Sergeant Majors for the Future of Sabah!

      This week at my base school it has been sports every morning from 7- 10 a.m. We all gather on the playing field and the teachers this week have been wearing tracksuits instead of the traditional Baju kurung which is compulsory for all female teachers. This morning the whole school, including the pre-school and the Special Needs Unit started with some tai chi , then aerobics and after some traditional dancing which again seems to have something to do with birds! Afterwards the children were organised into various sports or activities until 10 am. It reminded me what fun Sport’s Days are and how much I missed them in France. This however is only the training and the actual Sports Day is on 1st and 2nd November and then the school are taking 2 days off to recover. Can you do that during term time I asked innocently? Yes every school is allowed to have 4 extra days off a year to suit their timetable.

      The drilling is what amazes me though. Everywhere you go around the school there are little platoons marching around with a very severe sergeant major from the same class, shouting orders that they all seem to obey! There is going to be a contest between classes and the children who can’t keep in time are given private coaching by their classmates in a corner where they are made to march. I asked the G.B. why they did drilling and she said that it taught them discipline and obedience and that they enjoyed it! As in all “ Dad’s Armies” there are always a few stragglers that don’t keep on time  and turn the wrong way but on the whole I would say that the children do enjoy it and the 7 year old sergeant majors are definitely a force to be reckoned with!