GEORGE TOWN: Southeast Asia's oldest girls' school here - Convent Light Street - is opening a private international school on part of its sea-fronting premises.
The 168-year-old school which is located within the city's United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) heritage core zone, is part of the Roman Catholic Convent Light Street, which was established by three French sisters of the Holy Infant Jesus Mission in 1852.
The school's last batch of students are expected to graduate from the national education system in 2024.
In a statement issued today, The Infant Jesus Sisters Malaysia, the owner of the Convent Light Street Penang (CLS), said that it would be collaborating with education provider ACE Edventure to open a private international school using part of the CLS's premises.
"The co-ed school, to start as soon as approval has been obtained from the authorities, will initially offer Year 1 to Year 10 classes leading to the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) with an entrepreneurial component," the statement said.
CLS was the first school set up by the IJ Sisters upon their arrival in Malaysia from Paris in 1852 and has grown to be one of the nation's premier schools.
"But due to a continuous decline in enrolment of students in the last decade and escalating costs to maintain the heritage school buildings, the IJ Sisters had asked for the return of the CLS premises from the Ministry of Education, approval of which was granted in 2018," the statement said.
"Not forgetting their mission to provide wholesome education to children, irrespective of race or creed, the IJ Sisters had been actively meeting with a number of reputable school operators over the last one year to identify one with similar aspirations and like-mindedness, and found ACE Edventure a good fit."
ACE Edventure was touted in the statement as "an establishment able to provide affordable learning that is dynamic, progressive and relevant and, most important of all, willing to maintain the ethos of the IJ Convent schools with their emphasis on character building."
ACE Edventure's founders, Anne Tham and Melinda Lim, are both CLS alumni, and currently operating three private schools - Sirius Scholar in Subang Jaya, Sri Emas in Petaling Jaya and Dwi Emas in Shah Alam.
"The IJ Sisters look forward to this collaboration with ACE Edventure and the new role CLS will play towards the advancement of private education in Malaysia."
After establishing a foothold in Penang, the site where CLS stands today, was reportedly acquired in 1859 by Mother St Mathilde Raclot.
The land expanded over the years to include a chapel, nunnery, orphanage, school and boarding house.
It is the oldest girls' school in Malaysia and its alumni are also known as 'Colistrians'.
Penang is currently home to nine international schools.