AT my old school reunion, while sorting through some keepsakes, I came across a poem I had written rather cheekily when I was in Form Five.
Reading it brought a smile to my face and transported me back to a treasured chapter of my life at Bukit Bintang Girls’ School (BBGS).
It was a joyful reunion filled with laughter, shared stories and the comforting realisation that while decades may have passed, the bonds forged during our school days remain remarkably enduring.
BBGS was more than a school. It was a place that shaped young girls into confident women, instilled values that guided us through life, and nurtured friendships that have stood the test of time.
For many of us, the school grounds were where we first discovered our strengths, learnt the importance of resilience, and developed a sense of purpose that would accompany us into adulthood.
It was indeed just like our school song, where we pledged “our love and toil in the years to be”.
The values that shaped us were also captured so beautifully in our school song, where we aspired to take our place as “loyal women” of character and conviction.
The song was more than a school anthem; it was a guide for life, reminding us to bear “the yoke in youth” with steadfastness and truth, to delight in simple things, to forgive generously and to serve with love and integrity.
These lessons have remained with us long after we left the school gates, shaping both who we are and how we contribute to the communities around us.
Many Malaysians may not realise that the bustling Pavilion Kuala Lumpur in Bukit Bintang now stands on the very site that once housed BBGS, one of the nation’s oldest and most distinguished schools.
Founded in 1893, the school would mark its 133rd anniversary this year. Yet, despite its rich history and immeasurable contributions to generations of students, there is today little physical evidence that the school ever stood there.
The original buildings have disappeared from the landscape, replaced by glass, steel and the rhythms of modern city life.
While progress and development are inevitable, there is a certain poignancy in knowing that no visible trace remains of a place that played such a significant role in the lives of many young women.
For those of us who walked its corridors, gathered in its classrooms and dreamt about our future within its walls, BBGS lives on not in bricks and mortar but in our memories, our values and the lives we have gone on to lead.
Perhaps that is the enduring legacy of a great school, as the girls are charged to build that “undefiled heritage”.
Buildings may vanish and landscapes may change, but the impact of education endures across generations.
BBGS may no longer occupy a physical space in the heart of KL, but it continues to occupy a special place in the hearts of all who were fortunate enough to have belonged there during our formative years.
And 50 years on, as my classmates and I gathered once again, it was clear that the heritage we inherited and were entrusted to uphold remains very much alive. That, perhaps, is the greatest tribute any school could hope for.
Prof Datuk Dr Elizabeth Lee is the chief executive officer at Sunway Education Group. A veteran in the field of private higher education, Prof Lee is also an advocate for women in leadership. She has been recognised both locally and internationally for her contributions to the field of education. The views expressed here are the writer’s own.
