JOHOR BARU: CHILDREN and staff of Hilltop School had a week of activities to mark the recent Merdeka Week.
Children aged between 2 and 6 were divided into three teams. They had chosen their own team names and were prepared to take part in the week-long programme designed to develop team spirit, unity and leadership skills.
The pupils made up their own team cheer and worked on various activities to foster a better understanding of everything Malaysian.
Teachers guided the children to create their team banners, dress their mascots and make accessories for each team member to wear on Games Day.
In the next few days, members of The Durian Kings, The Mangosteens and The Hot, Hot Hibiscus were also engaged in creating an art installation from recycled materials that reflected their identity.
As all the activities were organised by the school, it gave the children an opportunity to take part and take pride in their achievements.
The enthusiasm of both children and staff was evident on Games Day as everyone gathered in the field and the team cheers were heard loudly before the competition began.
A series of fun team games was arranged for the various age groups like the sack race, dribbling the ball, feeding the monkey and dragging their friends on the daun upih, a traditional game in the village.
“We wanted our modern children to experience the fun of a traditional game that kampung children used to enjoy with the use of a dried palm leaf,” said headmistress Jennifer Ho, who believed that apart from providing a curriculum for a well-balanced development, the children should also be educated to value the cultures and traditions.
To complete the week-long Merdeka celebrations, a Cultural Day was organised for parents and their children to attend dressed in their various cultural costumes.
The school prepared to welcome visitors by decorating three areas in the school as the Malay Village, Little India and China Town.
Hilltop’s Cultural Day kicked off with a flag-raising ceremony and singing of the national anthem followed by a fun-filled race for parents.
Before the games, they had to put on colourful sarongs and traditional Malay Tanjak headgear.
The children cheered with great enthusiasm, thrilled to watch their parents being challenged to peel garlic and onions before pounding them using a mortar and pestle.
In another challenge, the parents raced to peel potatoes but had to keep the skin in a neat spiral.
The parents and children then set out to discover more about each culture in the areas that were decorated as the Malay Village, Little India and China Town.
The main objective of Cultural Day was to encourage parents and children to be better acquainted with other cultures through hands-on activities.
While the non-Malaysians in the school discovered new things, Malaysian children were reintroduced to what was typical and familiar in the Malay, Chinese and Indian cultures here.
In the Malay kampung, parents and children had a taste of Malay food and learnt to play the congkak, weave ketupat cases and make bunga rampai.
Over in Little India, they tried their hand at henna painting, learnt to tie the elegant sari and make intricate kolam designs apart from having a taste of freshly made chapatti and tosai.
In China Town, children had fun trying to write Chinese calligraphy, learnt to make glutinous rice balls, discovered the art of Chinese tea making and even learnt more about their Chinese horoscopes.
“By setting up these kinds of activities and encouraging everyone to learn more about each other, we can establish greater understanding and awareness,” said Ho, who was pleased with how much the parents and children enjoyed the Merdeka Week celebration.
“We can learn from the greatest teachers of all — our children.”
Established in 1940, Hilltop Private School is at 4 Jalan Hassan Alatas, Johor Baru.
For enquiries, call 07-223 2712 or email hilltop.srj25@gmail.com