Hari Anugerah Cemerlang - Haakem

Insert: the decorated stage with no people on it is 2007's while the one next to it is last year's.
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As members of the school PTA, hubby and I are really concerned about the kids' activities and welfare. It is such a small school (believe it, a really small number of school children at a government school in the middle of KL city!!) with a total of 130 pupils and 15 teachers. There are only one class for each year except for year 6 with 2 classes. The classes averaged at 18 kids per class with a teacher pupil ratio of 1:8. It is one of the top schools in the zone though. But some 10 to 20 years ago, it had records of 1500 pupils in a given year. Discipline is not one of its problems. Literacy rate is also high with 90% of the students who had to undergo the KIA 2M Programme passing after the first month. We chose the school for Haakem because of these facts and that it is only 5 minutes walk from our doorstep. The school gate is merely 5 metres from our condo gate!!


Enough said about the school, yesterday 12th November 2007 was its Hari Anugerah Cemerlang. Hubby and I helped (literally) alot with the preparation. The PTA Chairman has been unavailable for days and with his mandate, Hubby as the Deputy and me as the Head of Academic Development Bureau felt obliged to see that the event is a success. We took charge of the stage deco, from purchasing, designing and actually undertaking the whole decorating works!! On Saturday hubby went to Sg Buluh to purchase the poly bagged plants and together with his cousin, arranged the plants on and in front of the stage. They put up the banner as the backdrop and pasted on some flower arrangements. They started at 4 and finished by Maghrib. The next day hubby bought 30 meters (too much, of course, but just in case!!) of plain cloth to cover up the poly bags. We went to the school at 9.30pm and did the finishing touch in less than an hour.


The teachers arrived in the morning, pretty impressed with our job! The ceremony started at 8.30 am. Hubby arrived since 7.10am together with haakem who was really excited about changing into his smart attire for his class' performance. I had to settle a few things at home before speeding off to the school at 8.00am. My aunt, Millie and Bibik were also coming to see Haakem in action. They arrived later at 8.25am, Millie clad in pink cotton dress, so excited to see Mama after being grumpy for having woken up from her slumber at such early time.


The event started at 8.30 with the arrival of VIPs, singing of the National Anthem and Wilayah Persekutuan Anthem followed by the Doa recital. The Headmistress gave her opening speech, informing about the kids' achievement in sports and extra-curricular activities at zone, state and national levels. The Ceremony was officially opened by none other that the Deputy Chairman of the PTA.... aka Hubby!! It was done after his very short speech. After that, Year 1 kids started off the performance with their 60's Dance which was hilarious. One of the kids of the 14 member class decided not to turn up leaving one of the boys having to dance alone! That poor fellow.


After the dance, the price giving ceremony started with year 1 and year 2 children by the Headmistress. Haakem received 2 awards, one for second place in class (and aliran whatever that means in his school!!) and another one for best in Agama. His best friend (who is also our neighbours' daughter) Athena received the awards for first place in class and best in Maths, Science and Moral Education. Masyita (the school Guru Penolong Kanan's only child) received one for the third place and Siti Nadihah received the awards for best in BM.


Immediately after that was Haakem's year 2 combined with year 3 choir performance. There were 15 out of 18 (Year 2) and 14 out of 14 (Year 3) of them. The boys are smartly dressed in their white shirts, grey pants and grey vests with white & peach ribbons. The girls are dressed in white blouses and turquoise skirts with beautiful flowers worn on the heads. They sang "Perwira" and "Malaysia Berjaya". They did well and received a loud round of applause. Such cute kids!!


My aunt, Millie and Bibik left after that performance for Millie has become restless. I was later called on stage to give away the awards for years 3 and 4. Later, there were story telling by Year 3 pupil who was the second prize winner at the state level competition. Another PTA member who is the Head of Sports & Extra Curricular Bureau gave away the awards for years 5 and 6. After the impressive Choral Speaking performance of Year 5 and year 6 Nasyid performance (which won the competition at zone level), Hubby was called on stage to give away the Special Achievement Awards of Cleanest Classes (Levels 1 and 2), Nilam (Reading) Programme (Levels 1 and 2), Special Achievement in Agama, Special Achievement in Extra Curricular Activities (male and female) and finally the Special Achievement in Academic.


After the photography session Hubby was presented with a basket of fruits!! And later the ceremony ended with the kids and parents given packed lunch and the VIPs and teachers enjoying served lunch (at 11.00 am!!). After Haakem has changed into his normal uniform, still with blushers on, we left for home. It was a simple but successful event. And today, as I compared the pictures of this year's event with last year's event which was mostly organised by professionals, I'd vote for this year's work of amateurs and we will strive to do better next year!