Kolej Sultan Abdul Hamid - Co-education

Co-education

Since its earliest days, the college had allowed co-education. The first girl student was one Lily Thomas who, after a couple of years' study, left for Rangoon.

After World War II, there was an increase in the number of girls admitted to the College. In an article in the Darulaman Magazine of 1953, Ramlah Hj Zainuddin wrote: "Owing to the shortage of teachers and the small number of students in Kampong Baru Girls' School (KBGS), co-education has been introduced into the Sultan Abdul Hamid College (SAHC) in 1948. KBGS sent only students of standard seven. They were Kalsom and Swee Eng, but towards the end of the year Che Zaidah joined them." When asked how she found life in the new school among so many boys, Che Zaidah replied that she did not experience any discrimination from the boys nor was there any attempt by any of the boys at disturbing the girls.

In 1949, a second batch consisting of four Malay girls, among them Tunku Sakinah, the daughter of the Sultan of Kedah, joined the College. In 1950, eleven girls were admitted. The number of girls admitted in 1951 dropped considerably. This was due to a decision of the Headmistress of KBGS to send only those she considered to be the best. By the beginning of 1952 only eight girls were left in the College. However, in 1953, nineteen females were admitted.

The big transfer of girls to the College created quite a stir among the students. In 1953, four more girls joined the College, making the number to twenty four in standard VIII G. In 1954, the College started Sixth Form and the first batch, of three girls joined the female student population. This was the period when the College had its biggest number of girls.