The Victoria Institution is the oldest secondary school in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is a memorial school, so-called because it was partly funded by public subscription intended for the erection of a permanent memorial to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887. The establishment of the school was further supported by financial contributions from the Sultan and government of Selangor, prominent Kuala Lumpur residents, and the general public.
The school reverted to its original name (instead of SMK Victoria) in February 2009, after being granted approval in recognition of its having been declared part of Malaysia's national heritage.
The Victoria Institution is a secondary school for male students only from Form 1 to 5. Female students are accepted for Form 6 (Lower and Upper). The school is widely known as VI, and a student of the Victoria Institution is known as a Victorian.
After the Technical College had moved out, the old VI building was used as a school again, as High Street School, which in turn moved to Setapak and became known as Setapak High School.
The old VI building was then managed around the 1980s by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall as a cultural centre, known as Taman Budaya, until it was burnt down by a fire in 1999. Restoration work was made from 2002 to 2005 by JTK Consult. The department is now run as the National Department For Culture & Arts.
The current building (1929–present)
As the VI's former location was frequently flooded by the nearby Klang River during heavy downpours, the Victoria Institution moved to Jalan Hang Tuah (formerly known as Shaw Road) on 26 March 1929.
The Main Hall at E Block.
The Victoria Institution has a clock tower overlooking two sports pavilions at its façade, and a large field, surrounded by colonial-era trees (yellow flame trees and palms). The VI also has its own 25-metre swimming pool and synthetic track for 100 metres sprint events, making it the only school in the region with these facilities at that time.
Student life
Traditions and heritage
The VI is also home to the oldest cadet corps in the country, the Victoria Institution Cadet Corps (affiliated with the Malaysian Army and the first to receive Colours in 1960 in honor of the role played in the Second World War), the oldest cadet corps band in the country, the Victoria Institution Cadet Corps Band, and the oldest scout group in the country, the First Kuala Lumpur Scout Troop. The First Kuala Lumpur Scout Troop split into two troops in 1933 thus establishing the First Kuala Lumpur Scout Troop and the Second Kuala Lumpur Scout Troop. The official name of the Second Kuala Lumpur Scout Troop today is the Victoria Scout Group.
The Alumni Association of the VI is known as the VIOBA (Victoria Institution Old Boys' Association) and was founded in 1922. The games competition between the Current Victorians and the Old Boys is for the Daniel Shield and this tournament is held every year. There is a similar Alumni Association in Singapore, the VIOBA Singapore.
Shafie Apdal, Minister for Domestic Trade & Consumer Affairs; Minister for Unity, Culture, Arts and National Heritage; Minister for Rural and Regional Development; VP, UMNO; Founder of WARISAN; MP for Semporna; Chief Minister and Finance Minister of Sabah, ADUN for Senallang
Sri Ramachandran s/o Gopal Iyer [Gopal Sri Ram], Judge, Federal Court of Appeal, Prosecutor
Aidit Alfian, songwriter/producer, winner of TV3's 17th Juara Lagu 2002, Keliru
Mohd Zaman Khan, former director of Police CID & former Director General of Malaysian Prison
Khairul Annuar bin Abdul Aziz, president of Petroleum Dealers Association of Malaysia (2016-present) and former president of Petronas Petroleum Dealers Association of Malaysia (2014-2022)
