During her official visit to Malaysia for New Zealand Week 2014 (21st-28th March), Melissa (Ji Yun) Lee, New Zealand Parliamentary Private Secretary for Ethnic Affairs visited Garden International School (GIS) on 25th March 2014.

Melissa attended GIS from 1979 to 1983 and went on to become the first Korean woman to be elected to a non-Korean national legislature. Melissa is also strongly dedicated to the development of education in New Zealand, a vision that she discussed with principal, Stuart Walker during her tour of the school.

A second term MP, Parliamentary Private Secretary for Ethnic Affairs and Chair of the Social Services Select Committee, Melissa says her growing up in Malaysia and formative years at GIS prepared her for the hectic but rewarding life as a legislator.

“I was exposed to many cultures and languages when I was in Malaysia. At GIS I met kids from all over the world and we all became friends. Some of whom I still keep in touch with. I feel blessed to have had the experience I had.”

New Zealand week is an annual initiative to promote cultural and business ties between New Zealand and Malaysia.The event involves a series of activities organised by the High Commission in partnership with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), Education New Zealand, Malaysia-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce as well as various businesses and academic institutions invested in developing relationships between the two countries.

Garden International School is the largest private, co-educational, international school in Malaysia and is accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS).  Established in 1951, GIS provides a British International Curriculum to the expatriate and local community in Kuala Lumpur.

GIS bases its curriculum on the National Curriculum of England with modifications designed to meet the needs of international students.  The English system provides a high quality and broad education, which enables students to move to any other English-speaking country fully equipped to succeed.