rebranding

I wanted to earlier blog about why I wouldn’t be missing SASER (which is a half-lie!), but then scrapped the entry because it was sounding more and more like a ranting and rambling.

Come Tuesday, the school where I was first posted will cease to be. The buildings will still be there physically, but all will be rebranded and given a new name.

All my ex students were, as expected, terribly upset when they heard the initial plans to rebrand the school. And I understand their frustrations and disappointments perfectly well. These are the kids who worked hard to make sure that SASER was always #1, or, at the very least, among the top performing schools in Malaysia. The act of rebranding the school is akin to stripping off their legacy.

To the best of my knowledge,rebranding is usually done to a (non/under-performing) product. To rebrand a school that has been constantly excellent academically somewhat feels rather off.That’s what I think,anyway.

Tomorrow morning will be the last time the school song ‘Putera Harapan’ will be sung in the school assembly. If my ex students were to be there tomorrow, I’m pretty sure their hearts will be wrenched with the memories and nostalgia that was SASER. The transformation from an underdog SBP to the #1 school in Malaysia is no mean feat. SASER wasn’t just a secondary school to these kids. It was their (second) home. This was the place where friendships,and,later,brotherhood, was formed. SASER was the place of shared dreams, and shared values. Apart from individual differences, everyone worked hard to make sure SASER was always on the pinnacle.

Thank you, SASER- for making me the person that I am today. I would be lying if I were to say I don’t -and won’t- be missing you.

Thank you for all the memories,SASER. You truly are one in a million.