Tunku Putra School offers unique education platform in Kuching

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KUCHING: Located on the peaceful fringe of Kuching city, Tunku Putra School offers a host of unique learning experiences for its students, teachers and parents being one of the few private education providers in the state.

First established in 1997, in the heart of Kuching, Tunku Putra School had since expanded and relocated to a much peaceful area in Petra Jaya to promote a more comfortable and conducive educational atmosphere.

Tunku Putra School, which is named after Malaysia’s ‘Father of Independence’ or the nation’s first Prime Minister; the late Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, is a member of Cahya Mata Sarawak (CMS) Group of Companies.

The school’s layout is unique in a sense whereby one storey bungalows are built and connected via shaded walkways to house each class and age group.

“The design is quite interesting because it’s not usual to have a school housed in a whole series of bungalows. It’s almost unique and works very well,” Tunku Putra School’s principal, Peter David Morris told The Borneo Post in an interview.

He highlighted that this layout works well as it is more conducive and it promotes comfortable socialising environment for its students.

The school offers a wide range of classes for children ages three until 17. It also houses five different schools; the kindergarten, national primary, international primary, national secondary and international secondary.

The five schools, according to Morris, “is really nothing more than an administrative organisation because the children are well integrated (in national and international stream).” He outlined that the students share co-curricular and extra-curricular activities such as swimming, physical education (PE) and other outdoor activities.

With that, the main highlight to Tunku Putra School is its unique range of curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular programmes which aims to synergise unconventional academic subjects such as music, art and drama, into the traditional education system.

“What sets us apart is we place strong emphasis on aspects of the curriculum which, in Malaysia, tend not to get high priority.

“We are integrating those subjects (music, art, sports and drama) into the curriculum to eventually stand alongside all the traditional subjects such as Maths, English or Science,” Morris explained.

He further underscored, “The school is building on strong foundations and is now looking much wider. We’re looking at uncertain future problems.”

Morris added that Tunku Putra School is aiming to equip its students by making sure that alongside today’s academic requirements, the students are prepped to becoming developing citizens.

Additionally, to stimulate motivation and create a more exciting schooling life for its student, Tunku Putra School has stepped out of the ordinary by holding regular positive inter-school competitions or house competitions.

Morris said the goal of these competitions is to developments positive reinforcements in a student’s life as well as create excitement or ‘a buzz’ on school campus.

“All our programmes play a part to prepare our students for leisure time as well.

We’re trying to tackle leisure time with mind-expanding experiences, sporting, and healthy physical activities,” Morris added.

On future plans for the school, Morris noted that Tunku Putra School’s immediate plans are to continue its expansion in academic and extra curricular programmes.

Currently, the school had seen a large influx of new staffs to cope with its expanded academic and co-curricular expansion.

Morris said, the school is still looking for more specialise staffs to cater to its future expansion.

In addition, the principal outlined that Tunku Putra School is currently producing better examination results for its UPSR, SPM and internationally recognised International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) examinations.

He noted that the school’s best IGCSE results was last year.

Morris also noted that the school is looking to introduce internationally renowned ‘Duke of Edinburgh’s awards’ to its students, in the near future.

The principal concluded, “What sets Tunku Putra School apart is we are using the best elements of the traditions but we’re expanding them into this uncertain future by preparing our students and that means expanding curricular, co-curricular and extra curricular which calls for outstanding staffs to share that vision.”