Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien College

Not to be confused with SOAS University of London.

The Sultan Omar 'Ali Saifuddien College (SOASC), natively known as Maktab Sultan Omar 'Ali Saifuddien (MSOAS), is a government boys' secondary school in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei. It is the first English secondary school in the country. The school is also one of the only three boys' secondary schools nationwide, with the other two being Muda Hashim Secondary School and Ma'had Islam Brunei (Brunei Islamic College). The school provides five years of secondary education leading up to GCE 'O' Level and IGCSE qualification.

Sultan Omar 'Ali Saifuddien College Maktab Sultan Omar 'Ali Saifuddien
SOASC New Building in 2024
Address
Jalan Sekolah Bandar Seri Begawan , BS8411 Brunei
Coordinates	4°53′58.4″N 114°56′17.4″E
Information
Former name	Brunei Town Government English School (1951–1955)
School type	Government
Motto	Ilmu Adalah Kuasa (Knowledge Is Power)
Established	15 October 1951; 73 years ago (1951-10-15)
School district	Cluster 2
Authority	Ministry of Education
Principal	Mohammed Santra Bolhasan
Grades	Years 7–11
Gender	Boys
Slogan	The Premier College For Future Leaders
Yearbook	Seri Berunai
Affiliation	CIE
Website	Official Instagram

Namesake

The school is named in honour of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III.^[1] Brunei saw substantial changes under the 17-year rule of the late Sultan. The Melayu Islam Beraja (MIB) concept, which serves as the nation's guiding ideology, was also developed by him.^[2] He also initiated social and economic reform to ready his people for the restoration of the state's sovereign powers, which had been initiated by his predecessor and sparked by the Brunei nationalist movement around the end of World War II.^[3]

History

The school's first and second intakes in 1952

In Brunei, there was only access to primary education prior to World War II. The government of Brunei established the Education Department in 1951.^[4] To encourage English education among Bruneians, the Brunei Town Government English School^[5] was founded in Brunei Town on 15 October 1951.^[1] Two qualified instructors, one from Malaya and one from the United Kingdom, worked at the school. Their choices—likely made in conjunction with the State Education Officer—have had a long-lasting effect on Brunei's educational system, as seen by the numerous practices that were implemented at the time and are still in use today.^[6]

At the time of the establishment, the school functioned as a preparatory school.^[1][7] It was also the first government school in the country which provided education in the English language.^[7] Since Brunei did not have an official English education system, the school did not initially have any students. As a result, English courses were introduced at Primary 4 at four chosen primary schools. The age at which English-medium education started in Brunei was set by the more gifted students who got extra tuition from the State Education Officer prior to starting school.^[6]

The school eventually renamed to Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien College in 1955.^[1] It later became the first school to provide secondary education in the country. It was gradually implemented, beginning in 1953 with the introduction of Form 1. By 1957, the school had all five years of the secondary education and for the first time the Cambridge Overseas School Certificate examination, a precursor to GCE 'O' Level, was conducted at the school in that year for its Form 5 students.^[8] Because the British utilised Sultan Muhammad Jamalul Alam Malay School as a military base during the 1962 Brunei revolt, the school was temporarily moved to SOAS College.^[9]

SOAS College in collaboration with Army Cadet Team (Pasukan Kadet Tentera), created the SOAS College Military Cadet.^[10][11]

Notable people

Notable staff

• Anthony Burgess, British writer and composer^[12]
• Roderick Yong, diplomat and educator^[13]

Notable alumni

• Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, the current Sultan of Brunei^[1]
• Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, a member of Wazir^[14]
• Pengiran Anak Mohammad Yusof, a member of Cheteria^[15]
• Abu Bakar Apong, politician and a member of Manteri^[16][14]
• Abdul Rahman bin Ibrahim, politician and a member of Manteri^[17]
• Zakaria Sulaiman, politician and a member of Manteri^[18]
• Pengiran Umar, police officer and a member of Cheteria^[19]
• Abidin Abdul Rashid, politician and a member of Manteri^[20]
• Ali Mohammad Daud, politician and diplomat of Brunei^[21][22]
• Pengiran Mohammad Abdul Rahman, politician and writer of Brunei^[23]
• Hayati binti Mohd Salleh, lawyer^[24]
• Salbiah binti Sulaiman, politician and a member of Legislative Council^[25]
• Hamdillah Abdul Wahab, politician^[26]
• Goh King Chin, businessman and a member of Manteri^[27][14]
• Eusoff Agaki Ismail, politician^[14]
• Pengiran Bahrin, lawyer and a member of Cheteria
• Ong Tiong Oh, businessman and a member of Legislative Council^[28]
• Lim Jock Seng, politician and a member of Manteri^[29]
• Muslim Burmat, writer^[30]
• Pengiran Anak Muhammad Bey Muntassir, a member of Cheteria^[31]
• Ariffin Abdul Wahab, military officer and a member of Manteri^[32]
• Ya'akub Zainal, police commissioner and a member of Manteri^[33]
• Pengiran Shariffuddin, historian and monographer^[34]
• Matussin Omar, historian and writer^[35]
• Mahmud Saedon, Muslim scholar^[36]
• Mariam Abdul Aziz, former royalty^[37]
• Husin Ahmad, military officer and a member of Manteri^[38]
• Abdul Aziz Umar, politician and a member of Manteri^[22]
• Pengiran Asmalee, artist and diplomat^[39]
• Pengiran Ismail, politician and architect^[40]
• Yusoff Ismail, politician and diplomat^[41]

• Notable Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien College Alumni
• 
  Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei
• 
  Goh King Chin, Member of Legislative Council of Brunei
• 
  Hayati Salleh, 6th Attorney General of Brunei
• 
  Lim Jock Seng, 1st Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade II
• 
  Ariffin Abdul Wahab, 2nd Commander of Training Institute Royal Brunei Armed Forces
• 
  Abu Bakar Apong, 5th Minister of Home Affairs

Gallery

• 
  The college in 2023
• 
  Interior of the college in 2024
• 
  The auditorium
• 
  Seri Berunai magazine 1991
• 
  The College Surau
• 
  Changes in logo (Physical)
• 
  The College Library

See also

• List of secondary schools in Brunei
• History of education in Brunei

References

1. "History of Sultan Omar 'Ali Saifuddien (SOAS) College". Archived from the original on 20 June 2017. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
2. Dayangku Herney Zuraidh binti Pengiran Haji Rosley (2007). "Pemerintahan Sultan Omar 'Ali Saifuddien III (1950-1967)" (PDF). www.history-centre.gov.bn (in Malay). Retrieved 18 May 2024.
3. Hussainmiya (1995). Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III and Britain "The Making of Brunei Darussalam". Oxford University Press. ISBN 967-65-3106-5.
4. The National Education System For The 21st Century (PDF). 2013. p. 6. ISBN 978-99917-2-628-1. Retrieved 2 July 2024. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
5. Morve, Roshan K.; Wen, Xu; Mansour, Nasser (2 May 2023). "The role of English and the sociocultural structure of Bahasa: a study of Brunei Darussalam". Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education. 8 (1): 14. doi:10.1186/s40862-023-00186-5. ISSN 2363-5169.
6. Gary M. Jones. "Language planning in its historical context in Brunei Darussalam" (PDF). Universiti Brunei Darussalam. pp. 179–180. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
7. Asbol bin Haji Mail, Haji Awang (2010). Sejarah perkembangan pendidikan di Brunei, 1950-1985 (Cet. 2 ed.). Bandar Seri Begawan: Pusat Sejarah Brunei, Kementerian Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan. p. 73. ISBN 978-9991734484. OCLC 642642811.
8. Asbol bin Haji Mail, Haji Awang (2010). Sejarah perkembangan pendidikan di Brunei, 1950-1985 (Cet. 2 ed.). Bandar Seri Begawan: Pusat Sejarah Brunei, Kementerian Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan. p. 77. ISBN 978-9991734484. OCLC 642642811.
9. Sidhu, Jatswan S. (22 December 2009). Historical Dictionary of Brunei Darussalam. Scarecrow Press. p. 227. ISBN 978-0-8108-7078-9.
10. "Perlawanan Merintis Kadet Tentera uji kemahiran". www.pelitabrunei.gov.bn (in Malay). Retrieved 2 July 2024.
11. Nurdiyanah R. (29 November 2023). "KT ABDB sahut cabaran rentas desa". Media Permata Online (in Malay). Retrieved 2 July 2024.
12. Burgess, Anthony (2012), Little Wilson and Big God, Anthony Burgess, Random House, p. 431.
13. Suryadinata, Leo, ed. (2012). Southeast Asian Personalities of Chinese Descent. A Biographical Dictionary. Singapore: ISEAS Publishing. pp. 1367–1370. ISBN 978-981-4345-21-7.
14. "Sultanate - News | Negara Brunei Darussalam | Sultan's ex-classmates recall fond memories". sultanate.com. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
15. "Istiadat Turun Temurun Yang Di-Pusakai Dalam Perkahwinan Di-Raja" (PDF). Pelita Brunei. 16 August 1967. p. 5. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
16. "Keluaran Khas Sempena Pelantikan Menteri-Menteri Kabinet dan Timbalan-Timbalan Menteri" (PDF). Pelita Brunei. 12 June 2010. p. 3.
17. "BRUNEIresources.com - Pehin Manteris". www.bruneiresources.com. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
18. "BRUNEIresources.com - Pehin Zakaria". bruneiresources.com. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
19. "Berkenan berangkat ziarah jenazah". Media Permata. 13 May 2023. p. 1. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
20. "Sultanate - News | Negara Brunei Darussalam | Sultan attends former deputy minister's funeral". www.sultanate.com. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
21. "Berkenan berangkat ziarah jenazah » Media Permata Online". Berkenan berangkat ziarah jenazah. 26 October 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
22. "20 ORANG PENUNTUT2 DI BRUNEI LULUS PEPEREKSAAN "SARAWAK JUNIOR CERTIFICATE"" (PDF). Pelita Brunei (in Malay). 15 February 1956. pp. 12–13. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
23. "Keluaran Khas Sempena Pelantikan Menteri-Menteri Kabinet dan Timbalan-Timbalan Menteri" (PDF). Pelita Brunei. 12 June 2010. p. 6.
24. Sidhu, Jatswan S. (22 December 2009). Historical Dictionary of Brunei Darussalam. Scarecrow Press. p. 98. ISBN 978-0-8108-7078-9.
25. Yang Berhormat Datin Paduka Dayang Hajah Salbiah binti Haji Sulaiman Legislative Council
26. "DATO HAJI HAMDILLAH DEPUTY MINISTER OF INDUSTRY AND PRIMARY RESOURCES". www.bruneiresources.com. 2005. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
27. "Yang Berhormat Pehin Kapitan Lela Diraja Dato Paduka Goh King Chin". Jabatan Majlis-Majlis Mesyuarat. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
28. "Jabatan Majlis-Majlis Mesyuarat - Members of The Legislative Council". www.councils.gov.bn. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
29. "83 Lulus Pepereksaan Dari Empat Sekolah2" (PDF). Pelita Brunei. 3 April 1963. p. 2. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
30. Gallop, C. H. (30 November 2008). "Muslim Burmat". Southeast Asian Writers.
31. "Negara Brunei Darussalam: obituary 2009. - Free Online Library". www.thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
32. "Dua Orang Pegawai AMDB Di-Naikkan Pangkat Lt. Colonel" (PDF). www.pelitabrunei.gov.bn (in Malay). 4 February 1976. pp. 1, 5, 8. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
33. "Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Maharaja Kerna Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Ya'akub". www.majlis-mesyuarat.gov.bn. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
34. Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. "IN MEMORIAM P. M. Shariffuddin". www.mbras.org.my. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
35. Department of Museums. "Dato Paduka Awang Haji Matussin bin Omar" (PDF). www.museums.gov.bn (in Malay). Retrieved 1 July 2024.
36. Sidhu, Jatswan S. (22 December 2009). Historical Dictionary of Brunei Darussalam. Scarecrow Press. p. 136. ISBN 978-0-8108-7078-9.
37. Sidhu, Jatswan S. (22 December 2009). Historical Dictionary of Brunei Darussalam. Scarecrow Press. p. 142. ISBN 978-0-8108-7078-9.
38. Zamhari, Zaemul Khairi (May 2023). Yang Dimuliakan Pehin Datu Harimaupadang Mejar Jeneral (B) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Husin bin Ahmad (in Malay). p. 2.
39. "DUKE PUJI PELUKIS MUDA CHENDERONG MELUKIS DARI KECHIL" (PDF). Pelita Brunei (in Malay). 18 March 1959. p. 2. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
40. "Awangku Ismail bin Pengiran Damit" (PDF). Pelita Brunei (in Malay). 2 November 1966. p. 2. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
41. "Keluaran Khas Sempena Pelantikan Menteri-Menteri Kabinet dan Timbalan-Timbalan Menteri" (PDF). Pelita Brunei (in Malay). 12 June 2010. p. 7. Retrieved 8 September 2024.