I read with interest Fiat Parentia Virtus's uptake on the issues currently being faced at Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK). I myself am a graduate of the SBP (sekolah berasrama penuh or boarding schools) system, albeit from an institution which, at most points, regards itself as one of MCKK's rivals. At the risk of incurring the wrath of the whole of my Old Girls' Association for defending MCKK, I have to say that FPV's arguments for the closure of MCKK are quite flawed.

As Ahmad House 9903 correctly pointed out, and I quote, "while suggesting the closing of MCKK, he should suggest the same for religious schools and other schools based on language or race". Saying that MCKK is an institution past its prime would probably be describing a multitude of other schools - not only SBPs, but daily schools as well. Should we close Penang Free School, Ipoh Anglo-Chinese School and Victoria Institution, to name but three, because they too have an active Old Boys' network that takes care of its current students?

Yes, MCKK is no longer ranked number 1 in the list of top perfoming schools post-SPM, but should a school's excellence be measured on exam results alone? What about the other elements of a student's life and achievements which help make him a well-rounded person?

I have always believed that SBPs are where you go to not just get a classroom education, but where you learn about life, too. It is easy to coach students to produce straight As in their SPMs when you already have the creme de la creme to work with; it is arguably harder to mould them into people of substance. Schools like MCKK and other SBPs have, in the past, succeeded in producing leaders and people of calibre.

Let's not forget that life is more than just academic excellence. SBPs should not succumb to pressure from parents and 'well-meaning' citizens alike to ditch traditions and become factories, producing students with straight A qualifications but nothing else to show for it.

To tackle the problems that have arisen in the recent past isn't about making new policies, shutting down schools and expelling students. Could it be pressure that is forcing these students to retaliate in ways they have not be traditionally taught to? The matter needs to be studied thoroughly.

I cannot speak for the students who are at these schools today, but as a student myself, I know I would be frustrated, angry and agitated if I was pressured to succeed at all cost. The objects at which I may direct my frustration would be the people pressuring me; the nearest target would be teachers.

As a teenager I would appreciate some space to grow and find myself as a person and an individual; explore my creative, athletic or artistic sides. Do SBPs cater to this? They did when I spent my five years there, but that was almost 10 years ago; ample time for a total paradigm shift, in my opinion.

SBPs aren't boot camps - they are home to these students, and while discipline and moral values must continue to be instilled, it must still be made to feel like home to a certain extent. Is this being done, or is it being overlooked in the race to become the top school in next year's SPM results?