AS Easter approaches, the Infant Jesus Sisters’ convent schools in Malaysia remember the advent of the first three French nuns on Easter Monday in 1852, after a long and treacherous journey of four months at sea.
The schools which were originally called the St Maur Sisters’ Schools still make up the largest group of schools at present times, consisting of a total number of 56 primary and secondary schools.
They are nationalised but their private beginnings traced back to the time when European missionaries reached the shores of Malaya in the mid-19th century to open English medium schools requested by the British administration in the Straits Settlements.
The successful establishment of their maiden mission outside France was achieved by a second team of four sisters who arrived in October the same year under the leadership of indomitable Mother St Mathilde, the nun with a steely resolve to establish schools and orphanages in Malaya.
More intrepid nuns followed, with many sacrifices of their young lives to tropical illnesses, they build schools in new areas gained by the British as its influence grew in hinterland Sultanate states and the need for English education became obvious.
During the tenure of tireless Mother St Tarcisius in the 1930–40s, the opening of schools was unstoppable, even as World War II started in Europe, parts of Asia and was imminent that it will spread to Southeast Asia.
Most of the schools existing today were established during this period, with education contents and standards broadened and upgraded leading to the creation of the “convent school brand” – a household name where parents were willing to tolerate the suspected evangelistic tendencies of the sisters because of higher quality education provided in the convent schools.
In some remote places for instance near plantations where local populations were small and where there were no English schools for boys, the sisters took in all the children to provide them with education and proper discipline.
The sisters also ventured into operating vernacular schools and the mediums of instruction were Tamil and Chinese in places where the resident numbers were skewed towards the particular race.
In the course of expanding operations, the sisters endured many hardships in overcoming shortages of finances, and prejudices against their religion and western culture and during the Japanese occupation suffered disruption and destruction of properties and lives.
It had always been a persistent worry and difficult task to seek out benefactors to support new constructions and extensions of school buildings and to work very hard to earn and save money to subsidize poor students and feed the orphans.
In these, the sisters were often blessed with very generous groups and individuals including royal family members of Sultanate states and philanthropists who would donate in cash and kind including gifts of land and free usage of premises pending new land being acquired and buildings erected.
The general public, parents of students and alumni were also collectively instrumental in contributing to the schools’ expansion efforts during special fundraising activities and also regularly assisted in day to day operations.
Except for the bigger schools in urban areas important to the British, there was hardly any financial assistance from the government although they gave more after Malaya was fully colonised.
Nevertheless by 1949, less than four years after the war, the sisters’ operations were bustling again with 32 convents encompassing orphanages and schools (primary and secondary schools were then combined and counted as one) accommodating more than 1,000 abandoned babies and orphans and 20,000 students respectively.
Remarkably in a number of schools, grateful and loyal former students (called “old girls”) who benefitted from the wholesome education and strict discipline instituted by the nuns – referred to as “good character moulding” donated regularly and substantially to their alma maters.
“COGA” or Convent Old Girls’ Associations founded by sister-headmistresses for the main purpose of ensuring the convent girls remain connected and come together in times of need by school still function till present day though most are not very active.
From the beginning till the 20th century, Singapore and Malaya were centrally administered at Penang’s Convent Light Street and in combination, both are referred to as the Region of Malaya but they were later segregated into two provinces and consequently directed by different provincials.
Following the independence of the Federation of Malaya in 1957 and the formation of Malaysia in 1963, the education policies in the country were numerously changed of which the most significant was the use of Malay as the single unifying national language in government-aided schools.
The nationalisation of these schools was implemented in stages with effect from 1970 and was completed by 1982 when all public schools – primary and secondary were fully instructed in Malay medium.
The sisters have since retreated from direct administration of their schools except in the exercise of their rights and responsibilities as owners of the physical school properties they still own.
Essentially, they are still accountable for costs incidental to the ownership of land – including quit rents and leasehold extensions and premises with regards to repairs and regular maintenance.
These pose a great financial burden to the sisters who do not have any income unlike previously when they were running their schools and receiving contributions from generous benefactors.
With rising inflation and costs of living and increasing rate of deterioration of the buildings (hundreds of them) due to the passage of time and intensive use, the affordability problem has reached a very serious level.
The institute’s share of annual government allocation to missionary organisations is not material compared to the huge commitments for necessary costs of repairs and maintenance, much of which are still in deferment due to the shortage of funds.
The retired sisters have also aged considerably, needing much medical care and attention, and causing the administrators and younger sisters greater responsibilities to provide for their needs.
Today, 170 years on, the Infant Jesus Sisters institute remains vigilant despite all the troubles that besiege them over changing times and the nuns hold steadfast to their principles and duties of service to society.
They are still one of the biggest, if not the biggest, benefactors to education in our country by lending free use of their many school premises which they once built with great love, sweat and tears for generations of children who grew up to be useful citizens.
Chen Yen Ling
Author of Lessons from My School, The journey of the French Nuns and their Convent Schools
Kulim, Kedah
Already a subscriber? Log in
Get 20% OFF The Star Digital Access
Cancel anytime. Ad-free. Unlimited access with perks.
