GEORGE TOWN: THE oldest Malay school in the country, SK Sungai Gelugor, and four international schools from the Klang Valley signed a memorandum of understanding at the school in Batu Uban to promote sports, especially hockey recently.
The MoU was signed in relation to the Academic and Hockey Friendly Intergration Programme between the schools.
The four international schools are Alice Smith International School, Garden International School, Mont Kiara International School and the International School of Kuala Lumpur.
The programme was with the co-operation of the Prodigy Hockey Academy, Kuala Lumpur.
The visitors comprised 15 children, 15 parents in a support group and four teachers.
The MoU was signed by SK Sungai Gelugor’s headmistress Rohani Ali and Prodigy Hockey Academy chief executive officer I. Vickneswaran and witnessed by the school’s Parent-Teacher Association chairman Abdul Fatah Mohd Fatah and visitor’s representative Yacqves Hartman.
The pupils and teachers of the four international schools made their maiden trip up north to Penang where they had fun playing hockey at the Penang Free School, high tea at SK Sungai Gelugor and a tour of the island.
The children also had their fair share of fun trying out Penang’s hawker food and a round of shopping.
Hartman said it was awesome to watch the children mix freely with the local children even though they had just met a couple of hours earlier.
He said even though there was a communication gap, hockey and play brought them together.
Rohani said the visit was the first and she hoped that the relationship, with the signing of the MoU, would continue for a long time.
“This programme is to foster good relationship and understanding which should be developed further.
“It should also include academic, cultural and tradition exchange,” she said before the MoU signing.
Fatah said the PTA would give its full support for the programme and also contribute to the development of hockey.