King Edward VII School, Taiping

King Edward VII School (Malay: Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan King Edward VII; abbreviated KE7) is a premier secondary school for boys (and girls, in Sixth Form) located on Jalan Muzium Hulu, in Taiping, Malaysia. Formerly known as Central School, it is one of the oldest schools in Malaysia. The school is widely known as by its initials "KE7". The students are known as Edwardians or Tigers and, as alumni, Old Edwardians.[1][2]

King Edward VII School Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan King Edward VII
Address
Jalan Muzium Hulu Taiping , Perak 34000 Malaysia
Coordinates	4.8562167°N 100.7358042°E / 4.8562167; 100.7358042
Information
Type	All-boys secondary school
Motto	Latin: Magni Nominis Umbra (Under the shadow of a Great Name)
Established	July 1883
School district	Larut Matang & Selama
Principal	Mohamad Hazawawi b Yusof[1]
Staff	15
Teaching staff	83
Grades	1-6
Gender	all-boys
Age range	13-17
Enrollment	1340 (2012)
Colour(s)	Red and Black
Inaugural officiant	H.R.H. Sultan Idris Shah
Abbreviation	KE7
Former pupils	Old Edwardians
Website	smkevii.edu.my

History

The history of King Edward VII School goes back to the founding of Central School in July 1883. The initial site was the small area of land on which the present Nurses' Hostel stands.[3]

In 1885, a gymnasium was added. In 1899, according to the report of Mr. Greene, the first headmaster, physical drill with music was introduced, and the lads were gradually being initiated into the mysteries of football and cricket.

Roger Francis Stainer, B.A. (London), was the headmaster of Central School, and later of King Edward VII School, from 1900 to 1922. He was a great leader, a fine sportsman, and a capable organiser. The greatest obstacle he had to face was lack of qualified staff. There were no formal training classes in those days, and so he set out to train his own staff. He infused his spirit into a handful of young men around him. Still living today is a handful of the old brigade, seasoned in years, but ever young with fresh memories of the arduous past. Stainer chose "Magni Nominis Umbra" as the school motto.

As the enrollment of students increased, infrastructure became inadequate. A large shed, made of jungle rollers and cheap timber, was built to add capacity to the crowded school. The demand for education was exceeding all expectations; and a new building on a new site was necessary. The site finally selected was the land on which the railway station, probably the first of its kind in Malaya, had stood.

Stainer proposed that the school name be changed from Central School Educational Centre to King Edward VII School, in conjunction with the coronation of King Edward VII, who ascended the English throne in 1901. Red and black, colors of the flag, were selected to be the school colors, red symbolizing courage and pride, black the unity of the whole. King Edward VII School was inaugurated by H.R.H. the Sultan of Perak in 1905, when the number of students enrolled was 434.

In sports, the school performed well in football, cricket, and gymnastics. In 1919, the army cadet force was established, with Stainer as the commanding officer. In 1922, a scout troop—known as the "Second Taiping", under the leadership of D. G. Doral and En. Surjan Singh—was established. In 1923, T. J. Thomas introduced the game of rugby to the school, which, in 1933, emerged as champions among Malay-language schools, beating Penang Free School in the final match.

During World War II, the school was occupied by the Japanese army and was used as the headquarters of the Malayan Kempeitai, and the school sports field became a farm. On January 14, 1946, the students returned to the school under the administration of Captain C. R. Holliday. During that time, the number of students had increased to 1004 students, and the school was housed in four buildings. Lower standards' classes were conducted in the building on Trump Street, elementary classes in Sheffield Hostel on Museum Road and in Old Boys Hostel on Station Road. The middle class was placed in the main building which is near Taiping Rest House.

In 1951, in addition to the existing science laboratories, room for geography, history and arts classes were made available for the students. Form 6 classes were started in 1954, with the school allowing enrollment of female students. In 1958, classes were separated because of the large number of primary and secondary students. Classes of lower forms were divided into two, namely Primary One and Two, which were held in the main building on Station Road, with the Middle Class in block Sheffield, "Former Infant Department", and in the new blocks erected along Brunt Road.

From 1960 onward, Malay-medium classes were introduced. In 1965, students sat for their SPM for the first time.

Rugby history

Introduced in 1923, by T. J. Thomas, a schoolmaster, rugby is a sport as popular as football at the school. The school rugby team became known as the Tigers in 1933, the year they beat Penang Free School in the first inter-school rugby match in the history of Malaya.[4]

Between 1954 and 1961, the Tigers arranged friendly matches with opponents from Johore to Singapore, beating all opponents and becoming champions, earning the title of Kings of Rugby.[4]

In 1978, the school team was selected by Malaysia as a representative to the ASEAN Inter-school rugby tournament in Hatyai, Thailand, gaining third place. After that, the Tigers were winners of the Rugby Silver, District Champion (1979), Taiping Cup Champion (1979), the North Zone Malaysia (1979), and the Inter-School Rugby Tournament (1979), beating Royal Military College by 22-3. The Tigers also won the Silver Cup (1983-1985, 1987-1989 and 1996-1998). During the Royal Selangor Cup match, the Tigers took fourth place at the national level (1987 and 1998).

In 1996, 14 players were chosen for the Perak state team, which defeated Negeri Sembilan for the championship. In 2000, the Tigers were MSSPK champions, finished second in the Perdana Silver Zone competition, and were in the semi-finals in the National Premier Cup.

The Tigers were MSSD LMS champions for 19 years, from 1994 until 2015, and are six-time champions of the Premier Cup.

Among the great school rivals in the sport are Malay College Kuala Kangsar, Royal Military College, Penang Free School, Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Hulu Selangor Science School, Selangor Science School, Sekolah Datuk Abdul Razak, English College Johore, and College of Sultan Abdul Hamid.

Malaysian SMART School

The school was awarded SMART School status in 2006. SMART School is one of the seven flagship projects of the Multimedia Super Corridor.[5][6]

Northern Corridor Implementation Authority

In June 2014, the school was chosen as a key partner by the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority to teach industrial skills to students. The implementation was introduced by the NCIA chief executive officer, Datuk Redza Rafiq Abdul Razak, during the 47th Old Edwardian annual dinner.[7]

List of Principals

Year	Name
1899–1905	C. Greene (Central School)
1905–1921	R. F. Stainer (King Edward VII School)
1913	E. Foster Lee (Acting)
1918	J. A. Roberts (Acting)
1921–1922	J. M. Moade (Acting)
1922–1927	D. W. McLeod
1927–1928	C. G. Coleman
1928–1929	J. Bain
1929–1931	D. R. Swaine
1931–1939	R. P. S. Walker
1932–1933	L. R. Wheeler (Acting)
1934	C. W. Bloomfield (Acting)
1937–1938	E. T. M. Lias
1938–1939	J. B. Neilson
1939–1941	F. C. Barraclough
1941	R. M. Young (Acting)
1945	E. A. Moissinac
1946	C. R. TOlliday
1946	F. J. A. Rawcliffe
1946–1947	F. G. Barraclough
1947–1949	J. D. Joseph
1949	J. Young (Acting)
1949–1950	W. H. Wallace Little
1950	G. D. Muir (Acting)
1950–1952	D. H. Christie
1952–1953	N. Campbell
1953–1956	A. L. McCorkindale
1956	J. R. North (Acting)
1957	Yeoh Teng Khoo (Acting)
1957–1958	J. E. B. Ambrose
1959–1960	W. V. Hobson
1960	N. S. R. Bickers (Acting)
1960–1962	W. V. Hobson
1962–1963	J. A. McCumisky
1961	Bion Dury (Acting)
1963–1985	Long Heng Hua
1982	V. Ravinder Singh (Acting)
1983–1986	Ismail Sajad bin Sajad
1986–1991	Abdul Moein Skymar bin Abdul Wahab
1991–1992	Haji Azidin bin Mahmud
1992–1994	Haji Samsudin bin Abdul Hamid
1994–1995	Salleh bin Mohammad Husein
1995–2000	Haji Ibrahim bin Jusoh
2000–2003	Haji Serip Mohamad bin Gulam Din
2003–2004	Mohd Arif bin Ramli
2004–2010	Yahaya bin Liman
2010–2011	Abdul Wahid bin Nuruddin
2011–2013	Abdul Rahsib bin Hussain
2013–2015	Abdul Aziz bin Samshuddin
Present	Mohd. Hazawawi bin Yusof

Notable alumni

• Ong Hock Thye, former Chief Justice of Malaya
• Lim Swee Aun, former cabinet minister in Malaysia
• Sultan Iskandar Shah, Sultan of Perak (1918–1938)
• Sultan Abdul Aziz, Sultan of Perak (1938–1948)
• Yusof Ishak, first President of Singapore
• Abdul Rahim Ishak, former cabinet minister in Singapore
• Ling Liong Sik, former chairman of the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), former Malaysian cabinet minister
• Abdul Mutalib Mohamed Razak, chairman of Media Prima Berhad[8]
• Jins Shamsuddin, former FINAS Chairman
• M. Karathu, former Malaysian football team coach and national football player
• Zulkifli Nordin, former MP for Kulim
• Chan Sek Keong, former Chief Justice of Singapore
• Devamany S. Krishnasamy, current Perak State Legislative Assembly Speaker
• Joginder Singh, one of Malaya's first doctors[9][10]
• Uthaya Sankar SB, Malaysian author[11]
• Abdullah Ayub, former chief secretary to the government
• Ghulam-Sarwar Yousof, academic and author
• Jamil Jan, former Proton chairman
• M. Dataya, former national athlete[12]
• Abdul Aziz Ismail, former national cricketer
• Abdul Rahman Yatim, former champion national sharpshooter[13]
• Muhammad Hakimi Ismail, triple jump event athlete and current SEA Games record holder[14][15]
• R R Chelliah, prominent criminal lawyer[16]

References

1. Bestari, Penyelaras (8 October 2012). "Portal Rasmi SMK King Edward VII, Taiping, Perak" [Official Portal of SMK King Edward VII, Taiping, Perak]. SMK King Edward VII, Taiping (in Malay). Archived from the original on 14 August 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
2. "Old Edwardians celebrate their 46th annual reunion". The Star. Star Media Group Berhad. 13 July 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
3. "Chronology". SMK King Edward VII, Taiping. 10 June 2008. Archived from the original on 14 August 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
4. "The History of Rugby in King Edward VII School, Taiping". SMK King Edward VII, Taiping. 31 May 2008. Archived from the original on 14 August 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
5. Smart School Project Team (9 July 1997). "The Malaysian Smart School: An MSC Flagship Application" (PDF). Retrieved 19 July 2016.
6. "Nostalgia for Old School Ways". The New Straits Times. 18 December 2013. Archived from the original on 18 December 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
7. "NCIA picks Taiping school". 23 June 2014. Archived from the original on 25 June 2014. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
8. "Media Prima Bhd". Businessweek. Bloomberg. 6 June 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
9. Abdul Rashid, Faridah (2012). Biography Of The Early Malay Doctors 1900-1957 Malaya And Singapore. Xlibiris Corporation. p. 143. ISBN 9781-4771-5995-8.
10. "Medeguide". medeguide. Archived from the original on 4 June 2014. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
11. "Saya MPR dan DBP". The Malaysian Insider. The Malaysian Insider. 16 September 2013. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
12. "The Straits Times, 20 July 1965, Page 17". NewspaperSG. The Straits Times. 20 July 1965. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
13. "My parents my lifeline". The Star. The Star Publications. 3 January 2006. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
14. "ATHLETICS: Hakimi on a mission". New Straits Times. New Straits Times. 13 February 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
15. Singh, Aftar (9 June 2015). "Hakimi made it count this time around". Star Media Group Berhad. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
16. "R R Chelliah J.S.M". The Kuala Lumpur Bar. Retrieved 3 April 2018.