Latest news with #SMKKingGeorgeV
The Star
4 days ago
- General
- The Star
Funds needed for KGV school hall
IT is not often we hear of students who left school decades ago coming forward to help their alma mater, either financially or in kind. Former students of SMK King George V (KGV) in Seremban, Negri Sembilan, had planned to build a clubhouse like what the Old Paulians did for St Paul's Institution, but decided to build a multipurpose hall instead. Old Georgian Association (OGA), led by their former president and state police chief Datuk Osman Salleh, had dropped plans for a clubhouse in place of a multipurpose hall about 10 years ago. The Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, who is also a former student, performed the groundbreaking ceremony in July 2016 and, at the same time, urged former students to contribute. OGA carried out several fundraising activities over the years and managed to raise more than RM1mil for the project. But the association is still short of funds, as the cost has since increased to an estimated RM2.5mil. Abdul Aziz showing an artist's impression of the new school hall. OGA committee member Abdul Aziz Hamzah said the project was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and inability to raise the targeted amount. Abdul Aziz, who has been the school's Parent-Teacher Association chairman since 2018, said efforts were now underway to raise the funds as the project's piling work started in February. 'The school desperately needs a bigger hall, as the current one, which used to have only one badminton court and where legend Datuk Punch Gunalan used to train, can only accommodate some 300 students. 'The new hall will, among other things, have four badminton halls, a stage, toilets and changing rooms, and it will be able to accommodate up to 800 students,' he said, adding that the present hall could not be expanded as it was a heritage building. The school currently holds its assemblies and other events that require the attendance of all students in an open area. KGV, established in 1923, was initially known as the Government English School. In 1928, its name was changed. Today, it has some 870 students in forms one to five. Abdul Aziz said OGA, which has some 1,000 members, was bent on building the hall as a mark of gratitude. 'We Old Georgians would like to leave behind a legacy and to be forever connected to the school. 'But to make it happen, we need to raise more funds so that the hall can be completed on schedule by September next year,' he said, adding that the date was also significant as it would mark a century of the renaming of the school. He said once completed, the hall could also be used to hold examinations, teaching and learning activities as well as sporting events. Abdul Aziz said the new hall, which was being built near the school's famous Georgian Green field, could also be used during sports festivals or tournaments such as rugby, cricket and softball, which KGV was known for. 'OGA will hand over the hall, which we plan to call Georgians Hall, to the school once it is completed. 'We are hoping former students will come forward and support us financially and even make contributions in instalments if they wish to,' he said, adding that the PTA would also be roped in to help. Those wishing to contribute can call 018-979 7455 (Aziz), 019-660 7288 (OGA secretary Eric Lee) or deposit their donation to the association's RHB Bank account (2550 4700 0002 91).
Free Malaysia Today
04-05-2025
- Science
- Free Malaysia Today
Make it fun to learn science, say students
Teachers can captivate the interest of students by incorporating more science experiments in lessons, says a secondary school student. (Bernama pic). (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : More interactive ways of teaching in the science stream could help reignite interest in these subjects, according to several secondary school students. They told FMT that genuine interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics was vital given the more challenging and demanding workloads compared with other streams. Lim, 16, from SMK King George V, said the science stream is perceived by many of her peers as being difficult because it requires understanding complex concepts, long hours of studying and a lot of memorisation. 'Some students also feel pressured by the requirements to pursue careers in science-related fields, like needing straight A's. That stress could make the science stream less attractive,' she said. 'If teachers could include more hands-on activities, like experiments, group work or real-life applications, I think more students would enjoy learning science and be able to understand it better,' she told FMT. High workload Lim's senior, 18-year-old Yean Thong, said an overwhelming academic workload can dampen enthusiasm for learning. She said learning science in the classroom had its limits but teachers could captivate the interest of students by incorporating more science experiments in lessons. 'This would make lessons more meaningful and I believe that, with passion, students would better excel in science subjects,' said Yean Thong, who got straight A's for her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) last year. Former SMK Tun Fatimah Hashim student, Nylea, 18, suggested that teachers organise visits to science exhibitions and fairs to broaden the horizons of students and help them understand real-world applications of science. Nylea, who scored 9As in her SPM and aced her science subjects, also said the science stream seemed to be barely promoted, leading to a lack of appeal to students. 'I think students frequently overestimate the difficulty of science stream without doing much research, which creates an impression that the stream is reserved for smart and gifted students,' she said. Straight A's More than 14,100 students recorded straight A's in the SPM last year, the best result in 11 years after a pass in Bahasa Malaysia and history was made compulsory. However, health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad expressed concern about the noticeable decline in interest in the science stream, particularly its potential impact on the supply of Malaysian medical students. Education ministry statistics for 2021 showed a huge gap in the number of students pursuing humanities and technical subjects. In 2019, a total of 42,257 students were enrolled in Upper Form 6 humanities classes, compared with 4,877 in the science stream. The number of science students dropped in 2020 to 3,853. Lack of interest Sheera, formerly from SMK (P) Sri Aman, said she had already decided not to pursue a science-related career path early on as she had no interest in the subjects. She said the difficulty of the science stream's syllabus was the biggest obstacle toward having greater interest in science, and believed that many others like her felt the same way. 'The teaching method for science subjects in school is outdated. Using modern technologies in science education could offer a more engaging learning experience,' she said. On the other hand, Sabrina, 17, said she was initially interested in enrolling in the science stream but was held back by her weak grasp of mathematics. 'All science stream classes in my school include Additional Mathematics, which makes it harder for me,' said the student from Catholic High School, Petaling Jaya. 'I'm not interested in that particular subject but still wanted to pursue the other science subjects. In the end, I just switched to the humanities.'
The Star
25-04-2025
- Business
- The Star
Teens strike gold in STEM
SMK King George V, Seremban, recently made the nation proud by securing top honours at the World Youth STEM Invention Innovation (WYSII) 2025 competition in Medan, Indonesia. Team Regetus, comprising Nicson Yap Yong Ze and Ray Shaman Kelvin Shaman, clinched the Gold Medal in the Computer Science Category and the Best Invention & Innovation Award. They were among the Top 11 finalists at the prestigious international competition. Held from Feb 23 to 27, the competition, themed 'Pioneering Solutions, Shaping the Future', gathered young innovators from across the globe to tackle pressing challenges through science and technology. Their winning invention, Envirogard – short for Environmental Air Risk Guidance and Alert Device – is an air quality monitoring and alert system designed to combat rising air pollution concerns. Unlike existing inventions such as air purifiers and ventilators, Envirogard provides real-time data, alerts and predictive insights to help individuals take preventive measures against air pollution-related health risks. 'Air pollution is one of the biggest environmental and health threats in the world today. 'We wanted to create a system that not only monitors air quality but also provides real-time alerts and safety precautions to prevent diseases,' Nicson said. Nicson led the 3D design and manufacturing of the prototype, while Ray Shaman handled the coding to bring their vision to life. They supported each other every step of the way, said Nicson, but the journey to perfecting Envirogard was anything but smooth. Securing a location for real-world testing proved to be a major hurdle, as many factories denied them access. 'In the end, we had to gather data outside factory premises to do further analysis,' Nicson shared. Good job: Nicson (left) and Ray Shaman posing for a photo after their WYSII win. Despite the challenges, their hard work paid off, culminating in an unexpected moment of triumph. 'I never imagined that an idea we started from scratch would receive recognition on an international platform,' said Nicson. Echoing his sentiment, Ray Shaman described the win as 'truly unexpected', especially with so many other teams showcasing strong innovation ideas. 'We put in a lot of effort, working right up until the final hour to deliver our best presentation,' he said. Their success was also shaped by the guidance of their teacher adviser Gan Bin Hoon, and lecturers from Universiti Putra Malaysia. 'Madam Gan not only supervised our project but also trained us in presentation skills. Her encouragement pushed us to refine our ideas,' Nicson said. For aspiring young innovators, the duo offered words of advice: 'Start small, believe in yourself, and never be afraid to try. 'Always have a clear aim, be eager to learn and gain hands-on experience.' Meanwhile, nine students from SMK Aminuddin Baki, Kuala Lumpur, demonstrated their school's commitment to nurturing young scientists by winning three gold medals at the WYSII. The three teams, comprising Dishha Palanivello, Arvind Arumugam, Shazrina Shereen Mohd Sazri, Shazrina Shayla Mohd Sazri, Vedashrii Sai Gopinath Rao, Kristen Kok Ren Ee, Praveen Karthigeyan Sivadason, Selvarishikeshan Nadar Selvaganapathy, and Muhammad Rayyan Irsyad Mohd Hafidzi, won top honours in their respective categories. Their winning projects were Smart Pantry, a food management system, and Solemate, an in-sole tracking and SOS alert (Applied Science Category); and Fibronium, a biodegradable alternative to plastic (Environmental Science Category). Expressing their pride, teachers Siti Nazila Raihan Othman and Iylia Nadhirah Md Nadzri commended the students for their dedication, creativity and commitment. 'This victory not only highlights their individual talents but also underscores the strength of our school's STEM education programme,' they said.
