Sultan Ismail College (SIC) is first known as Ismail English School (IES) is one of the oldest

school in Kelantan. It is well known for its students outstanding performance in SPM and PMR
examination as you could always hear the school name over the radio or television almost every
year. The school has produced so many public figures such as Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, the former
minister , Dato Ameer Mydin, the founder of Mydin wholesale emporiums and many well know
characters in various fields. IES was first established after the name of The Royal Highness Sultan
Ismail Ibni Almarhum Sultan Muhammad IV on the 5
th
January 1936. The school was placed
temporarily in a workshop building in Padang Garong Malay School, Jalan Hospital in Kota Bharu
with its first group of 37 year 1 students led by Tengku Mahmud Yusuf as the headmaster. In 1937,
IES had been moved to Kg. Kesina Dua, Jalan Telipot to cater the increasing number of students. The
location is 5km from Kota Bharu town centre and is under the Kota Bharu Education Office and
Kelantan Education Department. The school was known as the most famous English boys school in
Kelantan at that time and only selected brilliant students are chosen to enter the school. The IES
name was changed to Sultan Ismail College by DYMM Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Sultan Muhammad iv to
honour its contribution of producing many successful nations icons. SIC is at first reputed as a
secondary premier school before it was awarded the Cluster School of Excellence in 2009 for its
impressive academic and co-curricular achievements. SIC is a Garden concept school, where one
could see a spectacular view of school buildings surrounded by natural gardens and landscapes.
There are so many facilities available for students such as hostels, tennis courts, a squash building, a
huge football and rugby field, and many more. A conducive teaching and learning atmosphere has
been created through the dedication and commitment of the teachers since the first day it was
founded.
IES was initially opened for the sons of royalty and chiefs in Kelantan by British
Administration to cater for the lower administration post at that time. The medium instructions
were English as the syllabus was adopted from the British Education System. Those who are selected
to enter and had successfully performed in the exams were offered opportunities for further
education, employment in the civil services and access to scholarship. The British coloniliasiation had
caused the national education system at that time to utilized English as the primary language for
academic instruction. Students interact to their teachers in English and they would be penalised if
they failed. Most of the students learnt the language successfully and could converse proficiently as
the result of the the system. Before independence, the educational system in Malaya was in
accordance to Barnes report (1951). It was proposed that primary school in the national school
system operated in bilingual which were English and Malay language. So every teaching instruction
for the school were totally in English and students had to speak English as it was compulsory for
them to learn everything in English. This had served the students with meaningful experiences and
practice, despite giving them the extrinsic motivation of using the language as they could see the
significance objective of learning it. To some of the old generation who had lived during the era,
English had even became their first language and important second language as one could listen to
their British accent when they spoke the language. However they could still use Malay Language for
Malay Language subject.
In 1956, with the objective of reforming the Malayan educational system, another
educational proposal named Razak Report was released. An enhancement was made to the previous
educational policy by endorsing Malay Language as the medium of instruction and principle
language for integration in every school regardless Chinese and Indian vernacular institutions. Again,
the restructuring of the system did not change much of the role of English in IES as English is still
used as the medium language for all Science subjects. Students were still using English widely in
academic discussions and learning as most of them were selected students from all over Kelantan. A
former students of SIC at that time, Mr. Nik Mahamed recalled that he was using English because all
of his friends were speaking English. They had created the English speaking atmosphere at that time
where English is the main language to be used at school. However, they had to code switch to Malay
Language when they were at home as their first language was that language.
After Malaysia had achieved its independence in 1957, Bahasa Malaysia was proclaimed as
the national language. Nevertheless, English was still declared as the second most influential and
important language. Rahman Talib report (1960) recommended that in order to unite different races
in Malaysia, the use of bilingual instruction (Malay Language and English) should be enforced in
every school. Remove class have to be set up in vernacular schools to aid students learning English
and Malay Language. The Education Act was produced in 1961 based on the Razak and Rahman Talib
Report. The main objective of the act was to regulate education at all level by setting Malay
Language as the medium instructions, providing common curriculum and administering a common
public examination. The implementation of the act in 1970 had converted all English schools into
National type schools. This was also the result of the racial riot incident on the 16
th
May 1969 where
the government had to make a drastic change onto the educational system which could reinforce
the racial integration and union. In that year, SIC had been divided to two schools which were known
as Sekolah Menengah Sultan Ismail (SMKSI) catering for the lower secondary classes students and
Sultan Ismail College (SIC) for the upper secondary classes students. At the same time, the
government enforced the phasing out of the English in English Medium Schools all over Malaysia.
The switch to Malay Language had not neglected the importance of English in SIC. However, the
impact had taken its placed as what a former student at that time Mr.Karim exclaimed, 1970 was
the mark of declination of the amount of English exposure to students in SIC. Most of schools
events started to be conducted in Malay Language and teachers are communicating in Malay
Language to the students except for the English teachers. The new culture had been established in
the school but the English teachers were working hard to sustain the excellence of the English
subject in the school. Many English activities were devised at the class and the school level to
encourage students to use English as a mean of communication. English speaking week and English
speaking days were some of the initiatives to uphold the culture of speaking English among the
students.
In 1979, New Primary School Curriculum (KBSR) and New Secondary School Curriculum
(KBSM) were introduced. Both curricula were fully implemented in the year of (2000) aiming at
building English speaking, writing, listening and reading competency among students and to
promote the use of English in everyday life thus helping students to by fulfilling their future needs
after they graduated from schools. Literature components were introduced to the secondary school
syllabus to create enjoyment and interest to learn English in students. In order to instil the
appreciation towards literature, English poem recitation and short stories dramatization
competitions are held annually where the winners would be chosen to represent the school at
district level. In the year of 2001, a Language Laboratory was built in SIC which fully equipped with
computers and multimedia equipments. The learning of English could be carried out better with the
integration of technology in classrooms. In 2003, English was made as the medium of instruction for
Mathematics and Science subject. English, Science and Technology (EST) subject was then
introduced to upper secondary level and was made as a requirement subject for science stream
students. A lot of English extra classes were held to help students cope with the sudden change of
medium language in the two crucial subjects. Mrs. Haninah, an English teacher in SIC reciprocated
that the government moved to change the medium of instruction was too abrupt and had caused
students to have problems in translating the technical terms for the subjects. However, it was a good
exposure in preparing the students to the tertiary level particularly in science and technology where
most reference materials are mainly in English.
However in 2009, the government aborted the policy and announced the teaching of both
subject in national language. The government has implemented Upholding Malay Language and
Strengthening English program in 2011. The objective is to retain Malay Language as national
language and as medium of unity and solidarity, simultaneously enhancing English proficiency
among the students. Under the new program, there are a lot of new English events and programs
are devised to help enhancing students proficiency in English. One of the most effective programs
that have been carried out is Peer Teacher where students are selected based on their
achievement in English result to facilitate their friends who have problems in learning English.
English Camps are also held for two times every year targeting to aid low achiever for Examination
classes in English subjects. Students will be spending a week attending various English workshops
and English based activities. Students are made compulsory to converse in English during English
classes, English day and English Week. They would be fined 20 cents for each Malay Language words
spoken on the particular time.