WESLEY YEARBOOK 2020-2021

BISHOP'S MESSAGE

BISHOP DR. T. JEYAKUMAR



The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. (Psalm 126:3)

With gratitude to Almighty GOD I wish to congratulate Wesley Methodist School
Penang (International) in producing the School Yearbook 2020-2021.

More than once our schools had to close due to the coronavirus pandemic. I cannot
think of a period in my lifetime where schools had to close because of a pandemic. All
over the world schools have experienced this similar unprecedented phenomenon. In
spite of school closures, our Wesley School educationists seized the opportunity to
provide online instruction and during slightly better days our educationists provided
hybrid learning opportunities. They prepared the students for exams in this way too. No
one was left behind. Our educationists are to be commended. The students and parents
are to be commended too for adapting to new learning environments.

It is my prayer that all students will have access to technology and the internet in
order to be connected to their schools during lockdown situations and learn from
home. The present learning environment which is still at risk of the virus, definitely
requires technology and the internet.

Some schools located in the cities, like yours, can take it for granted that their
students will have such high-tech devices to learn via online platforms. Not all students
have such privileges. There needs to be sufficient infrastructures created all over the
country, so that all students are given equal opportunities of a good education. May the
learning fields be levelled for everyone to reach above and beyond in pursuit of
academic excellence!

I take this opportunity to thank the Ministry of Education Malaysia, the Methodist
Council of Education, the School Christian Support Committee, the School
educationists and their support staff, parents and pupils of the past and present, who
have made our School all that it is today.

I earnestly pray that the Almighty GOD will bless all the good endeavours of this
school. Let WMS Penang (I) continue to produce holistic education and shape the lives
of young men and women by depending on the Almighty GOD.

Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. (Proverbs 16:3)

Bishop Dr. T. Jeyakumar
Chairman
Council of Education
The Methodist Church in Malaysia

CHAIRMAN'S MESSAGE

KWONG CHOONG VAI

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm
you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).

I bring greetings from the Council of Education of the Methodist Church in Malaysia.
I am deeply honoured to contribute a message to the school year-book of 2021.

Methodist Education is a mission of the Church to contribute to nation and community building
and to bear witness for our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. We have a long and rich history of
being a part of the history of education in Malaysia. We are called to be God’s people in this
endeavour. Our Wesley Methodist schools have produced many leaders of all races and faiths in
politics, in business, in churches and in social institutions contributing to the nation and the
world. Wesley Methodist School Penang (International) (WMSPI) is part of this rich tradition. We
pray that by God’s Grace we will continue this mission to be a blessing to the community and
nation.

The academic results of WMSPI in recent years have demonstrated some brilliant results, where
our students did very well in Primary and Secondary school Cambridge examinations, as
reflected in the tables below.

We give thanks to God to celebrate the students who performed with flying colours in the
important subjects – English, Mathematics and Science.

I want to personally thank the School Principals and the teachers who have done amazingly well
with digital delivery of lessons in the challenging circumstances of unpredictable movement
control orders.

The Council of Education commits to invest in all our schools, in three areas:
·Development and training for our teachers and staff to strengthen the delivery of education to
our students and endeavour to meet the high expectations these days.
·Development of the curriculum and more effective teaching methods using a combination of
classroom/ digital delivery and personal development with Christian values and ethos.
·Upgrade our facilities to provide a wholesome and healthy experience to the development of
young minds and hearts.

We welcome Mr Lau Chong Beng who joined us in August this year as our Senior Principal. He
was the former Principal of our Methodist Boys’ School, Penang and he brings much experience
and expertise to WMSPI. We look forward to his leadership to further enhance the quality and
experience of education in our school.

I look forward to the resumption of a new-normal environment where our students will be able
to attend classes and enjoy the company of teachers and fellowship with fellow students. I pray
that that the Good Lord will continue to bless the school and the students who walked the
corridors of WMSPI be truly blessed to achieve their full potential to bless the nation in many
years to come.
The Lord bless you and keep you.
Kwong Choong Vai
Chairman, Board of Management,
Council of Education
The Methodist Church in Malaysia

“FEAR NOT, FOR I AM WITH
YOU; BE NOT DISMAYED, FOR

I AM YOUR GOD. I WILL
STRENGTHEN YOU, YES, I

WILL HELP YOU, I WILL
UPHOLD YOU WITH MY
RIGHTEOUS RIGHT HAND.”

ISAIAH 41:10

BOARD OF
MANAGEMENT'S MESSAGE

TAN CHONG JIN

I would like to congratulate all of you in WMSPI for staying true to the school’s
motto of ‘Above and Beyond’. The present pandemic has been extremely
difficult for everyone. Our school life and lessons have not been spared. However,
WMSPI teachers, staff and students have continued to remain resilient and
determined in carrying out lessons and activities both in-person and online.

As our Board of Management Chairman, Mr Kwong, pointed out in his message
WMSPI students have achieved excellent results in Primary and Secondary
school Cambridge examinations. We give thanks to God for His favour and
blessings for this achievement especially under the difficult conditions of the
pandemic.

The theme of ‘Fan into Flames’ is an apt one for WMSPI. You have shown a lot of
talent, skills and determination in your studies and school activities. God has
given each of us talents and abilities that we can build on through a lifetime of
learning, exploring, and living courageously each day to make our world a better
place. In your present school life, a lot of learning happens in the classroom, class
projects and co-curricular activities. These are important ways in which you fan
the flames of the gifts God has placed in your life. But fanning the flames of your
character and talents also requires good friendships where you encourage and
help one another through good times and bad. And that flame glows brightest
when you allow God to show you how you can use your talents and skills to help
people who are in need or disadvantaged in some way.

As we face more uncertainty in the coming year and beyond, I pray that God will
continue the keep the flame of His gifts bright in your lives as you experience His
love for you. May the blessings and goodness of the Lord be with the Principals,
teachers, staff and students of WMSPI.

Tan Chong Jin,
WMSPI Board Member,
Board of Management
Council of Education
The Methodist Church in Malaysia.

CHAPLAIN'S MESSAGE

REV. RONALD YEP

Dearly beloved Wesleyans, family and friends,

“The Malaysian Movement Control Order began on the 18th March 2020 and the shroud
of Covid19 still hangs over us”. Those were the words that I penned last year July 2020
for the term end message. More than a year has passed, and we still seem to be amidst
the Covid19 Pandemic. Our school and the state have not been spared from infections
and we are all running a long marathon in terms of keeping ahead of the challenges
and obstacles that face us. Some of you may have become weary of online sessions,
unmotivated to strive hard for goals and targets that seem to keep moving. You might
feel increasingly isolated, lonely and helpless in the face of what’s happening in our
nation and in the world. It is easy for despair, fear and anxiety to creep in. It might feel
like the fire of passion for life that used to burn brightly in you seems to be dying out or
you feel aimless, or not your usual self and you see yourself retreating more and more
into your own self. If that happens, you need to remind yourself that you are not

alone and a helping hand is just a call away. In the
same way that a burning coal might would lose its
flame if it is left out of the fire, we need to help each
other and to encourage each other to fan into flame
the gift of God that is placed within us. We each have
been blessed by God with our unique giftings and
talents For the Christian, we believe that the gift of God
to us is also the Spirit of God that abides in us by faith in
God through Jesus Christ. It is a spirit of power, love and
self-discipline.

To fan into flame the gift of God is to supply to it the very breath of life and air that is
needed for it to keep aflame and burn brighter. For the one whose flames are dying, it
would mean recognising our situation and drawing close to others and asking for help
of those around us, rather than isolating ourselves. For the ones whose flames are still
going strong, it would be to encourage and walk alongside others who are flickering
and sharing our light with them till they recover. We all need each other to burn
brighter, and a flame, no matter how strong, will eventually falter and flicker out without
a steady source of energy and fuel. That steadfast source is God who often speaks to us
and encourages each of us through prayer, our friends, and our communities.

May your flame burn brighter as you fan into flame the gift God has placed in you, and
may you experience God’s Spirit of power, love and self-discipline as you trust and
believe in God through these challenging times.

God bless and keep you all,
Rev. Ronald Yap
Chaplain @ Wesley Methodist School Penang International
Pastor @ Wesley Methodist Church Penang

SCSC'S MESSAGE

DANIEL KHOO

Dear WMSPI family,

It is an honour and privilege to be able to serve you in my capacity as Chair of the
SCSC. Together with the core team -- Mr Ch’ng Eng Seong and Mdm Chong
Yung Wey (who are all passionate about education and shaping lives), we look
forward to connecting with you - Students and Staff of WMSPI. We are, as they
say, just a virtual call away, and will appreciate every opportunity to interact with
you.

As we conclude this academic year, let us:

1.Celebrate every blessing and win this year. Beyond going online to keep
“Learning as Usual”, we celebrate your resilience as a Student, Parent,
Educator and Enabler. As a community, you came together, overcame the
odds and demonstrated your agility and perseverance.

1.Take a moment to acknowledge the setbacks we faced, the “could have”’s,
“should not have”’s, and “what if”’s. The experiences we gained will shape our
perspectives and influence our journey ahead in the coming academic year
and the years to come. Let’s not put these experiences to waste as they make
us a better Student, Parent, Educator and Enabler

1.Seek to do what is right. Rededicate ourselves and commit to restore
relationships, rebuild trust, reignite our passion and reorientate ourselves
towards a common goal - to educate and shape lives, to learn and to make
the best out of the years given to us - that we may become men and women
after God’s own heart.

On behalf of the SCSC, congratulations for making it this far. We honour your
achievements and may the name of the Lord be Praised.

Daniel Khoo
Chairperson
School Christian Support Committee
WMSPI

DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE

LIM KAH CHENG

And whoever welcomes in my name one such child as this, welcomes me.
(Matthew 18:5)



Greetings friends,

It in my privilege to have your attention as you begin to read the school year-book.

I just want to start by proclaiming God’s goodness and graciousness over our school,
despite this season of Covid-19. We want to thank God for his protection and special
enabling as we charter through the new norm of hybrid learning where we learn face-
to-face (when we can) and on-line learning when the lockdown compel us to stay at
home. We thank our academic and support staff for raising up to the challenge in
responding expeditiously and continually to ensure teaching and learning is delivered
uninterrupted. We also record our thanks to Parent community and students for
journeying and cooperating with the school in this dynamic environment.

We have the honour of having our 1st cohort who is graduating for the Cambridge
IGCSE examination. To the graduating class: Congratulations on your hard work! As you
move on to the next phase of your life, remember to continue to strive for excellence
with humility. I hope you will remember this value along with the other school values
you have learnt here: God centeredness in all that you do; respect for life demonstrated
in your thoughts, words and deeds; integrity even when no one is seeing.

As the school continue to provide holistic education from Early years to KS 4, we pray
that all our students not only will do well academically but also in character and
spiritual formation. My call for the school is to strive to internalize and institutionalize
our values and motto of “Above and Beyond”.
We welcome Mr Lau Chong Beng who will be joining the school as Senior Principal in
August. We look forward to his leadership and partnership in our students education
and development.

In closing, I am reminded the education of our students in this school is just one part of
the longer and bigger journey they will undergo. After leaving the school, they will
remember and appreciate their experiences here, if they are “welcomed” (Matthew 18:5).
So my prayer is that this school will be a school that will “welcome” its student, in the
time they spend in class, co-curricular, extra-curricular and after school activities.
The Lord bless you and keep you.

Lim Kah Cheng
Private Education Director
Council of Education
The Methodist Church in Malaysia.

PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

TAN LEE WAH

If we had all known what was ahead in 2020/21, we would not have had the courage to
stride out, but thanks to God, we are ending the year victoriously. Looking back, we are
amazed by all the milestones and achievements that point to God’s faithfulness
through the year.

Like other schools, we were not spared by Covid-19 and a few of our students were
infected, but they all pulled through unscathed, and each time this happened, all their
close contacts in the school were tested negative. WMSPI had its first IGCSE exam, and
all 57 Year 11 students took the exam which ran without a glitch in the midst of a
pandemic. When several Year 10 students who were to take the IGCSE Foreign
Language Malay early sitting were identified as close contacts and had to undergo
Covid-19 testing, school and parents had some nail-biting moments worrying if they will
be released in time to take the exam. Thankfully, they were indeed released from
quarantine when their results returned negative. God’s goodness and faithfulness were
as clear as day.

There is much to be grateful for – the camaraderie of teachers, the friendship of our
parents, the support of our support staff, the cooperation of all the other WMS schools,
and the counsel and leadership of MCOE. The lockdowns did not hamper school
completely; classes went on as scheduled, syllabi were covered, both the Mid-Year Exam
and End-Year Exam were held online. Despite the challenges, our students attended
classes and gave their best to learn. When it was no longer possible to meet physically,
we held Report Card Day and the IGCSE Subject Options Day online to allow parents to
meet the subject teachers. Our parents gave their thumbs up for the refreshingly easy,
effective and stress-free experience. Online Weekly Chapel too, were carried out weekly
without a hitch thanks to our dedicated group of chapel speakers, the chapel teams
and the Geek Squad.

I could go on to enumerate the many people we are grateful for but suffice it to say God
has generously supplied us His gifts to enable school to thrive in the midst of the
pandemic. Each and every student, teacher, parent and staff God has placed in WMSPI
is His gift to the school to be cherished and nurtured. Each carries His light and unique
gifting. Let us continue to encourage one another and to fan into flame His gift in us and
amongst us.

As the academic year of 20/21 comes to an end, we bid our Year 11 students goodbye
and we pray that God continue to watch over them, guide them and work in them and
through them to bring to fruition His good plans for them. To our Year 11 graduates, I
give you Matt 6:33 - But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things
will be given to you as well.

We do not know what tomorrow brings, but when God is involved in the equation, we
can all be strong and courageous.

Tan Lee Wah
Principal
WMSPI Secondary

PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

JULIA WOO

Fan the flame! The theme for AY 2020/2021 Yearbook is spot on as we see changes in
tone of circumstances around us across the whole school year. The phrase is taken from
the scripture what Paul wrote to Timothy in 2Timothy chapter 1, verses 6: “For this reason
I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you…..” The verb used is a
metaphor for building up a fire by fanning the special gift of God in Timothy into strong,
unquenchable flames.

During these past months in the academic year, most if not every decision made by
school was in consideration of the safety and continuous learning of the school
community during the unpredictable and unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. The
school kept the Wesley flame burning and demonstrated resilience and fortitude over
the circumstances, challenges and opportunities to continuously bring inspiring stories
which are covered in the pages of this yearbook as the school continues her mission of
“Above and Beyond”. We remain focused and emphasised on resuming the normal
rhythms of teaching and learning to our students for a truly amazing year!

The teachers set themselves to fan the flame as they shepherd the wary students
through virtual learning, social distanced in classrooms, mask wearing mandates, etc. in
striving to deliver meaningful and fulfilling lessons. The students glow with more flames
that are magnificent by their involvement in various competitions, festivals celebrations,
activities and events. They have reflected good sportsmanship, international
mindedness, competent skills acquisition and good moral character, the mark of a
Wesleyan.

Parents’ support and contribution too, fuel the school to step up in a rampant
exuberance of flame towards another great year. We are thankful for working in
partnership with the school in many areas.

Let’s keep the WMSPI flames burning brightly!

Julia Woo
Principal
WMSPI Primary

PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

JANICE KHOR

Covid has come. I wish I could say it has gone. But it hasn’t. And it looks like it is
staying for a while. One of the things in life that we must teach our children is
that there is nothing permanent in life except change and so there is a real need
to adapt. The previous Academic Year saw us first adapting Class Room teaching
to Zoom. This academic year saw a greater adaptation of the Zoom into Exams,
sporting activities and parties. Plans are also afoot to have a Zoom Drive Through
Hybrid Graduation, the first of its kind probably for Pre-schoolers. For now, it’s all
systems go. We’re just waiting for the green light from the State Education
Department. And our kids will Zoom in online to start the ceremony and zoom
by the school to collect their Graduation Certificates. All in a matter of hours!

Everything we do, we could not do it successfully without the cooperation of
parents and caregivers. Our Assessment Tests were also done remotely and
parents dutifully acted as impartial invigilators, all with full video surveillance! I
really need to appreciate the patience and cooperation of all you parents. Really,
we couldn’t have had the success we had without you.

To our graduating students, we wish you a smooth integration into Primary Year
1. To all the rest of our returning Early Years students, lets push new borders of
possibility. Together, we can. Covid can do all it can from social distancing to
keeping us housebound but love will keep us together. Somehow. God is love.
And we put all our trust in Him. His Blessings to you and yours!

Janice Khor
Principal
WMSPI Early Years