With
the monsoon season upon us, the rain was pouring steadily in the morning of Jan
2. I had arranged to pick Chairperson of the Secondary School Board of
Governors, Mrs A. Oliveiro to meet with Elizabeth Anne Louis, Chairperson of
the Primary School Board of Governors, at the Johor Baru Convent.
Elizabeth Anne Louis and Mrs A. Oliveiro reading the plaque on the front of the marble sculpture, a gift from Sultan Sir Ibrahim |
“Yup!
Waiting for you,” was her prompt reply.
When
we met Elizabeth in the hall for the Primary School at Infant Jesus Convent
Johor Baru, our eyes were riveted to the cascading waterfall that was spilling
into a section of the hall, splashing onto the staircase, the hall and a nearby
corridor.
Elizabeth
explained that while the roof of this hall was recently replaced, it was a
challenge to seal up the sides and links to the roofing of the adjacent
buildings.
Elizabeth and Mrs Oliveiro observing rain water spilling into the hall for the Primary School |
With
new additions and extensions done on a piecemeal basis throughout the building,
it was not easy to fix the joints and seal the spaces in between the roofs to
render it rain-proof.
Elizabeth
carefully walked up the staircase to observe the water’s path and expressed her
concern that the wet floors and steps would endanger staff and students who
used this staircase.
This
hall was relatively ‘new’ because it was not here during my tenure in this
school.
Over
the years, almost every space in the compound was turned into useful rooms and
halls to meet the needs of the school, with a recent addition of a
multi-purpose hall built on the field close to the back gate.
The rain water splashes down into the hall, staircase and corridor |
[The
back gate was our entry and exit point when my sisters and I used to walk to
school from where we lived at our grandfather’s house, No. 154 Jalan Ngee Heng.]
Elizabeth
then took me upstairs to a ‘new’ section of the Primary School where polycarbonate
sheets were installed on the sides of the staircases as shields from the rain.
But the wind had already brought puddles of water into the open corridor.
On
the opposite end of this corridor, the ceiling was broken and rain was dripping
onto the corridor and lower staircase, again posing a danger to the staff and
students.
Broken roofs and ceilings with rain water falling into corridors and staircase below |
Along
our way, I caught sight of a sign above a door that read, Galeri Sejarah
with English translation, Convent Gallery, and paused to tell them about my
visit here.
Then
I spotted a nearby notice board for Buletin Sekolah or School Bulletin
and was pleasantly surprised to see my centerspread story published in Johor
Streets entitled, Precious artefacts preserved in the Convent Gallery,
posted there.
Wow!
The school had kept my story, still posted up since 2011.
As
we continued on our way, Elizabeth stopped to show me a narrow corridor to our
left where the roof was damaged and rainwater was dripping through its wet
ceiling.
My 2011 story was still posted on notice board |
From
where I stood, I could see that the concrete built around the septic tank had a
wide crack, which could have been caused by the widespread roots of this old
tree.
This
old sewerage system is a major issue and cause for concern, and needed to be
properly assessed by sewerage professionals to advise on the best possible
solution.
A wide crack on the concrete built around the sewerage/septic tanks |
We
read from the plaque affixed in front, that it was presented by Sultan Sir
Ibrahim in the 1940s. The next lines below recorded that this sculpture was
refurbished by the Convent Association of Past Pupils in 2007 and by the Class
of 5 Helen in 2020.
Once
again, I was encouraged by the strong Convent bond and the spirit of giving, where
past and present students always had a place in their hearts for their alma
mater.
The septic tanks [Foreground] with the old tree nearby |
Bolstered
by these thoughts, I followed Mrs Oliveiro and Elizabeth, who led the way up
the centre staircase in the Primary School, from where we used to call the
parlour, to the chapel.
With
each step I took, I was overcome with sadness as I observed how the steps were
badly stained by bat droppings. As the buildings were left vacant for months, these
stubborn stains seemed to be permanent even after washing and scrubbing.
Stubborn stains from bat droppings |
When
Mrs Oliveiro turned on the lights in the chapel, it was the light switches which
caught my attention. Next to the modern switches for the ceiling fans, these
switches were ancient and definitely due for an upgrade.
They
told me that since their last visit, the chapel and staircases had been cleaned
so I did not get to witness the dreadful sight of months of bat dropping collected
here.
These
unwelcome guests have, however, left their footprints – or rather paw prints –
distinctly seen on the chapel walls. The bat invasion here was not only
unsightly but also very unhealthy.
Light switches from a bygone era |
In
a walk through the other rooms that were once used as living quarters, we
discovered that besides classrooms, some rooms were also used for Counselling
and storerooms for old documents.
Some
of the original windows had fallen off their rusted hinges and the other
windows seemed to be on the verge of disintegrating. In many parts of the roof,
plants had taken root and grown into the ceiling, walls and gutter pipes.
Plants have taken root in the roof and ceiling |
At
the Secondary School, I saw that the space which used to be the bookshop (with
the Audio-Visual Room located in the rear), was now the School Office. Emblazoned
high on its wall was the school motto: Simple in Virtue, Steadfast in Duty.
When
we walked upstairs, we passed the staircase landing and saw posters,
photographs and display cupboards that showcased trophies and souvenirs, along
with samples of the school uniforms.
Mrs Oliveiro pointing to a sign that warned, Awas Lantai Licin or Caution Wet Floor |
She
explained that as the classrooms on Level Two were bordered by an open corridor,
bats could conveniently enter and exit, and leave their dropping on the walls,
staircases and corridors.
Meanwhile,
Mrs Oliveiro and I were curious to find out if the school uniform collection
here included the original Blue uniform which once distinguished the proud identity
of Convent students, and Pn Ande graciously showed it to us.
It
was pure nostalgia to see this traditional Convent School uniform – a smart
Blue box-pleated pinafore teamed with a
white short-sleeve blouse and belted at the waist – that was worn with white socks
and white canvas shoes.
Puan Ande and Mrs Oliveiro with the traditional Convent Blue uniform |
As
we made our way out of the school, I must confess that this tour of the
premises had left me feeling depressed because it was not quite the way I
remembered it.
In
the past 90 over years, this old building had indeed been through a great deal.
If its walls could speak, I am sure they would have many stories to tell…
In fact, during World War Two, the nuns
were forced to leave when the school building was requisitioned by the
military. When the
war was over, the nuns returned and by 1948, the school was restored to its
former grandeur.
Members
of the Primary and Secondary School Board of Governors, and the
Parents-Teachers Association, are aware of the state of disrepair in the school
and in on-going discussions to seek solutions in a concerted effort to rectify
the issues that involved the buildings of both the schools. And for every task,
funds are needed to meet these necessary expenses.
Door-knob on a door upstairs in the Primary School |
This
call for financial support goes out to past and present students, well-wishers,
corporations and generous benefactors, who are encouraged to contribute towards
the appeal for RM1 million in funds to meet the estimated cost of restoration work
required in the Primary and Secondary Schools.
Contributions
(non-tax deductible) should be made in favour of the JB Convent Association of
Past Pupils who would then disburse the required sums to the Board of Governors
in the Primary and Secondary Schools for the necessary work.
Bank
Account Name: Persatuan Bekas Penuntut Sekolah IJC JB
Maybank
Account Number: 501123120629
Swift
Code: MBBEMYKL
Reference
(Transfer Slip): Convent Calls
Donors
are required to send proof of online transfers by WhatsApp to the Treasurer, Ms
Song Eng Fong at Tel: +6017 – 790 1530. Upon request, donations will be acknowledged with an
Official Receipt.
A section of the chapel upstairs |
Stay
in touch with updates that will be posted regularly on the JB Convent
Association of Past Pupils’ official Facebook page. The Johor Baru Convent wishes to
thank you in advance, for your kind generosity.
The
Johor Baru Convent or SK Infant Jesus Convent Johor Baru (Primary School) and
SMK Infant Jesus Convent Johor Baru (Secondary School) is located at Jalan
Yahya Awal, 80000 Johor Baru, Johor.
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