Phor Tay High School is a government-aided, Buddhist, co-educational school, situated in Sungai Dua, Penang

Penang

Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...

, Malaysia. It is also the first and only Buddhist high school in Malaysia.

Previously an all girls’ school, Phor Tay High School was officially converted to a co-educational school after relocation from Jalan Bagan Jermal in 2009.

History

The school is named after Bodhi

Bodhi

Bodhi is both a Pāli and Sanskrit word traditionally translated into English with the word "enlightenment", but which means awakened. In Buddhism it is the knowledge possessed by a Buddha into the nature of things...

 which means enlightenment in Sanskrit. It is originated from the efforts of a Buddhist nun called Fang Lian in 1935. She came from the province of Xiamen in China to propagate Buddhism in Penang, Malaysia. Together with her followers, they set up the Phor Tay Institution to propagate Dahrma and train local Dharma preachers.

After the demise of Fang in 1939, her followers continued her mission and also initiated secular education through free school. The school was shut during the Second World War.

Phor Tay High School has shifted to Sungai Dua in 2009 due to the demand of national type high schools on the south-west part of Penang Island.

Principals

• Ong Long Shoo (1956–1959)
• Poh Cheng Hee(1959–1976)
• Lim Gin Hai (1976–1995)
• Yong Yue Fatt (1995–2004)
• Mok Kam Fatt (2004–2008)
• Lye Voon Seong (2009–2010)
• Chan Be Chu (2010–present)