Baram Tales : Hua Nam Primary School, Poyut

The Hua Nam Primary school was established in 1935 by a group of Foochow pioneers who arrived in Poyut in 1920. Through sheer diligence and entrepreneurship, the few Foochow pioneers successful carved out a new and promising agricultural settlement. The pioneer Hii Nguong Shern was instrumental in obtaining the Rajah's support and thus land grants and cash advancement for the



initial setting up of the settlement.
Hua Nam Primary school was founded by the following :

1. Hii Nguong Shern
2. Ling Toh Liong
3. Tiong chew Ung
4. Ling Su  Ping
5. Deng Wan Chou
6. Chuo siew Ngan
7. Huong Ing Jing
8. Huong Cheng Wan
9. Ung Leh King
10. Huang Tiong Siew
11. Hii Toh Chai
12. Huang Teck Sik
(Foochow Pinyin, if the spelling is inaccurate please help me to correct, TQ)





At the beginning there were only 20 odd pupils but by 1947  the board of management decided to build two more blocks of wooden classrooms. However the wooden structures did not last very long in the humid climate and plans were afoot to reconstruct. In 1969  under the headship of Ha Ching Tung, and help of Penghulu Hii Tze Toh,  and other helpful community leaders, a six class room concrete block was put up.

Sadly with the declining prices of rubber, the changes in the social environment, improvement of roads, the school faced a decline in student population in the 80's and 90's.

However, the school is trying its best to increase its population. 
The above photo shows two ex Nam Hua students, one of them Lau Vun Ngee (ex Tanjong Lobang student) in front of the school gates.


The latest news have revealed that two vans have been purchased to help bring more students to the school.







The above photo shows Law Vun Ngee with the oldest student from Hua Nam.