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Chung Hwa Middle School, Bandar Seri Begawan

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Coordinates: 4°53′40″N 114°56′40″E / 4.894565°N 114.944431°E / 4.894565; 114.944431
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Not to be confused with Chung Hwa School, Tutong and Chung Hua Middle School, Kuala Belait.
Chung Hwa Middle School, Bandar Seri Begawan
汶莱中华中学
The school's main entrance
Address
Map
1 Jalan Berangan, Bandar Seri Begawan BS8211, Brunei Darussalam
Coordinates4°53′40″N 114°56′40″E / 4.894565°N 114.944431°E / 4.894565; 114.944431
Information
School typePrivate school
Motto禮義廉耻
(Propriety, Righteousness, Modesty, Remorsefulness)
Established1922
FounderOng Boon Pang
ChairmanJeffrey Yong Teck Chin
PrincipalKho Guik Lan
GenderCo-educational
Houses     Red, Yellow, Green, and Blue
Color(s)   Navy Blue and White
Websitechms.edu.bn

Chung Hwa Middle School, Bandar Seri Begawan (abbrev: CHMS, BSB; Chinese: 汶莱中华中学; Malay: Sekolah Menengah Chung Hwa, Bandar Seri Begawan) or colloquially known as Wén Zhōng (汶中),[1] is a co-educational private school located in Kampong Berangan of Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei.[2] It is known as the country's largest and oldest Chinese private school since its establishment in 1922.[3][4][5]

History

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Ong Boon Pang and his associates were the founders of the sole Chinese middle school in Bandar Seri Begawan, which opened its doors in 1922.[6] In 1918, it was first known as York Choi School (育才学校) and ran informally out of a two-story rented shophouse.[3] In 1922, the school changed their name to Chung Hwa School (中华学校) and adopted a primary schooling system in 1926. John Graham Black, the British resident in Brunei at the time, presided over the inauguration ceremony of a new school building that was constructed in Jalan Bendahara in 1938.[7]

In 1940, Ong Boon Pang passed away after chairing the school board for 22 years, founding and laying the solid foundation the school is currently built upon. During the Japanese occupation of Brunei, the school briefly ceased operation. After the liberation of Brunei from the Imperial Japanese, the school resumed operation headed by a directorial system.[7]

The school had 536 pupils enrolled in 1952; that number increased to 581 the following year.[8] When the school began providing secondary education in 1955, it was renamed Chung Hwa Middle School, Brunei (汶莱中华中学). The Bruneian government began subsidising the school in 1957, covering the costs of building and renovating the school's essential buildings as well as the wages of the instructors and administrators.[9] The school that offered an upper-secondary level successfully adopted a complete learning program in 1959. The school additionally exceeded the milestone of 1000 pupils overall at this time.[7]

When the government stopped providing financial support for the school in 1970, financial constraints were implemented. The issue was fixed when Lim Teck Hoo, the other members of the board, and the Chinese Community agreed to provide the school a monthly donation.[10] The school celebrated it's 50th anniversary in 1972 officiated by Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III.[11][7] The Muara Chinese took steps to send their kids to the school only in the 1970s and 1980s, however some also enrolled in English stream schools.[12]

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the school underwent a significant phase of expansion and enhancement. The building of a new administration complex and the 1982 commemoration of its 60th anniversary, which Prince Mohamed Bolkiah attended, were two of the event's major highlights. In 1986, the school launched its sixth form classes, and the creation of the Alumni Education Fund. In addition, the school was among the first to computerise management processes and introduce digital lessons for extracurricular and administrative purposes.[7]

The institution maintained its pace in the early 1990s by building a new dormitory building for faculty and staff. In 1998 when its website was launched, giving parents and other interested parties easy online access to student performance reports and test results. The school also incorporated information and communications technology (ICT) into the classroom.[7]

Then-chairman Ang Swee Chuan formally launched the Chung Hwa Middle School, Bandar Seri Begawan Legacy Hall on 28 September 2002.[7] The brand-new educational building, known as the Pehin Datu Temenggong Dato Seri Paduka Lim Teck Hoo Building (丕显天猛公拿督林德甫馆), finished on 6 January 2008.[13]

The school's primary section began using a new education method for Chinese language from the beginning of 2011. In the same year, the school also won awards in a number of national and local contests, such as the APICTA Competition in Pattaya, and Kuala Lumpur.[14] On 11 October 2012, the school staged a major celebration to mark its 90th anniversary. Cabinet officials and members of the royal family were among the attendees, including Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.[13] In 2022, the school celebrated the centenary of its founding in 1922.[9][14] During the celebration, the Sultan gave long-service medals to fifteen members of the CHMS board of directors, followed by student performances that highlighted the school's founding.[15]

Notable alumni

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[edit]
  • Students marching to welcome Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin, c. 1949
    Students marching to welcome Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin, c. 1949
  • The school's pailou in 2022
    The school's pailou in 2022
  • Chung Hwa Middle School basketball team
    Chung Hwa Middle School basketball team
  • Main school building in c. 2023
    Main school building in c. 2023

References

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  1. ^ "本處史大使亞平於5月25日上午赴汶萊中華中學參訪". Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Brunei Darussalam (in Chinese). Retrieved 2024-04-08.
  2. ^ Kon, James (2021-09-06). "Giving its best in education". Borneo Bulletin Online. Archived from the original on 2022-12-20. Retrieved 2022-12-20.
  3. ^ a b The Report: Brunei Darussalam 2009. Oxford Business Group. 2009. ISBN 978-1-907065-09-5.
  4. ^ Suryadinata, Leo (2012). Southeast Asian Personalities of Chinese Descent: A Biographical Dictionary, Volume I & II. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. ISBN 978-981-4345-21-7.
  5. ^ Sidhu, Jatswan S. (2009-12-22). Historical Dictionary of Brunei Darussalam. Scarecrow Press. p. 61. ISBN 978-0-8108-7078-9.
  6. ^ Lee, Khoon Choy (2013-03-26). Golden Dragon And Purple Phoenix: The Chinese And Their Multi-ethnic Descendants In Southeast Asia. World Scientific. p. 538. ISBN 978-981-4518-49-9.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g "School History". Chung Hwa Middle School, BSB. Retrieved 2023-01-05.
  8. ^ Brunei (1953). Annual Report. H.M. Stationery Office.
  9. ^ a b c Kon, James (2022-10-30). "His Majesty graces school's 100th year anniversary". Borneo Bulletin Online. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
  10. ^ 汶來中華中學畢業特刊 (in Malay). 汶來中華中學. 1995. pp. C-1.
  11. ^ Hussainmiya, Bachamiya Abdul (1995). Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin III and Britain: The Making of Brunei Darussalam. Oxford University Press. pp. XXIII. ISBN 978-967-65-3106-3.
  12. ^ Gunn, Geoffrey C. (1997). Language, Power, and Ideology in Brunei Darussalam. Ohio University Center for International Studies. p. 91. ISBN 978-0-89680-192-9.
  13. ^ a b Hayat, Hakim (2012-10-12). "His Majesty at CHMS 90th Anniversary celebration". www.sultanate.com. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
  14. ^ a b "Keberangkatan meriahkan Sambutan Ulang Tahun Ke-100 Penubuhan SMCH BSB". Prime Minister's Office (in Malay). 2022-10-29. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
  15. ^ a b "His Majesty graces CHMS 100th anniversary celebration". The Bruneian. 2022-11-08. Retrieved 2024-08-03.
  16. ^ "Wu Chun visits his school in Brunei". chinaplus.cri.cn. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
  17. ^ a b Lee, David (24 September 2023). "Brunei's Basma Lachkar creates history with wushu silver at Asian Games". The Straits Times. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  18. ^ "Brunei-Muara crowned wushu kings". Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council. 2013-06-03. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
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