Great memories as Foon Yew High School turns 100

JOHOR BARU: At the age of 77, Poon Kim Boon has gone back to school – this time, to celebrate the 100th year anniversary of the Foon Yew High School.

The grandfather of two, who was among the first batch of 38 students to graduate from the school in 1957, relished the memories that came flooding back to him the moment he stepped inside the compound.

“Looking at the familiar arch at the front-gate and the stairs where I used to spend recess, eating with my classmates, made me have goose bumps,” he said during the celebration here yesterday.

Poon, who said he was proud of being among the first batch of high school graduates, later went on to become a teacher in his alma mater.

“The school will always have a special place in my heart. I hope it will continue providing quality education to Malaysians, regardless of their background, for years to come,” he said.

Foon Yew High School, set up in 1913, is one of the oldest and biggest schools in Malaysia. It has a main campus in Stulang and another branch campus in Kulaijaya with over 10,000 students.

It also has five Chinese primary school branches in and around Jo­­­­­-hor Baru — in Jalan Kebun Teh, Jalan Abdul Samad, Taman Mount Austin, Jalan Tasek Utara and Jalan Cenderasari.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak recently announced the setting up of another branch campus in Seri Alam to cater to the growing need for Chinese education in the state.