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Teachers Who Have Retired/Retiring

"Quiet reigns in all fronts of MGSS. When lessons are on, you can hear even a pin drop," said someone to me before I came to the school. There I was in this atmosphere, teaching Economics to a Form Five class. We had reached the end of the lesson and the bell for recess had rung. It was still quiet. "Thank you, teacher," echoed the class.
As soon as I was out of the classroom, pandemonium broke out. Hundreds of pairs of feet stamped the wooden floors built fifty years ago. Politely I was jostled along the wooden corridor, down wooden steps, past wooden poles and probably, wooden people. There was fear in my heart as I thought : will the floor collapse? "NO!" I said to myself. "This floor was built to last! If the wooden floors of High School have stood the test of time, then MGSS floor will also not give way!"
I moved to the "Bilik Persidangan". Peace at last. This was the room where the newly-appointed senior assistants and heads of department sat. We were a joyous lot, so full of laughter, thanks to especially Puan Fatimah who told us jokes of how Indians misused the Malay language ("Saya nampak lembu kereta.") There was also Mr. Foo who talked about the education scenario in Melaka; Mr. Seow seriously doing the timetable and Cikgu Mohamad who shared jokes about the Malays and their idiosyncrasies. This was my first day in MGSS.
The rest of the teachers were cramped into a tiny staff room. There was a class in the hall, as well as in the cookery room, the needlework room, the industrial art room, the science laboratories and the badminton hall.
MGSS was the badminton champion for numerous age categories – the under 14, under 16, under 18 and under what age you might have. We had students representing the district, the state and the nation. Facilities for training were insufficient so a roofed building was put up to contain three badminton courts. It had a high roof and was closed on two sides. My arrival in MGSS coincided with an influx of Form Four students. Suddenly, three classrooms appeared on the badminton courts – Forms 4K3, 4K4 and 4K5.
The "in betweens" were the years 1994 to 1999 when I thought Economics, Commerce, Principles of Accounts and Living Skills. I had always been a Geography and English language teacher. Here I was in MGSS, handling subjects that I had done at university but not taught for 15 years.
The positive attitudes of the students encouraged me to prepare well for each lesson so that I could make them comprehend concepts and ideas in the vague field of economics. Besides that I also had to learn the ‘tricks of the trade’ where Living Skills was concerned so that I could understand what was happening in that department.
For my defective switch, faulty light, broken chair, leaking tap and spoilt fan, the word was "Look for Mr. Renga." Fellow teachers called me "mender" or "JKR comments.
I also recall that we held a competition to paint pictures on the blinds hanging outside the Form Five classrooms. All the blinds were in a pitiable condition. Now at least they are no longer an eyesore ; instead we can admire the colourful pictures on them. I also enjoyed coming to school on Saturdays and Sundays to do some work. Sometimes I would sit under the bid tree and watch an iguana crossing the netball field to the marches. Other times, a snake or two would pass by too.
Time passed. Sports day was always a colourful affair and we never failed to have the march past. I have a very high regard for our girls who are able to withstand the scorching heat of sun, training with me to produce a flawless march past on every sports day. The girls are very independent – they can organise themselves and decide who will lead the contingent, what commands to give, etc., etc., etc. I have been with girls and boys in other schools but the resilience of MGSS girls is remarkable.
I admire the way the school is administered, the discipline and the efforts put in by the teachers. One parent even came to ask the principal to tell the teachers so as not to give so much homework because his daughter would go to sleep only at 10 or 11 o’clock every night.
It took me some time to understand what a Methodist school means. With limited resources, limited funds and limited facilities, the school has a large enrolment and maintains an academic track record surpassed by only a few other schools in Melaka. I found out that the same applies to Methodist Mission Schools in other parts of Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore. I am proud to have taught in this school.

Mr. Renganathan
Head of Technical Department
MGSS


Email: ccmgss@hotmail.com