21st century Catholic education in Malaysia

May 05, 2023

PENANG: There’s a new school in town … and it’s Catholic!

ENTER TO LEARN, LEAVE TO SERVE… so beckons the education brief engraved on the façade of the newly opened Stonyhurst International School, Penang. According to the school leadership team, this carved-in-stone statement sums up Stonyhurst’s philosophy of Catholic education. The prospectus proffers that this co-educational day and boarding school, nestled in lush greenery, is open to pupils aged 3-18 years from all religious denominations and secular belief systems. The school’s overarching principle comes framed in its French motto, Quant Je Puis (meaning ‘As much as I can’) and underpins every in-and-out-of-class activity. Briefly put, the school is impressive with its avant-garde facilities, qualified staff (one third are Christians, no data as yet on Christian pupils), and a curriculum that promotes global education (think UNESCO) … and yes! Bahasa Malaysia is a mandatory subject at all levels. Catechism? These will be “dovetailed with the classes in the parishes,” according to the school. Meanwhile, Michael Sng, Chair of the Board of Governors (and a founding and three-term serving member of the board of governors, St Joseph’s Institution International, Singapore), says the school chapel is under construction.

Back-story
Its parent school – Stonyhurst, United Kingdom – founded upon Jesuit values, started in 1593. Presently, Stonyhurst College UK is one of Britain’s leading Catholic boarding schools. Marked by 427 years of history, Stonyhurst Penang – which opened its doors in September 2022 – is the only ‘offspring’ outside of UK. The school professes to be “… the only truly values-based international school in Penang …” that seeks to develop in every pupil the Jesuit Pupil Profile (JPP) with virtues rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the spirit of St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) who developed a pathway to God and to human fulfilment. These virtues appear in the form of a wordwall in the core areas of the school to serve as a constant reminder of their JPP:

Looking at this cluster, I was reminded of St Thomas Aquinas who points out that acquiring virtues is necessary for a life of continuous growth and progress. The founding principal, Justin Durling, in his message states that both Stonyhurst UK and Penang share “…the same ethos and commitment to offering pupils a high-quality values-based education that allows them to grow intellectually, spiritually, and emotionally.” Its focus is on developing “men and women for others” envisioned “to lead a life of purpose driven by conscience, competence, compassion, and commitment.”

Penang Bishop Rt Rev Sebastian Francis, is both proud and hopeful of the school being “an example of how Catholic education can develop, with its characteristic Jesuit charism marked by 400+ years of tradition, as an institution of learning, and paying-it-forward to society.” The school is set to integrate Ignatian values and principles through four pillars: JPP, Cura Personalis, Men and Women for Others, and Magis.