The Hunger Games

I've been drawn into the Hunger Games trilogy...by my daughter Aina. It was .. really really amazing! It didn't look interesting at first but as Aina enticed me into reading it, I had built an expectation. And it didn't let me down. I got drawn into the 2nd book, which I think I finished in a day! And now, can't wait for the Mocking Jay which will come out in the USA and Canada and must be the UK -- on Aina's birthday, Aug 24th. Are they gonna have a pre-order thing in Malaysia too?

Year 1 - 2011

A new islamic integrasi school was built and has started operation since Jun last year. It was very near to our house, less than 5 minutes drive with smooth crossing over the going to be busy street going out of our housing area. As usual, to enter any Islamic Integrasi school, there'll be entrance exam. We had registered Alif who was born in 2004 for that school and now, he has to take and pass the entrance exam, scheduled on 29 May at 0830hrs.

29 May -- 0800hrs
We, Alif and I, arrived to the school. The letter said, to be there by 8am. And the letter said, there won't be any further notice, we're just to go to the school as stated on the exam card (that was given once you registered). So, I parked in front of the school compound, outside the gate. There were 2 cars already there. There's like no life at all inside the school compound. Didn't look like there's anything going on. Hmm... wait awhile.. Aa... there' s someone coming out from the school compound just as I alighted from the car. He asked what's going on.. and there's more cars coming. By then, there's at least 5 cars in front of the school. I told him about the exam. Then he mentioned that as far he knows, it has been postponed. He's just a canteen guy, went to the school to pick up his catering stuffs. Good thing that he got the sense to straight away contact the headmistress who told him that it is postponed to Jun 19 and that JAIS had already sent letters to inform the new date. She didn't sound friendly at all from the one-sided conversation that I heard -- "suruh diaorang balik". Well, of course, we have to go back , but that kind of tone, I don't like it at all. Maybe it's just the catering guy punya words, I shouldn't judge her from another person's mouth.
Anyway, I left. And I guess the others left as well.

1 June
I finally remember to bring the registration letter to office to enable me to make the call to JAIS to confirm. And to give my peace of mind since I didn't get the letter. But guess what, the number given in the letter - "Penyelia Integrasi" with office phone number turns out to be bogus number. The operator announced "telah ditamatkan perkhidmatan". Cannot be... I dialed again, same reply. Then I called the number given for the school. Both are handphone numbers. The first number brought me straight to voice message. The second number was answered by a lady, who turned out to be the headmistress herself.

So, I asked to confirm that the exam was indeed postponed and to confirm on the new date. I told her I went to the school last Saturday only to find out that there's no exam.
Her answers was -- (in Malay) - "We had send letter to all about the new date".
Well, I said, I didn't get the letter.
Then she said, "Was the address you give correct or not? We had sent to all 250 candidates already". Her tone was like annoyed, irritated. She then gave the school number and telling that this the the Gurubesar's number.
Like I shouldn't be calling the Gurubesar ke?
So then, I was, short of being a little bit rude, which later I mildly regret it (actually, kind of not) ... I said, "Puan Gurubesar, saya TIDAK terima surat, sebab tu saya pergi sekolah last Saturday. Of course, saya bagi alamat betul. Sekarang nak confirm je, tarikh baru."

Oh well... when the letter send was not received, was it always the fault of the person who give the address? There's many reason it could get lost on the way and if the address was written wrongly, it could also be the person who re-wrote the address on the envelope make a mistake. I had instances where my neighbor's letter down the road had gotten into my mailbox.

She could have just apologize first that the postponement caused this trouble to the parents, and give confirm the new date, instead of first trying to put the blame back on the parent! In the first place, she should have expected that some letters may get lost, arrived late and so many other possibilities that the intendees may not received it - then, the school could have taken the initiatives to put a notice on the gate to inform the change of plan. But no, nothing of that happen. I was already biased on my perception of the school when I visited it last year for Ahmad to transfer there. With this, it added on to the not-so-good perception. But because it was so near, and so convenient to send Alif there, I'll give it another chance la.....maybe it'll improve ...hmm...

Kids and Asrama

I used to have this need to get away from home and getting into boarding school was a way ...years ago, once upon a time. I didn't get to go one, though I tried. When I was 12, on my own, I went to the Pejabat Pendidikan Daerah (District Office for Education?) to appeal so that I can get into one. My Penilaian Darjah 5 (Standard 5 Assessment) results was not excellent, but good enough, I think. But they wanted my Dad to do it and my Dad won't. He told me that an appeal is not appropriate, you got to get in on your own merit. I worked hard for SRP and gotten excellent results, but still no offer. It was the time when priority was given to rural kids. Anyway, I got into TI Penang which has boarding facilities and after going through such experience decided now, that for my kids, 13 is still too young for boarding school - not if I can help it. Azlin agreed with me, even so since he went to RMC at 13 and experienced the full scope of it.

Anyway, that was our hope. It clashes with what we had decided for our children, though. We wanted them to stay in religious stream, and its what they wanted too but choices are limited. Aina had to stay at full boarding school. Since she wanted to study Al-Quran, there's no other choice. Anis on the other hand, worked hard for her UPSR so that she can stay at home! She saw what big sis missed, and she decided that home is better. She aimed for SAMTAJ at Sect 11 Shah Alam. But with JAIS restructuring the school allocation, she was offered Hisamuddin, Klang. It is still near to our house, but totally out of the way. Transport is an issue. Since the school ends at 2:30pm, neither of us can pick her up on time. We applied for the dorm just in case. And she got the offer. Just when her friend's mom who stayed at Bukit Jelutong offered ride home, she decided to try out the dorm.

Anis - registration day

So, that was that. Initially she was adapting well. Food was good, according to her. But it was really really busy. Said she didn't have much free time. After 1st exam, she started complaining. Didn't have enough time to study, too much activities and then come the food was bad, room was hot, etc. etc.. The caterer keep on serving fish and sometimes the fish was bad. No more her favourite soy sauce - kicap habhal. Other word - she's not happy there. It's May and we had to start looking at options again.

SAMTAJ was the first option - it's about the same distance but at least it is in the same area - Shah Alam, so, looking for transport would be less challenging. Unfortunately, when I visited the HEM Teacher, she can't accept anymore transfer students. The classes there are too full and advised me to try again year end by going straight to JAIS. Whatever. Azlin told me to try using the best student things to get her accepted, sure the school wants to get best student in. But that was different. That was primary school. She hasn't proven much in her current secondary school.

Since, SAMTAJ is out, at least for this year, we started looking for other options. Azlin asked me to pick her up early on Friday she got to spend the weekend at home. Go and ask every single bus or van waiting for students there, if any would be willing to send her back home. Fat chance! Not a good option since the school ends early on Friday and that'll mean I have to miss my Quran lessons.... actually, I don't think I am up to that task. More because of circumstances which I do not want to delve here.

We asked Anis to do her homework also - in looking for potential transport home since she wouldn't want to consider going back with her classmate from Bukit Jelutong. Sending her to school can still be worked out, just a little time sacrifice. Finally, she gotten me the contact of another friend who also stays within our home's vicinity and I had made contact. Alhamdulillah, it looks positive. I'm sure Anis will call me back the next day for reports. She was really looking forward to moving out from her dorm. That means, this coming Friday, I had to do the admins and physical work to move her out officially from her dorm.

I am so looking forward to have my daughter back home again:) For the company and also.. ehem...to help me out in the kitchen. At least when my helper goes back to her country for her long holiday, there'll be someone who I can depend on to look after the boys.

(ps: Pix above - Anis with her Tokoh Murid trophy which we got to keep for a whole month before returning it back)