School Concerts

 We had many school concerts, like Teachers' Day Concerts, English Drama Festival Concerts, Annual School Concerts, etc.

In order to get as many items to be performed, it was our school practice that each class was invited to contribute an item and our school Principal Mr. Lau Tien Sing would short list them. Naturally some classes were disappointed when not selected. Hence from the beginning at Form One, some classes did not even think about taking part because it was an expensive venture and investment since all students had to pay for their own costumes and take time to practice. They also might have to call for extra help.

Thus the onus fell on those classes with rich students who could afford every thing, including transportation to the school for extra practice.

I have here an example of how my class item was selected. My class was fortunate as we had lovely girls who could do the Filipino Dance, and we managed to borrow the costumes from our Filipino teachers. Budget solved! The boys only had to get the bamboos.

This was a memorable concert item.

Many years down the road when I became a teacher I realised how expensive it was to enter an item for a concert!!

A dance teacher had to be engaged at a fee of RM1000 just to choreograph the dance. Costumes were expensive as each cost around RM100 or more. My daughter took part in one dance item, and I helped pay for the costumes.

Some schools even asked for sponsorship from big corporations. If the schools had good Principals like Mr. Lau Tieng Sing, and Brother Albinus (both of them RIP), the funds could be easily raised. But poorer rural schools would have found it most difficult to organize anything big.

The Parent Teachers Association have to play a big role in organizing concerts and other fun activities. It would again be the issue of funding. And again if it was to organize a concert to raise funds for the school it would really be a good effort .

Overall, students have a boost in confidence and ego if they participate in school concerts. It would be memorable for them for the rest of their life.

Hence from Kindergarten teachers would like to organize some kind of concert for the kids under their care. But they do have to consider their budgets and the time they have in hand.

Would you approve of concerts in schools?