My Alma Mater(s)

My Primary (Elementary) School

Sekolah Kebangsaan Sultan Sulaiman II

(SK Sultan Sulaiman 2)

Jalan Engku Sar

20300 Kuala Terengganu

Coordinates: 5.323481, 103.140269

My Secondary (High) School

Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sultan Sulaiman

(SMK Sultan Sulaiman)

Jalan Sultan Mahmud

20400 Kuala Terengganu

Coordinates: 5.300345, 103.163802

THIS IS OUR 300^th POST… WOOT!!!

Growing up, the schools I went to were simply called “SS2” which was my primary school, and “SS” which referred to my secondary school. Malaysia modeled its education system on the British, so we had no in between ‘middle’ school. From the ages of 7 to 12 I went to a primary school, and from the ages of 13 to 17 I went to a secondary school. Simple, right?

So, in taking a walk down memory lane let’s start with SS2, shall we?

despite the rather lengthy name...

its still SS2 to me

its the school holidays, which explains it being quiet

this school hall was after my time

while this was here since the 70s

its still just SS2 to me

I sense that although things look the same it somehow feels different at the same time. Can’t seem to put my finger on it.

the wooden building is gone

Ah, I get it now. In the photo above do you see a concrete structure to the right of the main gate. When I started schooling here aged 7 my Standard 1 class was a wooden building (which doubled as the old school hall) where that concrete structure now stands. I remember vaguely being sick and vomiting in class, and feeling faint all at once. I slept while waiting for the school to call my Dad to come pick me up, and the next thing you know the entire class was vacated. I guess the stench of my vomit was pretty vile!

We’re heading to SS next.

school assembly every Sunday morning

just as I remembered it

my Form 1 block

walkway leading to the main blocks

view from the other end

walkway to the Form 1 block

Located along the bustling Jalan Sultan Mahmud road although on the outskirts of town this was (and still is) one of the premier non-boarding schools in the state. Apart from trying to achieve academic excellence, SS also strived to be the best at all local school sports events as well.

no, my camera was not over saturated

the school is painted in this yellow/orange hue

my Form 5 block

it was a dark and soggy day

hallowed grounds

another view of my Form 1 block

the girls dormitory

the 'astaka or pavilion facing the school field'

the basketball cum volleyball court

someone needs to give it some tender loving care

Again there’s this sense of familiarity but strangeness as well, as though you’re back in the place you used to live but it doesn’t quite feel like home anymore. I guess with age the brains gets fuzzy sometimes.

I sometimes reminisce about my school canteen, and my daily menu of Mee Goreng with Keropok Lekor. The photo above is of the canteen I always speak so fondly of.

our ginormous field (and the wall at the farthest end)

memories

Our school field is HUGE, and can accommodate two soccer matches at once. And I have a confession to make. Do you see the wall at the farthest end of the field? That’s the wall we jumped over to sneak out of school to play truant! (Brendan, pretend you didn't read this).