In 1961, Miss J.M. Hicks resigned as principal and was succeeded by Miss Lee Kooi Jong, originally a nurse at the Penang General Hospital, who had previously served as the first Secretary to the Board of Governors and as a teacher at the school. Lee persuaded businessmen and entrepreneurs in Penang to give opportunities to the deaf children to gain work experience at their companies. FSD students who completed Standard 6 received offers to work at companies doing printing, sewing, and other trades.