PAST NOTES_SKCE (1955-2022) By Cikgu Yeo Chow Boong

Past notes

SK Catholic English(M) Kuching
(Catholic English Primary School- SRB

Catholic English) AS227/ YCB1206
1955 - 2022

Then and now



Foreword

• As the custodian of this school for about 14 plus years, I
took an interest in its past while trying to relate the school
continued existence and contribution to the society.

• None the less, absent of records etcetera were of no
deterrent. Making do of whatever files, sheave of papers
and old dusty document plus old photographs helped in the
task.

• In reflection I can see a neglect in interest in knowing the
past much less in finding out the what the school means to
the students who were educated here and the staff who
served here.

• Yet this effort is not exhaustive and others may in the future
strive to improve it.

The task ahead

• When I stepped into this school to report to duty on the 2.1.2008 , I did
wondered how can this school operate behind another school and on a same
piece of land? Beside that having to share the canteen, the small piece of field
plus the basketball court. And used to share the toilets too.

• And this has already happened for 57 years since the school was founded in
1955. Beside trying to do run the school together with the staff I quickly find
out the uniqueness of this school.

• Though it is small, secluded and apparently having not much in facilities except
for the basic it has been functioning sufficiently well; tasking to provide the
basic education for a wide spectrum of children who walked through its gate.

• My task was compounded by the lack of materials, asking for old files etc I was
told a very honest reply, “ fail lama sudah dimakan oleh anai-anai(old files has
already been eaten and destroyed by termites)

Report on SRB catholic English, jalan green ,
93150 Kuching as of 15th may 1997(source/
written by Mr Andrew Lam Kek Joo , GB from
1.8.1994- June 1999)

School History- 2005 Fund
raising dinner souvenir book

Past jottings on the school background-
source: fund raising dinner souvenir
book 2007( BM version)

LPS Fund raising dinner souvenir
book 2005 & 2007 ( Mr Paul Loi, GB )

History in school magazine
obedience 2009- PIBG sponsored
(YCB 2009)

Updated version of the school history
and foundation- souvenir programme 60th

anniversary 2.5.2015 – GB YCB

Background and source of the
2015 version:

• 1. Quoting an old school report dated 1973 during the tenure of
Sis Eulalia Bong.(1971-1981) The then Education Director
requested written history of schools under its supervision and
also for record at the Education Department.

• 2. The typed report is attributed to Father Harry van Erp which
states the founder of the school was The Right Reverend
Monsignor John Vos, the then Vicar Apostolic of Kuching.

• 3. However was it not clear yet is when the school was moved to
the present site whether it was in 1954 or 1957 from its former
location at the site of the WI (next to the present Wisma
Saberkas).

Continuation of effort to update the
history and background of the school-
2021-2022

• 1. Have written a letter to His Grace the Archbishop of
Kuching, Dr Simon Poh.

• 2. Requested the access of the library cum resource
centre at the ACCPC.

• 3. Was in contact the the person in charge as arranged
by His Grace.

• 4. But unfortunately so far no new material have been
located.

School heads
(headmasters/headmistress/ GB)from
1955 until 2022

• There are nine names in the files and record.

• A brief and photo of the person concerned will be
recorded here as far as information available.

Old photo found in album circa
1950’s – Rev sister Catherine
(1955- 1962)

Old photo from album – after
1st holy communion - Rev.

Mother Celestine (1963-1970)

Priests visit & fellowship after first
holy communion. Circa 1960’s

Rev sister Eulalia Josephine
Bong ( SKCE 1971-1981)

• 1. Nationality; Malaysian
• 2. Personal File: S.7675
• 2.1 Qualification: Sarawak Junior
• 3. Training: BLTC 1968-1969
• 4. Date of appointment as trained teacher: 1st January

1970.
• 5. Appointment as Guru Besar in SKCE : 1st January 1973

3rd headmistress- Rev. Sister Eulalia
Bong(1971-1981)- abstract from
Todays Catholic of 2015)

4th GB Michael Jackson Ranyed Anak
Ridos (1982- 1990). File no : S.2332

5. Mdm Rose Chang Mui Joon (S.10639)
Acting gb 17.9.1990 until 31.7.1994.
Temporary teacher in skce since
1.1.1978

6. Mr Andrew Lam Kek Joo
(GB SKCE 1.8.1994 until June 1999)

• 1. Senior Assistant SMK Lake Bau
• 2. Lecturer Rajang Teachers College (RTC)
• 3. Afternoon Supervisor SMK Bandar Kuching
• 4. Penolong Kanan 1 SRB St Teresa Kuching.
• 5. GB of SRB Catholic English Kuching from 1.8.1994.
• 6. Wrote a comprehensive school report dated

15.5.1997.

Mr Andrew Lam Kek Joo (GB of SKCE until
retirement 8.6. 1999) . Mdm Rose Chang
acting Gb until 6.10.1999.
SKCE was supposed to close down.

7. Mr Jos Tommy@ Joseph Juah
(GB - 6 OCt 1999 until 23 OCtober
2002) Transfer to Unit Peperiksaan,
JPN. Retired on 16.12.2018

8. Mr Paul Loi Lik Sing(DOB
15.12.1951) Originally from @Binatang)
Bintang /Bintangor

8. Mr Paul Loi (GB SKCE from
23.10.2002 until 15.12.2007) retired.

• 1. Trained at Rajang Teachers College (RTC)
• 2.Teacher at SMK Binatang ( 1973-1975)
• 3. Lecturer at RTC from 1.1.1976
• 4. Senior Lecturer C1 Special Grade from 1.7.1979
• 5. Attended the Teaching of English as a Foreign Language

Course in Edinburgh , Scotland 1977-1978 under British
Council sponsorship.
• 6. Pegawai di Unit Kemudahan, Jabatan Pendidikan Negeri
Sarawak until appointment as GB SKCE.
• 7. Sarawak swimmer and tennis player & coach.

9. Cikgu Yeo (16.12.2007* until 27.5.2022)
* date of appointment letter/ the only GB
without a Christian name in used officially.

• Came to the school on the 31.12.2007 privately.

• The first teacher that he met was Cikgu Hilda who was doing her buku
teks SPBT on loan in the Year 4 classroom with the lady guard Nor.

• Came again on the 2.1.2008 to officially report for duty, Missed the main
door and enter through the back door. Met Cikgu Joe Minus., the PK1. He
said, “ welcome cikgu and please stay longer”)

• He remembered it was the PPM Fatimah Yusof who typed his surat
pengesahan lapor diri form. Flora was around but busy and Lepot was
still on leave.

• Was present on the 1st day of schooling 4.1.2008 , entered Year One of
2008. That class was the class he taught the longest since Year 3 until
they graduated in 2013.

Serve to the best of your abilities;
seek not the glory.

• 1. Was not really surprised with the condition of the school
and the facilities in 2008.

• 2. Past schoolheads and board of management had tried
their best; to raise fund periodically in order to upkeep and
upgrade the school facilities. Never blame others for the
past.

• 3. Got to work with everyone involved especially the board
of management; the church authority (AEC) and also the
PIBG, parents and the school community. Looking for fund.

• 4. Needed to do short term and long term planning and then
the implementation part.

• 5. How ever, any plan is only as good as its execution.

SKCE in the 1980’s

SKCE in the 1980s

SKCE in the 1990s

SKCE in 1993

SKCE in 2008

The register books
– invaluable records

Front cover of the first admission
register used from 1955 until 1967

2nd admission register book
used from 1969 until 1983

3rd admission register book-
used from 1983 until 1997

Oldest school logo found in the
1st admission register – circa

1955.

Various school logo ( the
fifth is still in used in 2022)

Obedience – dutiful to study and to duty
(Obey and you will be blessed ,
Deu 11:26-28)

Cikgu Agnes Yip leading prayer
with students in the 1990s

Prayer with students
recent time.



Former students of SKCE

• Dato Anthony Macpherson @
Firdauz bin Bujang

• Group CEO & Executive
Director Petra Energy

• Date admission; 10.1.1966
• DOB: 20.8.1959 (Kpg Gita)
• Admission Register No.1 ; no

708

Former student of SKCE

• Most Rev. Richard Ng
• Catholic Bishop of Miri
• Date of admission :2.1.1973
• DOB 20.6.1966 Kuching
• Address: No66 Green Rd,
• Father : Joseph Ng
• Admission Register No2 ; No 1083

Bishop Richard

Certificates marking SK (or rather SRB)
Catholic English’s participation in sports
activities during the early 1970’s

From old school’s record concerning his
eminence Cardinal rossi’s visit to Kuching on
8th July 1981 and the welcoming at the st
Joseph Cathedral.
(Letter and the positioning chart)

Old record showing bro Columba of st Joseph
school writing a memo to MR Michael Jackson,
GB of SKCE. Also the enrolment of 1980’s : 300
students which is slightly more than now (290)

Post script- emptied classrooms during
the height of the C19 pandemic –

March - Nov 2021.