Diakonia 2025 Volume 1
Marks Kindergarten
Ms. Sung Sim Gek (geksung@gmail.com)
In November 1975, the Oversight requested Mr. Roger Dahlberg to help set up the kindergarten. A creatively planned playground, a Disneyland wall mural, and animated alphabet paintings by our talented young brother Teoh Teik Boo and his team certainly marked our Kindergarten as one of the most attractive Kindergartens in Taiping.
A team led by Ms. Foong Mee Lian went to Kuala Lumpur, and with the help of Bro Ng Tieh Chuan of KL, they began shopping for children’s books and all the essentials that were required to set up the kindergarten. “As busy as a bee” was Ms. Foong’s description for this organizing team. Brother Tieh Chuan came up with the bright idea of using the ‘Bee’ image as the school logo with the motto ‘Ever Bright At Work And Play’ which is still known today.
MARK this Man (Mr. Harry Freeman Marks the longest-serving Missionary in Taiping 1900-1952)
(From: The REMINISCENCES TAIPING GOSPEL HALL 1880 – 1980 – Chapter 2 )
Named after Mr. H. F. Marks, in December 1976, the Kindergarten was granted approval for registration under the name MARKS KINDERGARTEN. A dedication service was held for Marks Kindergarten on the 2nd January 1977. The kindergarten started operations on 3rd January 1977 with 30 children. With the help from Mr. Roger Dahlberg, Ms. Foong Mee Lian as the 1st Principal, Ms. Sung Sim Lian as the teacher and together with a helper and a gardener, they formed the dedicated team that spearheaded Marks Kindergarten in the Year 1977
team that spearheaded Marks Kindergarten in the Year 1977.
Over the years, the enrollment had doubled from 30 to 60 and the Lord kept on adding. More staff were added to the kindergarten. Praise the Lord for meeting all the expenses. After 10 years of her dedication to nurturing Marks Kindergarten to its full maturity and with the Lord’s blessings, Ms. Foong retired in December 1987. In the yYear 1988, Mr. Ooi Hoay Yam, an Elder of Taiping Gospel Hall and a retired Headmaster of King Edward Primary School took over from Ms. Foong Mee Lian. The kindergarten grew with an overwhelming number of 12 classes and 300 children in its enrollment. Facing all challenges and trusting in God’s power in the midst of difficult circumstances arising from both the kindergarten and the church, Mr. Ooi, held on to the school’s principles and built up the kindergarten again for a few more years. He had to give up his post at the end of 1997 to seek medical treatment.
In the Year 1998, Mr. Daniel Jevaraj, the Chairman of Marks Kindergarten, came to manage the administrative work of the kindergarten.
In 2000, Ms. Chee Cheng See, became the Acting Principal of Marks Kindergarten. Despite the drop in enrollment, Marks Kindergarten managed to sail on in a stormy sea and reach out with the gospel to the children through Chapel Class, channeling them to Sunday School.
Upon Ms. Chee’s resignation at the end of 2002, Ms. Sung Sim Gek took the position as the next principal.
Moving onward from 2003 with the Lord’s leading and with much prayer for Marks Kindergarten, some new changes were made with more outdoor activities organized. A class for 4 years old and a Mandarin lesson class for 6 years old (optional) were introduced for the school. The Chapel Class was still in progress with help from GLO students for their practical training in the Children’s Ministry syllabus, handling over 80 children aged 5 & 6 years old. Between 2004 – 2017, these were exciting years for Marks Kindergarten, with more outdoor activities.
For Year 2018 and 2019 were crucial years for Marks Kindergarten. A sudden drop in enrollment occurred with 2 teachers’ immediate resignation. Not knowing what plans the Lord had for us in this situation, we trusted in the Lord’s will and moved on with only 2 classes in session.
Year 2020 when Covid-19 pandemic set into the country, followed by MCO and lockdowns in schools, we then realized that from 2018 to 2020 with a time frame of 3 years, the Lord was preparing the school to face the calamity which took a turn of all events. After the pandemic period, when schools reopened, there were many changes in the education system. Government primary schools and government departments now have their own kindergartens and play schools, which greatly affected the enrollment of children in the private sector, and Marks Kindergarten was also not spared.
Isaiah 55: 8-9
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord,
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher that your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
We wait upon the Lord, trusting in His plan for a new direction with new dimensions here in this beautiful compound of Taiping Gospel Hall which He has provided for us.
