Why destroy a 122-year-old educational legacy?

The Convent Bukit Nanas (CBN) all-girls school, which clocked 122 years of existence, is now being forced to go to court to save one of the country’s oldest school.

What has come of this nation’s penchant and obsession for new and commercial developments?

Do we not value history? Is there no more obligation towards thriving on proven legacies? Do we not respect and cherish legendary institutions like CBN that is iconic and has continued to play formative roles in educating Malaysians?

We are talking about a school that successfully produced many of our country’s women leaders and professionals who went to walk the talk in their respective callings, bearing testimony to the values instilled in them by this convent.

We can preserve pre-war commercial blocks at huge costs and turn them into thriving eateries and businesses but we do not seem to be able to stop greedy developers from land grabs that can bulldoze the pride and glory of institutions of learning. Why?

To even let the school that was built in 1899 be forced into taking the painful, arduous route to seek justice through the courts raises numerous ethical and value-centric questions.

Where is our conscience? And we cannot blame concerned citizens from even asking, is there a hidden agenda at work?

The esteemed Society of Saint Maur that governs the well-known convent definitely does not deserve such punishment.

The various Lady Superiors who served without salary or material gains nor vested earthly interest for more than a century, providing effective leadership, definitely should be revered, encouraged and given all the support to continue leading this established hallway of learning.

Any amount of justification veiled behind claims of development and progress or a seeming claim of wanting to cater to the well-being of Kuala Lumpur’s population cannot hide our lack of integrity as well as the grossly misplaced foresight.

Why destroy a school nestled in an enclave of greenery, rolling hills punctuated with two other legendary schools, a cathedral and the seat of the Catholic Church?

Are we so blinded that we cannot see and acknowledge the glorious perspective of the segment of Bukit Nanas?

And once you buldozz the convent what is stopping the demolition of the other two schools under the claims of progress and development?

In a climate where we face numerous challenges with our education why can the authorities not learn to treasure the great achievements of this precious CBN convent and let it continue its contribution to nation building?

To forcefully subject the school to ultimately challenge the government’s decision not to renew the school’s land lease, which is due to expire on Sept 6 will be yet another major dent on the country’s reputation.

J. D. Lovrenciear

Kuala Lumpur