PENANG Chinese (All) Girls High School or better known among locals as just "Peng Hwa" marked its momentous 105th anniversary celebrations with a grand display of culture, arts and academic excellence.
Since its inception along Gottlieb Road, the school is regarded as one of the top academic institutions in Penang, often producing quality education and its graduates have filled up leading positions in society, both within and outside of the country.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow acknowledged the school's academic standing in Penang, adding that the prospects of relocating a component of the school, is an issue which he will address later.
It is learnt that the school's board has been discussing the possibility of relocating one of the four schools to a more amenable education setting since the locality is bustling with traffic and it needs space for the proposed expansion plans.
To mark the anniversary, Chow said that the state has allocated RM100,000 to the four schools under the Peng Hwa board, namely its kindergarten, Independent HIgh School, the Chinese Girls High School and its primary school.
Chow pointed out that Penang lacks natural resources, and talent is an important asset for the state to continue to move forward and to ensure sustainable development.
Therefore, the state government has always attached great importance to education and has institutionalised funding for Chinese schools in the state since 2009.
Despite learning that its board of directors had taken advantage of the anniversary to launch a fundraising campaign for the four-school development fund, Chow still decided to allocate the relevant funds in the hope of inspiring more enthusiastic people to work together to develop Chinese vernacular education.
“As far as I know, the funds raised will be used to upgrade several major facilities, including the covered activity centre, canteen, library, large lawn, audio-visual room and gymnasium.”
Among those present were state executive councillors; Wong Hon Wai, Lim Siew Khim, Kebun Bunga assemblyman Lee Boon Heng, China Consul - General His Excel Zhou Youbin, who is based in Penang and Chinese Town Hall chairman Tan Sri Tan Khoon Hai.
Chow hopes that the alumni will also actively support this fundraising campaign.
He believed that with the joint efforts of all Penang Chinese, its vernacular education will continue to move towards the next milestone.
Among the alumni is Siew Khim and George Town World Heritage Incorporated general manager Dr Ang Ming Chee.
Datuk Lok Nan Hui, co-chairman of the anniversary committee, said that the school has developed into a complete and perfect education system from kindergarten, primary school, secondary school to independent school.
"This is the result of the long-term support of everyone in Penang."
Since its establishment, the school has been committed to promoting Chinese education and providing quality education and growth opportunities for countless women, he stressed.
The schools board chairman Datuk Chua Quan Zhong said that the school has been able to survive for over a hundred years' and it has relied on the support of the board of directors, parents, teachers, alumni and the public.
The dinner was held at the school's spacious lawn, with over 200 tables set up and over 2,000 people gathered, highlighting the high regard that the alumni have for the school.
The school was first proposed by four community leaders Tan Sin Chen, Lim Lu Tek, Khor Sen Lee and Cheah Seng Tin, to establish an all-girls school for the Chinese.
It opened in 1920, and it ranked as among the 100 oldest schools in Malaysia.
In 1956, it relocated to its present site in Gottlieb Road. – March10, 2025.
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