SIBU: Over 1,000 former students attended the SMK Sacred Heart and SMK St Elizabeth Grand Reunion at Kingwood Hotel here last Saturday evening.
Organising Chairman and newly elected president of the Sacred Heart School Old Students Association (SHOSA), Yong King Sung, said the presence of many former students reflected their passion for their alma mater.
“We cannot deny that the teachers from both schools left indelible marks on all of us and this year’s reunion was themed “Tribute” in recognition of the services and sacrifices of our teachers,” he said.
About 30 former teachers from both schools were present at the dinner to receive personalised plaques with the word “Tribute” engraved in gold.
“Next year, the reunion will take place on April 6 at Kingwood Level 6 and we hope to pay tribute to those former teachers who couldn’t make it this year,
added Yong.
For 2019, the organising committee will also be paying tribute to the various student class years that rose to SMK Sacred Heart’s defence when it was in financial constraints.
“Many individuals both from within and beyond our school walls came to our aid in our massive re-development programme. And many corporate organisations also stepped up,” Yong said.
Many old boys, he added, also stood up to aid the school by raising funds from their year mates and for the first time in a long time, the school was able to pay off its outstanding debts in 2017.
Yong said it was such a big relief for the school after toiling for so long to settle the accounts.
“We know there will be maintenance to pay and there will be repairs that will be needed, but for this year, we all want to take a breather and as surely as the sun will rise, the students of Sacred Heart will rise and rise again to come back to the school and help,” he enthused.
Earlier, at the SHOSA’s AGM, the members also gave a strong mandate to the new office bearers who would take charge from 2018 to 2019 to further pursue their dream of renaming the road in front of the school “Jalan Albinus”.
“We will undertake this quest which was initiated under the presidential term of Robert Lau Hui Yew and carried on by Hii Chang Kee during the previous term.
“It is now the quest of the new team and we hope to work closely with the authorities concerned in making this dream a reality,” Yong said.
Sacred Heart School was established in 1902 and has a rich history of producing outstanding students throughout its 116 -year period.
Present at the reunion were Mission School Re-development Committee Chairman, Temenggong Vincent Lau, Board of Directors Chairman, Lau Swee Nguong, SHOSA’s past president, Dr Gregory Hii, and an old boy, HCK Group Executive Chairman, Tan Sri Clement Hii.
