‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.’
– Nelson Mandela (1918-2013). He was a prominent South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, political leader, and philanthropist who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He spent 27 years in prison for his anti-apartheid activities before being released in 1990.
AS the Saratok Government Secondary School (SMK Saratok) reopened for registration in January of 1968 at the Batu Empat or Fourth Mile old Saratok-Roban Road, we rushed to the busy place. My older brother Jon, also known as Chandi, and I were to enter Form One. He was placed in Form One A while I was assigned to Form One B. At that time, there were only three classes for Form One.
My brother Jon and I were aged 20 and 14, respectively. Jon, being 20, was older than most Form One students and even older than many in Form Five, including our second cousin Robert Ussak Jugi, who was studying in Form Five. There were several students entering Form One who appeared to be the same age as Jon, if not older, especially those opting to wear trousers instead of the school uniform of short pants.
The school was led by a Canadian teacher named Gordon Tedrick, a lanky man in his thirties. He was assisted by a male senior assistant named Ngieng, a Foochow whose full name I cannot recall. Additionally, there was an Iban, my distant cousin Joshua Jali Linggong from Munggu Embawang, my dad’s birthplace, who was a member of the teaching staff. He taught Art to Form Three, Four, and Five.
If my memory serves me correctly, our teachers included Taufek Mohammed, who taught us BM and served as our form teacher; Edward Untie, who taught us English; Paul Goldring, a Kiwi male who taught us Health Science; Stephen Teo, our Art teacher; and a Foochow teacher named Edward Chieng, who taught us Geography. Another teacher, also a Foochow named Lau, taught us Woodwork. Unfortunately, I am unable to recall the rest of the teachers.
I was assigned to a hostel named Rajang, while Jon was placed in a different dormitory. Our spot was right by the basketball court and the Woodwork building. This location presented a great chance to improve at basketball, a sport I was skilled at. I performed so well that I made it onto the junior team, and was the sole non-Chinese member.
During our initial school exam in April, the school announced the top three students in each form. I was delighted to secure the first position among all the Form One students, achieving a total score of 78.2%. Ensalie Mambak (now Dr. Ensalie and retired) secured the top spot among the Form Three students, while Aeries Sumping Jingan (now Bishop Aeries) claimed the top prize for the Form Four students. Unfortunately, I cannot recall the other students among the top winners.
In 1969, upon entering Form Two, I was placed in Limbang Hostel, the closest to the school’s power generator. We were still using a generator and did not have 24-hour electricity, which was a real inconvenience when the power was out.
One embarrassing incident that occurred around August of that year involved me being disciplined for gambling, resulting in a two-week suspension from school by Tedrick. This suspension required my father, then aged 59, to accompany me for readmission. During our visit, we met with Teacher Joshua Jali for an explanation of my offence.
Two unforgettable moments were when we passed our Scout Swimming Test at the dammed Sebetah River while dressed in our scout uniforms, and progressed from Tenderfoot to Second Class under the guidance of Cikgu Ahmad. Additionally, there was a humorous incident of slow dancing during a school dance gathering with a 6ft Canadian teacher, Miss Christine Grotefield, where I found myself awkwardly situated between her cleavage due to my small stature at the time.
Around April of 1970, I won the position of secretary general in the Student Representative Council (SRC) election, my first experience with democratic responsibility.
During the Sarawak Junior Exam in 1970, I barely studied and was rebellious against the principal, Edward Chieng. Despite this, I managed to pass with a Grade 2, earning 35 units across six subjects, allowing me to progress to Form Four. Another student, Ngian Sillang, who earned 38 units, was advised to enrol in Form Four A.
In 1971, I was placed in Form Four A with Teacher John Lim as my form teacher. I excelled in subjects like Art (taught by Teacher Joshua Jali), History (taught by Senior Assistant Edward Gella Baul, who also taught Geography), and English Literature (taught by Peace-Corp volunteer Theodore Bryant Pack).
The year 1971 marked my stage debut at the school, performing an Elvis number ‘It’s Now Or Never’ backed by a band during a Saturday night social gathering attended by Senior Assistant Edward Gella Baul who applauded my performance.
A concerning matter arose when the principal, Voon Teck Min, warned me to cease dating a Chinese girl studying in Form Five, a report instigated by an envious classmate. Despite the warning, our relationship continued, and we maintained communication even when she was studying in England.
In 1971, I delved into batik painting, participating in a batik painting exhibition organised by Teacher Joshua at the British Council building in Kuching. The exhibition was a success, with my paintings selling for RM200 each, enriching me by RM600 upon my return to school. I also held the position of SRC secretary general and Art Club president.
Upon starting Form Five in 1972, there were changes in the teaching staff, but Teacher Joshua continued as our Art teacher. Our school principal, Encharang Agas from Betong, who had been transferred from Three Rivers School in Mukah, also taught us the English Language, using ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee as our textbook.
Following the disbandment of the SRC, we formed the Fund Raising Club (FRC), where I was elected. By then, I held multiple positions such as chairman of the Art Club and Drama Club, and editor of the School Magazine, showcasing the students’ confidence and support in me.
In July of 1972, our FRC organised a sales stall during the inter-secondary schools athletic meet, resulting in a successful fundraising effort. I participated in the Triple Jump event, securing third place with a jump of 41 feet.
The year concluded with the release of our school magazine, DASINOMA (derived from the words Dayak, Chinese, and Malay), volume one, setting the stage for future volumes.
During the third term class exam, I earned first place and received a Pilot pen from Encharang. As we approached the Form Five Senior Cambridge School Exam in November/December, I prepared diligently, aiming for good results. I built a positive relationship with principal Encharang Agas and earned the respect of senior assistant Gramong Juna.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune.
