Penang Free School

Penang Free School is a secondary school located in George Town, Penang, Malaysia. The school is called Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Penang Free in Malay.

History

Penang Free School is the first and oldest English School in the South East Asian region. The school founded by Rev. Sparke Hutchings in the year 1816, is located on the island of Penang, Malaysia. Its first Headmaster was Mr James Cox 1816-1821. Its original premises on Farquhar Street first housed the Hutchings School, but is now the Penang state museum. In 1928, the school moved to its current location on Jalan Masjid Negeri.

Excerpts of the original charter:

"That it will be the first object of the Institution to provide for the Education of such children as would be otherwise, brought up in idleness and consequent vice, and without any means of obtaining instruction either in useful learning or in any manual employment, and to implant in them in the early habits of industry, order and a good conduct."
-—from "The Original Plan of the Establishment of Prince of Wales Island, Free School, 1816".

Alumni

The school can boast of being the alma mater of many famous Malaysians. Amongst its most famous alumni are:

• Tunku Abdul Rahman, 1st Prime Minister and founding father of Malaysia.
• Tuanku Syed Putra ibni Almarhum Syed Hassan Jamalullail, the 3rd Yang Di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia
• The Raja of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin, also the 12th Yang Di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia.
• Tan Sri P.Ramlee, Malay actor, director, songwriter and musician.
  

  External Links

• Penang Free School official homepage