Christ’s College to help shape successful Malaysians

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NEW Zealand’s oldest and most respected private school for boys aged 13 to 18 is coming to Malaysia next month to celebrate its numerous successful alumni in the country, and open the doors for many more Malaysian students to have a successful future.

Boarders are seen in the dining hall at Christ’s College.

Christ’s College headmaster Simon Leese will be in Kuala Lumpur to host an information evening on Aug 18, and encourages Malaysian parents to attend and find out more as well as meet some successful Malaysians. Founded in 1850, Christ’s College is the only private senior school for boys in the majestic South Island of New Zealand, and has become a popular stop for tourists who admire its unique and historic campus.

The school was part of the original European settlement of the Canterbury region, an Anglican community named after the seat of the Church of England on the other side of the world.

Christ’s College is one of the highest achieving academic schools in a country which is consistently reported near the top in the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) world rankings.

The college chooses to offer the New Zealand national qualification system National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) in preference to the International Baccalaureate or other examinations, recognising the unique qualities suiting it to a wide range of aptitudes.

High achieving students are sought by the finest universities around the world, and currently there are college graduates at Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard and Columbia for example, as well as others holding lucrative and prestigious scholarships to the top universities in New Zealand.

Education at Christ’s College is so much more than a route to an academic qualification.

Performing arts and sport are integral to the experience – all students engage in competitive sport at a level to suit their ability, and whilst not all will aspire to the international representation level of many current boys and alumni, the opportunities are endless.

Christ’s College alumni are spread across the globe, making a difference in their chosen careers.

Malaysian Senthil Balan, currently AirAsia network and fleet regional head, came to Christ’s College at age 15, happy to be described as “a very shy and timid kid” with very average grades, and attributes to Christ’s College an “immediate transformation”.

“New Zealand provided a brilliant place to both learn and apply myself, and to also build the confidence to learn how to compete successfully, relative to a place like London which can be overwhelming. Till today, I strongly believe the NZ education system provides the perfect platform to prepare a person for the global market place,” he said.

Fellow Malaysian Michael Moggie, managing director of Andritz Power Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of the global Andritz Hydro Group, began his New Zealand education at Christ’s College before enrolling in the University of Otago, where he completed a commerce degree.

Christ’s College’s website profiles numerous graduates, such as:

u Nitit Chaijaroonrat who boarded at Christ’s College from Thailand, before going to study at Nottingham University in the United Kingdom. He is now organisational director at Jaroonrat Group, a leader in the Thai automotive industry.

u John Kim will begin his study at the Art Centre College of Design (ACCD) in Pasadena, California – one of the world’s top design schools, later this year.

u Thomas Frost, from a British expatriate family in Singapore, boarded at Christ’s College for five years before moving to Lincoln College at the University of Oxford, to study medicine.

Christ’s College is a springboard to the most exciting opportunities around the world.

Studying in New Zealand enables young men to experience one of the safest, cleanest, most culturally diverse and friendliest countries on earth, whilst gaining highly portable qualifications seen to open doors to the most prestigious and sought after courses on every continent. The information evening in Kuala Lumpur will be at the New Zealand High Commission Residency.

To attend email [email protected] or visit www.christscollege.com