Ipoh World

The photograph shows what was formerly the residence of Towkay Leong Sin Nam, a Ka Yin Hakka, at 17 Gopeng Road, Ipoh, which he lent to the school (See below). Later, after new premises had been found he donated the 5 acres of land and his bungalow, to the Ka Yin Association, of which he was a long-standing Director.

Now known as Perak Girls School, Chung Hwa Girls School, as it was originally called, is one of the oldest girls schools in Perak. Founded by a group of friends, Towkay Chew Boon Hee, Towkay Lim Seng Chew, Towkay Leong Sin Nam, Towkay Leong Eng Kean, Towkay Foo Choong Yit and others, the first premises was a three-storey rented building in Jalan Lahat, Ipoh under Chen Kai Min as headmaster. The first enrolment was 100 Primary students.

In 1918, Towkay Yau Choon Siew took responsibility for financial management of the school and under his guidance the school was renamed Choon Siew Girls School and re-sited, first in its own building in Jalan Lahat and then in 1922 to larger premises in an old Chinese temple in Kampong Paloh. Ten years later in 1932, eight additional classrooms were built at the rear of the temple

In 1922, Towkay Leong Sin Nam, took over the school, changed the management and again renamed the school, this time to the Perak Girls School, Ipoh. It remained a Primary school until 1933 when lower secondary subjects were introduced and the again changed its name to Perak Girls School (Primary and Secondary), Ipoh.

1935/36 saw the school grow in stature, firstly under Mrs Lan Wai Kee (1935) and Mrs Lim Wei from January 1936 to December 1950, to a level where the 700 pupils and 20 teachers could no longer fit into the existing classrooms. Here Towkay Leong Sin Nam again came to the rescue and in 1936 lent his bungalow at 17 Gopeng Road (pictured) to the school which was then called Perak Girls Middle School. Over the next few years the school added the Upper Secondary syllabus to its curriculum as well as a science laboratory and a library.

In 1947, with $30,000 raised from donations and the school carnival a 7acre piece of land was bought in Kampar Road, Ipoh for a completely new school. However it was not until 1956, with Mrs Peng Shin Lin as headmistress, that the first new block was completed with 10 classrooms, supported by modern common facilities including an administrative office, the principal’s office as well as the teachers’ lounge.

The following year the first upper secondary class was started. Even then, there was only room to transfer Form 2 students to the new block, the remainder continuing in Gopeng Road. The Board of Governors at that stage comprised: Towkay Cheong Chee, Towkay Choong Sam, Towkay Choong Soon Fan and Towkay Chong Kok Lim.

In 1957 the school had its first batch of Form 4 students and this was followed by Block B and Block C being completed respectively in 1960 and 1968. Since 1960 the school has become a fully government-aided school named SMJK and has sprouted further new buildings and facilities, including a school hall and library, opened by Towkay Chong Kok Lim in 1970. The library being named after Towkay Lee Kok Chian a major donor to the building fund. This was followed in 1978 by a new science laboratory donated by Towkay Chong Kok Lim. It consisted of labs for the study of Physics, Chemistry and Biology. The final school block, Block D, was officially opened in 1985, housing cooking and sewing rooms, an art room and a conference room.

Further improvements have taken place until the school has reached the level of today (2007) with around 1700 students and 72 teachers.

Should you need any more information please contact the school direct as they hold a very detailed history from which the above was summarised.

To read more about Towkay Leong Sin Nam JP OBE, a Ka Yin Hakka, click here.

To read more about the Perak Ka Yin Association, click here.

To read more about Towkay Choong Sam, click here.

To read more about Foo Choong Nyit (aka Yit), click here.

To read more about Towkay Chong Kok Lim, click here.