SMK Pendidikan Khas Persekutuan
This article needs additional citations for verification. (May 2017) |
Sekolah Menengah Pendidikan Khas Persekutuan | |
---|---|
Address | |
600H, Jalan Lembah Permai, 11200 Tanjung Bungah Government-Aided Boarding Secondary School | |
Established | 1954[citation needed] |
Principal | Mrs. Mui Siew Koon |
Grades | Form 1 - Form 5 |
Abbreviation | FSD |
Phone no. | 04-8907313 / 8905115 |
Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Pendidikan Khas Persekutuan (the Federation Special Education National Secondary School, formerly known as the Federation School for the Deaf) is a school in Penang, Malaysia. Currently located at 600H, Vale of Tempe Road, 11200 Tanjung Bungah, it was the pioneer deaf school in Malaysia.
The Federation School has a very important place in Malaysia's Deaf community as the first boarding school for deaf children in Malaya (the Chinese Deaf School in Singapore was founded in the same year).[citation needed]
History of the establishment
In 1952, Dr C Elaine Field, a medical specialist, visited Penang to treat deaf children. Having met and interviewed some of the deaf children about their welfare, Dr Field realised that there were no education programmes for deaf children in Malaya. Dr Field met with
On 9 December 1952, Lady Templer chaired a special meeting at the Residency (official residence of the
The school 1954-1961
Miss J. M. Hickes was appointed as the first principal of the school. At the beginning, the school housed only seven students and two teachers. The entry age was not fixed, with some students entering at 3 or 4 and others at 9. By 1959, the number of students had increased to 60 students. Students who completed Standard 6 did not continue their education, but were given the opportunity to gain vocational skills such as sewing, woodworking and repairing. At that time, the school was not funded by the Government, but was organised by volunteers and non-government organisations.
Towards secondary education (1961 - 1970)
In 1961, Miss J.M. Hicks resigned as principal and was succeeded by Miss Lee Kooi Jong, originally a nurse at the Penang General Hospital, who had previously served as the first Secretary to the Board of Governors and as a teacher at the school. Lee persuaded businessmen and entrepreneurs in Penang to give opportunities to the deaf children to gain work experience at their companies. FSD students who completed Standard 6 received offers to work at companies doing printing, sewing, and other trades.
Lee (known as Dato' Hajah Saleena Yahaya Isa after her conversion to Islam) also increased the length of courses from 6 years to 10 years. Years 8, 9 and 10 received on-the-job vocational training after school. The first students to sit for the Lower Certificate of Education (L.C.E.) were registered 1969, with a 100% pass rate. Secondary education was finally offered at FSD from 1970.
Due to the growth of the school, the site at Northam Road was deemed to be inadequate, and the Board of Governors, decided to relocated the school to a new site. At the end of 1963, a 12-hectare site at Vale of Tempe Road (Jalan Lembah Permai) in Tanjong Bungah was bought at 65 cents per square foot, with Mr (later
Pursuant to the agreement between the school and the buyer, the school would remain at the old premises for two years until the new school was scheduled to open in 1965. Unfortunately, the school was not completed within the two years. The Board of Governors suggested that the school close down until the problem was solved, but the principal, Mrs Saleena objected to the disruption to the children's education, and turned to the State Education Department, through the Inspector of Chinese Schools, for help. As a result, Shih Chung Primary School was chosen to accommodate the FSD students during the afternoon session. The problem of hostelling was solved by placing the boys at the Charity Home next to Eastern & Oriental Hotel, while the girls were placed at Poh Leung Kok (now Cheshire Home). The school's office was placed at the Trustees Office at the High Court. Six months later, the school was reunited in a building at Poh Leung Kok, after the authorities of Poh Leung Kok allowed the school to use the whole of its premises.
FSD as a government aided school
The school was finally reopened in 1970, the opening ceremony was attended by the first Malaysians Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman. At the same time, the school became the first deaf school to receive government-aided status.
From Oral Communication to Total Communication
Initially, Form 4 and 5 students were attached to normal schools such as Sekolah Menengah Jelutong and Sekolah Menengah Tanjung Bungah in Penang. However, the deaf students found it difficult to cope with the teaching at those schools, and the FSD subsequently expanded to teach at the higher secondary level.
Eleanor Culas who was the first FSD student to study at
In 1976, Frances Parsons visited FSD, and persuaded Saleena and other teachers that the
As of 1998, the students continue to use an English language based variety of sign language.[1]
The school development (1980s)
This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (July 2010) |
List of FSD principals
(1954–1961) Miss J.M. Hicks (Mrs. J.M. Sundram)
(1961–1987) Mrs. Saleena Yahaya Isa (Miss Lee Kooi Jong)
(1987–1990) Mr. Francis Chai Voon Oon
(1990–1995) Mrs. Chan Sew Lian
(1995–1996) Mdm. Yeoh Suan Choo (née Mrs Khong)
(1997–present) Mrs. Mui Siew Koon
References
- ^ Lim, Chin Heng (May 1998). "An Overview of 20-year Development of Total Communication Approach with Signing Exact English in Singapore (1977-1997)" (PDF). Signal. Singapore Association for the Deaf. p. 216. - MITA (P) No. 250/10/97 - Document is on p. 8/11. The document calls it "Signed English"
References
- Federation School for the Deaf Alumni Penang, Malaysia
- Leon Lim's interviews with FSD (Federation School for the Deaf) Alumnus for Malaysia Federation of the Deaf
- Sin Chew Daily's interview with Leon Lim, alumni of the FSD. 17 August 2008
- New Straits Times' interview with the alumni of Federation School for the Deaf. 10 August 2008
- The Star Newspaper has interviewed with Leon Lim, alumni of Federation School for the Deaf Alumni, Penang, Malaysia. 12 July 2008
- Berita Harian Online's interview with Federation School for the Deaf Alumni, LEON LIM. 10 July 2008