First Malay Secondary School


While going through the old Hari Raya cards, I found a couple of cards with reference to SMMP and the school's motto EXCELSIOR.

The card above with the school badge, I found very familiar. I remembered seeing this school badge and the school motto. It took me quite a while when I realised it belong to today's Maktab Sains. I did not go to Maktab Sains, so the badge was not as familiar as I am sure it should be to my brother and sister who went there. So SMMP must be percusor to today's Maktab Sains.

It took quite a while before realising SMMP actually stands for Sekolah Menengah Melayu Pertama (First Malay Secondary School) which in itself was interesting as a school name. It began in Brunei Town in 1966. Form 4 was first introduced in the school in 1967 while Sixth Form classes were introduced in 1969. In that same year the school moved from Brunei Town to Jalan Muara at Maktab Sains present site.

On 23 September 1971, Sekolah Menengah Melayu Pertama was officially renamed as Maktab Melayu Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan (Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Malay College). It was officially inaugurated by Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien III, the 28th Sultan of Brunei.

Bilingual education policy was implemented in 1974 and English medium classes was introduced. Two years later, the concept of providing science education was initiated. The school was then again renamed as Maktab Melayu Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan/Sekolah Sains ( Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Malay College/Science School). Hostel facilities for both boys and girls were provided for high achievers from every corner of the country, irrespective of their socio-economic status.

In 1985, the status of the school was raised to that of a college to acknowledge the inclusion of the Sixth Form. The school was again renamed as Maktab Sains Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan (Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College). The College went to Rimba in 1994 while repairs to the buildings were carried out. It was in 2005 when the school went back to Jalan Muara.

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