approval of the Department of Education. The salaries for these teachers was the revenue from the parking lot surrounding the Fatima Kindergarten and the Cathedral. The car owners knew that their contribution was to provide salaries for the kampong teachers.
Some of the teachers were retired teachers from the primary school, others were recruited from among the graduates of Form IV and Form V who received a temporary permit to teach from the Department of Education.
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Sister Denise with student teachers, 1970 |
There was a pressing need for teacher formation. Three times a year, during the term holidays organized sessions were held in my school. Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus gathered to exchange skills. Friends of mine volunteered to share their specialties: music, art, numbers, handicrafts, etc. One of them was a Montessori trained teacher, working at the Department of Education. Her amazement in participating in this gathering for the first time, led her to speak about it to the Head of the Department. There was to be a Seminar organized for the heads of different Government Departments and Dr. Tun Mahatir invited me to give a conference explaining what was for me " the conception of the in-service training" which had improved tremendously the standard of teaching in those mushrooming schools. This Assembly, knowing that I was a Malaysian citizen, gave me the chairperson responsibility. It meant creating a special committee to form an Association of Malaysian Kindergartens. This was 1970.
Our main objective was to organize training sessions for all those who had no specific qualifications. From then on, every person desiring to open a pre-school in Selangor State, or teach in a kindergarten would have to register with the Association and follow the steps preparing for the certificate. It could mean 3 or 4 years of in-service training. This proved to be a very efficient method for the development of teachers from the cities as well as from far away kampongs. Very soon the ten other states were joining us, as well.
The Executive Committee soon counted 13 dedicated persons, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, willing to give their time and expertise as psychologist, artist, mathematicians, language development, handicrafts, music and singing, physical education, moral education, management, etc. Interesting to say that for the "experimenting practical lessons", at these courses, some children from rubber estates’ kindergartens were given a treat; a bus ride to the city, a special lunch, and the chance to "entertain the teachers" in sessions. They proved to all that they were really fit to respond to good teaching.
As early as 1975 courses were extended to Kuching and Sarawak.
In 1982 the first convocation was held. It was a day of rejoicing for everyone. It was also the year when I was recalled to service in Canada. With great hope I left the Association in the hands of dedicated experts.
I did not leave my heart in Malaysia, but brought Malaysia in my heart and continued to be in contact with many of my colleagues. Nineteen years later, in October 2001, I was invited for a visit to Malaysia by the faithful Members of the Association.
What tremendous progress! The Association now has its own building. It is very much involved with governmental organizations: the Curriculum Department, the Welfare Office, the Malaysian Child Resource Institute, Non-Governmental Organization, Women’s Development Collective, etc. Members of the executive of the Association are invited to set up workshops for several of these groups.
To be present at Convocation 2001 was exceptionally meaningful for me. Needless to say my thoughts returned to "learning to drive a jeep in 1959".
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