St Xavier’s in Penang plans for co-ed admission

GEORGE TOWN – The country’s third oldest school, St Xavier’s Institution in Penang has plans to become a full co-education school for the first time in its 168 years to check against low enrolment.

Brother-director Jason Blaikie, who oversees the school administration in Farquhar Street, informed Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow of the decision during a recent courtesy call.

“SXI is in the midst of sending its application to the Penang Education Department,” Blaikie said.

Currently, the school only takes in girls for its Form Six classes.

“We want to revive the glory of our institution and we hope to continue the legacy of this historical institution established in 1852.”

Almost a year ago, the Brothers Council decided for the institution to switch to a co-ed to help boost student intake.

Currently, it has 1,060 students but enrolment has decreased from an all-time high of 3,000 in the 1960s, said Blaikie, who is also a former student.

It is believed that many parents now opt to send their children to vernacular schools or those that enjoy international stature because of the perceived drop in the instructional ability at national-type schools.

Chow said SXI should count on its feeder primary schools such as the SXI Branch and St Xavier primary school to boost its enrolment.

The school was formally established in 1852 after being known as St Francis Xavier School in 1787, where it was believed to be the first formal school in Malaysia.

It is part of the Lasallian Brothers movement of missionary schools.

It shares the same stature with the St John's Institution in Kuala Lumpur and the St Michael Institution in Ipoh as well as other Lasallian schools in the region.

Among the prominent personalities to have emerged from the school were Penang's first chief minister Tan Sri Wong Pow Nee, former DAP chairman Karpal Singh, former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin, former national athletics coach Lionel Rajamoney, poet Cecil Rajendra, Penang Port Sdn Bhd CEO Sasedharan Vasudevan and former Bar Council president Datuk Abdul Fareed Ghafoor as well as orthopaedic specialist Dr Ajay K. Sharma. – The Vibes, October 9, 2020