SJIIM's Gary Cairns On Why Values-Driven Education Outlasts Good Grades

Tell us about the Lasallian Sixth Form that will be available at SJIIM.

While we are committed to offering the IBDP—which is an excellent course and we have a fantastic track record of student achievement in examinations—we are also aware that some students prefer to narrow their studies and focus on three or four A Levels subjects, rather than cover a broad range of subjects as they do with the IBDP. Offering the A Level will provide a pathway to those students too. A Level students will also have the opportunity to work with IBDP students in service projects, conduct an optional research project in the form of the Cambridge International Project Qualification, and take part in The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award.

What support does SJIIM provide students on university preparation?

Like our IBDP students, our A Level students will work with our university and careers counsellor on their university applications and receive one-to-one support on all aspects of that process.  

Why are service outreach activities so important to SJIIM?

One of the first things you see at our school are the words, ‘Enter to Learn, Leave to Serve’. Service is a key component of Lasallian education, and it’s important that our school carries on that tradition. This year, we celebrate 170 years of Lasallian schools in Malaysia and we are committed to ensuring our students develop the habit of service in line with the teachings of our founder, St. John Baptist De La Salle and the work of the Lasallian Brothers.

It’s important that they understand the difference between fundraising and service. They put in time and effort in these projects, and they go out to interact with people in the community. We have a thriving Lasallian Youth Movement in our high school with over 50 students volunteering every Friday afternoon to devise and carry out service projects. This year, our parent service group, Kitar Kitar, also launched our new community garden where the students plant, grow and tend to the plants.   

Service should be done for the right reasons. It shouldn’t be done for likes on social media and it’s not for building up your CV for potential university placements. To truly serve means to do so for the act of service itself. 

Is there anything you're mindful to avoid as a leader?

We are part of a long Lasallian heritage and I am always mindful of ensuring my message is in alignment with that heritage. It's important to me that our values are not just words but lived through our actions and deeds. When we talk about character education, respect, integrity and moral courage, our actions need to mirror those words. We are the ones who model it for our students. That's evident in how we communicate with students at school and when the students witness us talking to all members of staff, whether it's colleagues, cleaning staff or canteen staff. 

What are some of SJIIM's milestones in 2022?

There have been so many that we are proud of. We had our first school production since the start of the pandemic, The Jungle Book. We took our students to Bangkok to compete in the World Scholar’s Cup, an academic competition featuring debating. Our students were competing against over 1,000 students and won many top awards including first place overall team and first place debate team as well as overall individual, first place for individual debate and first place for individual writing. Thirty-one of our students are flying to Yale University to compete in the Tournament of Champions. Despite their success, our students modelled that Lasallian spirit throughout and I was proud of every one of the students that took part. All these events are important milestones for us as they signal a return to ensuring our students have a normal school experience once again.   

How does SJIIM make quality education more accessible to Malaysian students?

At St. Joseph's, we will be launching a scholarship programme for our Sixth Form in December. In my opinion though, the responsibility to support young people does not end when they complete their studies at the end of Year 13. We have an excellent track record of supporting our students to apply for scholarships at university too. We have had students receive scholarships to Princeton University in the US, Nanyang Technological University and Yale-NUS in Singapore, The University of British Columbia, University of Tokyo, New York University (Abu Dhabi) and Zhejiang University.

If you could describe SJIIM in one phrase, what would it be?

Quality education, but in a values-driven environment. I’ve worked in many international schools around the world, where the focus was on the acquisition of grades above all else. While our St. Joseph’s students get remarkable grades, our message to them has always been ‘You are more than your grades. You are a Lasallian’.       

Call +603 8605 3605, email enquiries@sji-international.edu.my or click here to inquire about St. Joseph’s Institution International School Malaysia (Tropicana PJ Campus). Find out more about its A Level programme and enjoy the introductory price of RM60,000 per year for enrolment in August 2023.       

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