The Star - New international school opens
"Education is a critical component of nation building." says Tropicana Corporation Bhd group chief executive officer Datuk Yau Kok Seng. Yau says the group is fully committed to providing a learning environment that will complement the Education Ministry's aspirations to create a globally competitive future workforce. "Our methodology will work to develop critical and creative thinking capabilities that will enable students to perform in both the sciences and the arts," he adds. "Being an ex-Lasallian, nothing beats a disciplined and holistic education." The school's board of governors, chairman Michael Sng, says the school's mission is "to nurture young boys and girls to become great people." "You are part of a great Lasallian tradition," he tells students during the official opening ceremony held last Monday.
He stresses that their students "enter to learn and leave to serve." The ceremony was in conjunction with the Founder's Day celebration at the school, which was graced by Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid, Tropicana Corporation Bhd founder and advisor, Tan Sri Danny Tan Chee Sing, and Lasallian East Asia District brother visitor, Brother Edmundo Fernandez.
"The school now has almost 500 students in classes from nursery to Year 12 and we are grateful to our founding parents for believing in our ethos and are proud to be the newest international edition in a long line of esteemed Lasallian institutions in Malaysia," he says. "The Education Ministry has always emphasised the importance of helping our students experience the joy of learning and to instil an intrinsic motivation towards learning in every student," says Mahdzir during his speech.
"It is positive to see that the school (SJIIM) has been equipped with the latest facilities and physical infrastructure to optimise the teaching and learning. "I am glad to note that SJIIM emphasises character development as one of its pillars in school excellence." During the ceremony, the school also presented Brother Fernandez with a cheque for RM75,000 for the Lasallian Mission, for their community outreach programmes in Malaysia, Myanmar and the Philippines. The school uses the British education system, with the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) examination.
