St. Andrew's School is a private, co-educational school in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei offering kindergarten, primary and secondary education to more than 1000 students. It accepts foreign students. St. Andrew's School is located in Jalan Hj. Basir in the heart of Bandar Seri Begawan opposite Pusar Ulak Primary School.
Places at the school are in high demand, and applicants are tested in English, Malay and mathematics. Classes in Kindergarten and lower primary are taught in Malay, while from upper primary to upper secondary English is used. Lower Secondary students study for a local examination called the Penilaian Menengah Bawah (Malay for Lower Secondary Assessment Exam) whereas Upper Secondary students study for the Brunei-Cambridge General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level (GCE O' Level).
The school has consistently produced outstanding results for not only the public examinations like the Penilaian Menengah Bawah (PMB) and the GCE O' Level, but has also consistently produced champions in both national and international competitions. St. Andrew's School team won the Brunei National Mathematics Quiz for the sixth time in a row in 1999.
Although initially founded as an Anglican school, it aims to serve "all races, creeds, cultures and nationalities in the country". Halal food is served in the canteen.
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The school was founded in 1956 by Canon Paul Chong En Siong, as a primary school with 70 students and 3 teachers. It was the first Anglican school in Brunei. Until 1964 it was based in a church vicarage. That year it moved to its current locations, a site donated by Dato Ong Kim Kee. The school introduced Computer Studies classes in 1995.
The school motto is "Courage and Love", and is reflected in the first stanza of the school song.
St. Andrew's School song
From mid-1990s onwards (possibly earlier), only the first two verses are sung (a possible reason is that the inclusion of the word 'Jew' in the third verse is generally frowned upon by the predominantly Muslim country the school is located in).
VERSE 1:
United we stand at St.Andrew's for truth, for truth; Determined forever to choose the truth, the truth; In games and studies, in all we do, Nothing comes above Our search for truth that makes us free, With courage and with love.
VERSE 2:
We ask that we live and we labour in peace, in peace; Each man shall be our neighbour in peace, in peace; Distrust and hatred will turn to love, All the prisoners freed, And our only war will be the one Against all human need.
VERSE 3:
We work for the end of disunion, in Truth, in truth; That all may be one communion, in truth, in truth; We choose the path of peace and prayer Countless pilgrims trod, So that Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Jew, We all can worship one God.
VERSE 4:
We call to our friends and our brothers, Unite! Unite! That all may live for others, Unite! Unite! And so the nations will be as one, One the flag unfurled, One law, one faith, one hope, one truth, One people and one world.
1. Canon Paul Chong En Siong (1957–1963) 2. Mr. Daniel Alchuk (1964) 3. Father Paul Samuel (1964–1966) 4. Father William Arnold Marshall (1967–1970) 5. Father Lance Johnston (1970–1973) 6. Mr. Koshy (1973–1989) 7. Mr. Solomon Soo (1990–2000) 8. Mr. Jacob Chin (2000–2007) 9. Ms. Jane Keasberry (2008–present)
1. Mr. Peter Tow (? - 1987) 2. Mr. David Pang (1987–1994) 3. Mr. Peter Khor (1994–2004) 4. Ms. Jane Keasberry (2004–2008) 5. Mr. Chong Ah Fook (2008–present)
1. Mr. Wheeler Seneviratne (? - 1988) 2. Mrs. Ho (1988–1989) 3. Mr. R.L. Tiwary (1989–2004) 4. Mrs. Kang (2004–present)
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