Sang Nila Utama Secondary School

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School History

Sang Nila Utama Secondary School, formerly located at Upper Aljunied Road, was the first Malay-medium secondary school established in Singapore and the third secondary school built after Singapore achieved self-government in 1959. It was named after Sang Nila Utama, the Prince of Palembang who was believed to be the founder of Singapura. The school was officially opened in 1961.

The opening of the secondary school was seen as the most significant milestone in the development of Malay education in Singapore since the establishment of the first Malay primary school at Telok Blangah in 1856. The school offered Malay-Stream secondary and pre-university classes and Malay-stream technical classes. The school transformed from a pure Malay-medium school into an integrated school in 1968 by starting two English stream secondary classes. In 1972, under an initiative by a joint committee of Muslim societies, the school began to organise Malay-medium tutorial classes to assist pre-university students to prepare for the Higher School Certificate Examination.

Sang Nila Utama Secondary School stopped accepting pre-university students at the beginning of 1979. The existing pre-university Malay stream classes were transferred to Bartley Secondary School. By 1987, the student population declined to less than a hundred and the school ceased operation by 1988.

Among the graduates of Sang Nila Utama Secondary School are several prominent personalities, including Yatiman Yusof, Singapore’s then high commissioner to Kenya; and Mohamad Maidin, former senior parliamentary secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Prolific Malay writer Masuri Salikun and former Senior Parliamentary Secretary to Minister for Culture Sha’ari Tadin who once taught at the school.

After the school’s closure, the building served as temporary accommodation for Cedar Girls’ Secondary School from 1990 to 1994 when the latter’s school building underwent renovation. **Today, the Bidadari Estate occupies the former site of the school. In 2019, the lane where the school used to be was named Sang Nila Utama Boulevard. **

Principals:
- Mr Ismail bin Abdul Aziz (1963)
- Mr Shaari Tadin (1967-1968)
- Mr Sardi bin Sharif (1970-1979)
- Mr Muhammad Jaafar (1979-1982)

Key Milestones


1961	Founding and official Opening of Sang Nila Utama Secondary School.
1963	Official visit by Raja Permaisuri Agong.
1968	Offering of English-stream secondary classes.
1969	Completion of extension blocks that included additional classrooms, science laboratories, demonstration room and rooms for Home Economics.
1979	Cessation of pre-university student enrolment.
1988	Closure of school.

School Motto

Berusaha Supaya Berjaya (Strive for Success)

School Crest

School Song

School song unavailable

We are boys and girls of Sang Nila,
Sang Nila Utama is our pride.
We are here to learn, obey and play,
To strive for success is our guide.

Together we are a family,
United in everything we do,
We will forge ahead,
Achieve our goal,
And seek wisdom, both old and new.

We’ll wave our banners high,
We’ll strive for truth and glory,
Heaven knows how hard we really try,
To serve our school and country.

Then it’s time for us to say goodbye,
Now we’re strong and bold in our ways,
We can fend for ourselves,
And face the world, Oh, so happy were our schooldays.

Source: Sang Nila Utama School Magazine (1984)