Chung Ling Butterworth High School
| Chung Ling Butterworth National Type High School Sekolah Menengah Jenis Kebangsaan Chung Ling Butterworth | |
|---|---|
|
Love Our Chung Ling 爱吾钟灵 | |
| Location | |
| Butterworth, Penang, Malaysia | |
| Information | |
| Type | Public school (Chinese National Type) (Excellent Cluster School) (Malaysia) |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Principal | Mr. Loh Kooi Cheng 骆贵清校长 |
| Staff | 178 (as of 2013) |
| Key people |
Former principals
|
| Enrollment | 2563 (as of 2013) |
| Classes offered | Science,Commerce and Arts |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Houses | Purple, Blue, Yellow, Red, Green |
Chung Ling Butterworth High School, CLB or CLHSB for short, also known as SMJK Chung Ling Butterworth High School in Malay, sometimes written as Chung Ling High School, Butterworth, is a Chinese conforming school in Butterworth, Malaysia. Although it shares its name, logo, flag, anthem, and the Ten Commandments with Chung Ling High School of Penang, and Chung Ling Private High School, the schools are independent of each other. Like the original Chung Ling High School, the students are selected by the Education Ministry. In 2013, Chung Ling Butterworth was recognised as an Excellent Cluster School.
School history
Introduction
Butterworth had been without the facilities of a national-type Chinese secondary school. Pupils who had completed their primary education in Chinese schools were facing difficulties in continuing their education in vernacular schools at secondary level. The Chinese community in Butterworth sought the assistance of the Board of Governors of Chung Ling High School Penang to set up a branch school in Butterworth.
Application
During the school board meeting held on 10 March 1976, a resolution was unanimously passed to set up the branch school. The proposed name was "Chung Ling High School Butterworth Branch". Proceedings to obtain approval to set up the new school were initiated and the application was submitted through the state education department. Assistance was sought from the community leaders. They were Datuk Michael Chen (former Minister of Housing and Rural Development), the late Datuk Chan Siang Sun (former Deputy Minister of Education), Datuk Dr. Ling Liong Sik (Minister of Transport now and Deputy Minister of Finance then) and Dr. Sak Cheng Lam (Penang State Assemblyman and State Exco Member). On 9 August 1979, the Board of Governors received the letter from the Penang state education director, approving the setting up of the Butterworth Branch School.
School site
The school was to be built on a piece of land along Jalan Ong Yi How with an area of 8.75 acres (35,400 m2). The "Ling Ying Temple Association of Butterworth" offered to donate the land. However, due to certain legal complications, it was eventually bought from the association for the sum of RM460,000.
Fundraising
A committee for the building of the new school was elected on 9 April 1983 at the assembly hall of the Penang Chung Ling Alumni Association. The first committee meeting was held on 30 April 1983 and on the same night a dinner in conjunction with the occasion was held. At the dinner, the late Tan Sri Loh Boon Siew who was chairman of the Board of Governors of Chung Ling School Penang cum adviser to the School-Building Committee of the new branch, made an initial pledge of RM 500,000 to the school-building fund. His deed was followed by Datuk Ong Hoo Kim, Chairman of the School-Building Committee, who pledged RM 20,000. RM 3 million in pledges was raised that night.
Construction
The building plan for the new school was approved by the town council on 25 January 1984. A ground-breaking ceremony at the site of the new school was held on 12 December 1984 and was officiated by the Director-General of Education, Tan Sri Murad. Thus began the first phase of development which consists of a field with a 400-meter running track, two four-storey blocks i.e. Block A with 24 classrooms; Block B with 12 science laboratories and four special classrooms and Block C which houses a large hall with a capacity for 1200 persons, administrative rooms, staff rooms and a library.
School name
The school was registered as "Chung Ling High School Butterworth" with its own independent board of governors. Classes in the new school premises began on 6 January 1986.
Expansion
The second phase of development began in early 1991. It involved the construction of two four-storey blocks, i.e. Block E with 16 classrooms and Block F with eight special rooms for computer studies and living skills workshops. With the completion of these facilities, the development of Chung Ling High School Butterworth was accomplished with a total expenditure of about RM 7.6 million.
Naming of the school
The phrase "Chung Ling" does not refer to a specific person; rather, the two Chinese characters "Chung" and "Ling" connote "concentration" and "wisdom" respectively. The name asserts the belief that the concentration of the forces of wisdom at a particular place will lead to an emergence of talents, who in turn will enhance the fame and status of the place.
1996 to 1998
The Minister of Education Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak visited the school on 7 September 1995. During a special assembly on the same day, he announced permission to open 6th Form classes. The first batch of two classes of science students started on 1 April 1996. Two years later the number of classes increased to five, that is, three science classes and two art classes.
As from 1996, the school took in only form one students. This resulted in the school having 20 classes of Form one students in that year. Of the 20 classes, 10 were promoted from the Remove Form and the other 10 were from direct intake.
A clock tower and co-curricular rooms were built with the help of the school board. Together with the PTA, a block of new toilets were constructed and the library air-conditioned.
The school brass band, formed in 1993, has 100 members. The school also has a Chinese Orchestra.
Excellent Cluster School Award
5 April 2013 marks an important date in the history of Chung Ling Butterworth High School where both Butterworth and Penang Chung Ling High Schools were awarded the Excellent Cluster School Awards. The awards were presented by the Chief Director of Ministry of Education, Tan Sri Abdul Ghafar Bin Mahmud in Putrajaya. The schools were represented by the principals of both schools, Mr Loh Kooi Cheng and Mr Ooi Poh Beng. This award has further recognised the school as one of the top schools in Malaysia.
Notable alumni
- Tan Kheng Seong, usually known as Ah Niu.
See also
References
- Chung Ling Butterworth High School Magazine 2004
- Chung Ling Butterworth High School Magazine 2005
External links
- Chung Ling Butterworth High School Website
- Chung Ling Butterworth High School Forum (Unofficial)
- Chung Ling Butterworth High School Website (Unofficial)
- Chung Ling Butterworth High School Choir History
Coordinates: 5°26′02″N 100°23′35″E / 5.433866°N 100.393058°E