Paige Chua Is Looking For The Kids She Taught In An Ang Mo Kio Kindergarten 21 Years Ago
Is there someone you’d lost contact with that you’d like to meet again?
When we asked Paige Chua, 39, this question when we chatted with her recently, we definitely weren’t expecting this answer from her.
When I was 18, I was a kindergarten teacher for six months. I had this class of children that I really loved. I can still remember them as the five-year-olds they were then. They were K1 students, so they should be 26 now — around Carrie Wong or [He] Yingying's age or something like that. I'd really like to see them,” Paige immediately said.
But wait, why were we talking about the past in the first place?
Well, the actress can now be seen on screen in Mediacorp drama, Soul Old Yet So Young. And in the first few episodes of the show, the two main characters find themselves meeting again, years after losing contact with each other. Oh, and they had a teacher-student relationship too, just like Paige and her students.
Will Paige be successful in her quest to reunite with the students she taught 21 years ago? Read on for more details and who knows, you may had been one of her students.
8 DAYS: Do you remember how many students there were in your class?
PAIGE CHUA: A class of 20, or 22? I can't really remember how big it was but it was a regular class and I was their form teacher.
I was there as a relief teacher for six months before I entered university. Those were really, really fun times. I remember I was sick quite a lot 'cos kids, you know. They pass on viruses so readily (laughs). Every month, I'll spend two days down with the flu. But it was fun.
Could you share more about the kindergarten? Maybe it'll help jog the memory of your former students?
It was at Ang Mo Kio. I think my mum would know exactly where it was. It was a PAP Foundation kindergarten, as they were called back then. They’re all called Sparkletots now.
Did you ever consider becoming a full-time kindergarten teacher?
Not really. I'm a very biased teacher and I don't think that's a good trait for a teacher (laughs). I had my favourites — there were a couple of kids who I really liked. I think it's difficult for me to be an impartial teacher, since I'd dote on some a little more than the others.
What kind of students did you favour?
For some reason, I liked the boys. I feel like when boys grow up, they'll be very manly and it becomes harder for them to be affectionate. So when they're younger, they'll be sweeter, and that's when they're the cutest (laughs). That part of them will fade with time.
I remember this one boy. His name is Daniel and I always associated him with Hello Kitty's Dear Daniel 'cos he was really fair, like Hello Kitty.
So, all you twenty-somethings reading this: If you attended a PAP Foundation kindergarten in Ang Mo Kio 21 years ago, time to whip out your graduation booklets to see if you had a teacher named Paige Chua.
And if you did, feel free to drop 8days.sg a message.
Photos: Mediacorp/Photo Unit, Paige Chua/Instagram
