Report on status of SJI Rolls of Honor Restoration 2019

*Report on status of SJI Rolls of Honor Restoration 2019, from Project Manager Ar. Lim Take Bane*

(1) To recap, all the panels as of Dec 2019 were already badly damaged, or with some contents gone

 i.e. the plywood backing of the white plastic letters forming the text, had delaminated from the wooden Rolls of Honour and fallen off.

Thus this project is to restore 6 Rolls of Honour as follows, with an estimation cost of RM 30,000 required to be collected from donors. More rolls may be restored, if the available funds permit and with all missing names determined. As of Feb 23 2021, the collections were earlier still short by about RM 16,000 with the shortfall eventually covered by an individual while there is a chance that more may be needed later on :

   (a) Head Prefects

   (b) Staff Roll of Honour  (2 boards)

   (c) Cadet Corps -  Commanding Officers + Band Master

   (d) Pengakap Raja/ King Scouts (2 boards)

(2) Comprehensive repair and restoration work is needed on the existing walls and structures surrounding the panels so that, the restored panels will not end up with the same fate if they should get wet or damaged again. In that sense, tenders were invited by the school for the repair work to the roof leaks but to date, he is not sure if it has been awarded yet. As per checking with some members of BOG and the Head Master, some of the limited funds obtained from the Ministry of Education have been used to paint part of the front facade and the boundary wall. The roof repairs have not being done yet which means the wall is still very wet. Our contractor Mr Y K Lew has proceeded to touch up the walls of the main staircase making good defects and painting a base coat which is not ready to take the final coats of paint, unless the wall plaster is dry. Thus holding up the rest of the surrounding restoration work, notwithstanding the hiatus owing to the current MCO as a result of the covid-19 pandemic.

(3) To determine some of the missing names within the Teachers Roll of Honor, Cadet Corps and Band boards he went to see Mr. Manmohan Singh the principal, to access the school library where the archival school magazines, if any, are kept. However, this can only be done when the MCO is lifted as the school is still under lock down. Help was also sought from old Johannians Mr Max Tan, Mr Charles Ooi and retired teacher Mr David Fernandez. but there are still some missing names.

(4) His intention is in March, when MCO is lifted, we will proceed with whatever materials we have in terms of names to complete the job, i.e. restore to what we remember them to be. Any new names subsequently put forward should have to be on new rolls of honour mounted in the School Hall.

(5) The boards are all off-site awaiting final lists of names to complete the replacement plastic box  lettering. Upon completion, there is only carting back to school and rehanging on the walls to do with wall separators for ventilation.