St. George's Girls' School (Penang, Malaysia)
| Motto | Aut Viam Inveniam Aut Faciam (If There's a Will, There's Always a Way) |
|---|---|
| Type | Public (Premier School) |
| Established | 1884 |
| Principal | Shariffah Afifah Syed Abbas |
| Students | ~1300 |
| Location | George Town, Penang, Malaysia |
| Colours | Red, white |
| Website | www |
St. George's Girls' School is a secondary school for girls located at Macalister Road, George Town, Penang, Malaysia. Established in 1884, the school has 1300 students from Form 1 to Form 6 (ages 13 to 19). The abbreviated name for the school is SGGS with the pupils known as Georgians. In 2010 the school was awarded with the Sekolah Berprestasi Tinggi or High Performance School title, a title awarded to the 20 schools in Malaysia that have met stringent criteria including academic achievement, strength of alumni, international recognition, network and linkages.
The St. George's Girls' School (or SGGS), known as SMK (Perempuan) St. George in Malay (or SMKPSG), is a school for girls founded by Anglican missionaries. The school traces its history to informal classes conducted by Mrs. Biggs, wife of Reverend L.C. Biggs, the Anglican missionary in Penang, Malaysia. At that time, classes were held at their home called "The Manse", located at Farquhar Street.
Mrs. Biggs taught for a year before a formal school was established for girls. It was named after St. George, the patron saint of English, whose name is often used throughout the British Empire for schools and churches established by Anglican missionaries. The first classes were held on 7 January 1885, and the school headmistress was Miss R.A. Shackleford.
In the early days of St. George's Girls' School the pupils mostly came from well-to-do families. They often come to class on trishaws, shielded from public view by a curtain, ferried right up to the school entrance. During the 19th century in Malaya, it was considered indecent for unmarried ladies - especially those of well-to-do families - to be seen in public. While in exile, Sun Yat-sen brought his family to Penang and so his daughters Sun Yan and Sun Wan attended the school in 1910-11.
In 1888, a bungalow was constructed next to the reverend's residence, and classes were relocated there. The building, now in a dilapidated state, is still standing, next to E&O Hotel. In 1909, the British government took over the running of the school, and renamed it Government Girls' School. In 1916, the government attempted to turn Government Girls' School into a co-educational school, but the idea was short-lived.
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