It feels strange that not only have classes moved online, but school competitions have also gone virtual.
And while the atmosphere of live events isn’t going to return anytime soon, what remains the same is the sweet taste of victory!
Sekolah Kebangsaan Subang Jaya made history last Friday (November 27th), as it took home the top prize for the Education Ministry’s (MOE) national-level Poetry Recitation competition (primary school category) for a third consecutive year and fourth title overall, this time through Standard Six student Dhaanniya Mary Andrew.
She beat 15 other contestants with her recitation of the poem Be Like the Bees, written by her coach, Sharmila Ramachandran.
In the poem, Dhaanniya plays the character of the bee, telling humans to actually be like the bees, to work together towards one common goal, as well as be diligent and focused.
The poem also encourages humans to be selfless and always willing to help others, just as bees help humans to create crops through pollination.
Sharmila told us she was inspired to write this poem when she read an article on bees and why they’re considered the most important living beings on the planet.
“What’s important to note from this poem is that man and nature must exist together in harmony. When writing a poem, I think of what others would probably write about, and I choose to go a different direction but still in the context of the theme,” she said.
This year’s competition was part of the MOE’s Karnival Perpaduan Bahasa Inggeris 2020, with the theme of “One for All, All for One”.
But due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all entries were judged from video submissions or live performances via Google Meet.
“Preparing for school competitions is a triangle relationship between student, teacher/trainer and parent. All three must be willing to embrace sacrifice, which sits in the middle of this triangle,” Sharmila added.
Sharmila also pointed out that while she misses face-to-face competitions, she’s glad that MOE has found a way to keep the scene alive virtually, and thanked Jabatan Pendidikan Selangor (JPS) for all their support with this win.
by Kyle Roshen Jacob
