SMA Persekutuan Labu

Sekolah Menengah Agama Persekutuan Labu (SMAPL or SMAP Labu) or formerly Sekolah Menengah Agama Wilayah Persekutuan (SMAWP) (English: Federal Islamic School of Labu; Arabic: المعهد الإسلامي الفدرالي بلابو) is one of the three federal-funded Islamic Religious secondary boarding schools (Sekolah Berasrama Penuh) in Malaysia and is in Labu, one of the small towns in north Seremban, Negeri Sembilan. The school used to be located in Klang (1982) and Petaling Jaya (1983–87), Selangor and named Sekolah Menengah Agama Wilayah Persekutuan, before it moved to Labu in 1987. The school is known as one of the Sekolah Kluster Kecemerlangan (fourth phase) and Sekolah Berprestasi Tinggi (second cohort).

History

SMAPL (SMAWP) was founded in January 1982, and was suggested by the director of Islamic Education (Pengarah Pendidikan Islam), Ministry of Education (Malaysia), Tan Sri Datuk Paduka Dr Abdul Hamid Othman. This idea came up with the awareness of the Islamic Religion Council of Wilayah Persekutuan (Majlis Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan) on building an Islamic Religious School in Kuala Lumpur. After the suggestion was accepted by the government, the school was named Sekolah Menengah Agama Wilayah Persekutuan (SMAWP).

At first, when SMAWP did not own a building, the approximately 500 students (which consisted of form 1, 4, and lower 6 students) were taught at Kolej Islam Klang's building in Selangor. The first generation of the students were taught by about 40 teachers, led by the school's first principal, Tuan Hj Muhammad bin Shafie.

Following a demonstration by its students in the school compound in Klang as well as at Ministry's office at Lebuh Pasar Besar Kuala Lumpur(this incident made front page coverage by several print medias), after one year of temporary lodging at KIK, in January 1983 SMAWP was relocated to a temporary building in the campus of International Islamic University Malaysia (Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia), in Section 16, Petaling Jaya. In 1985, Tuan Hj Muhamad Yusof bin Abu Bakar became the next principal and served until the end of 1985. During his time, SMAWP won the Bahas Bahasa Melayu Piala Perdana Menteri in the same year.

The next principal, Tuan Hj Muhd Yusof bin Hj Ahmad, came to continue SMAWP's legacy. At the same time, the Ministry of Education (Malaysia) solved their problem in April 1987 by lending a building in KM 11, Jalan Labu which was supposed to be the place for the 'Maktab Perguruan'. The building was given to the school and was officially opened in July 1989 by Duli Yang Maha Mulia Tuanku Jaafar ibni Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman, the Sultan of Negeri Sembilan at that time. The name SMAWP was later changed to Sekolah Menengah Agama Persekutuan Labu (SMAPL) and remains the same until today.

A year later, the school members, which consisted of 73 teachers and 1000 students, led by the next principal, Tuan Hj Mahmud bin Mohd Rashid, successfully shined the school and resulted in SMAPL being 'adopted' by the International Islamic University Malaysia (Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia) and Forestry Department (Jabatan Perhutanan).

On 16 June 1989, Tuan Hj Abu Bakar bin Lebai Mat came as the next principal (replacing Tuan Hj Mahmud bin Mohd Rashid who moved to Kuching). He was responsible for the spearhead of Kegiatan Kumpulan Khidmat Sekolah. After six years of service, he was positioned to be the principal at Maktab Perguruan Islam Bangi and the absence of a principal lasted about nine months.

On 17 December 1994, the next principal, Tuan Hj Abdul Rahman bin Halim came and lead the school to its first record on being the first school in Malaysia to have 100% of its Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia candidates achieving Grade 1 (Gred Satu). He was later replaced by Tuan Hj Paiman bin Jemo, the senior assistant of Students' Affair (Penolong Kanan Hal Ehwal Murid); he was also offered the principal position at Maktab Perguruan Islam Bangi.

SMAPL continued under the leadership of Tuan Hj Paiman bin Jemo, who was known for his principle on SMAPL for being 'the Centre of Excellence'. During his time of service, in 1997, Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak (the Minister of Education) came to the school to announce the SPM 1996 results himself. The same year, SMAPL gained the title Juara Berganda, being the best school for SPM and STPM examination in 1996. SMAPL also created its own record for being the first school in Malaysia to have 100% of its Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia candidates achieved Grade 1 for three years in a row: 1996, 1997, 1998.

In 1998, Tuan Hj Mat Yunoh bin Hj Dollah replaced him and became the principal from 1998 to 2004. Before that Tuan Hj Mat Yunoh was the senior assistant of Students' Affair. In 2002, SMAPL gained another three-storey building for the Biology Lab, workshops for the Studies of Living Skills and some other classes.

In 2004, Tuan Hj Abdullah bin Endut came in to replace as principal and during his years of duty, in 2005, SMAPL gained another new building, a two-storey ICT lab, as a facility to enhance student intellectual skills in computers and programming.

The next Principal was Puan Hajah Khuzaimah binti Haji Sulaiman. She was the 'Pengetua Cemerlang JUSA C' and the first woman principal of the school from 2005 until 13 March 2007. In 2007, SMAPL celebrated its Silver Jubilee, denoting its 25 years of establishment.

Now the principal is Puan Hajah Radziah binti Abdul Samad who started on 16 April 2007. During her time of service, SMAPL gained another four-storey building which is known as the G block. Some of the school facilities are placed here such as the new open hall, the Dewan Seri Lestari, the new Foreign Language lab, Visual Arts room, some of the lower Form 6 classes and also the dental treatment room. During her service, SMAPL has gained the title Sekolah Kluster Kecemerlangan and Sekolah Berprestasi Tinggi.

SMAPL landmark - the stairs to the office

Symbols

• Motto: "Knowledgeable, Faithful and Practising"

Facilities

• Main hall, the Dewan Seri Bestari
• Open hall, the Dewan Seri Lestari
• Dining hall, the Dewan Makan 'Ain Tasneem
• Mosque or musolla, the Musolla Al-Mustaqim
• Two science labs (for lower form students)
• Two labs each for Biology, Physics and Chemistry departments.
• Resource room for Malay Language committee
• Special rooms for English, Mathematics, and Arabic Language subjects.
• Three rooms for the Foreign Language Committee (Japanese, Mandarin, and French)
• Library
• Three workshops for Integrated Life Skills Education (electrical, piping and woodworking)
• Two rooms for Integrated Life Skills Education, Home Economics (sewing and cooking)
• Room for Visual Arts Education
• Canteen, the Nadhratunnaim Cafe
• Gymnasium

Sports facilities

• Field for football, rugby, athletics.
• Field for hockey, handball, netball, cricket, pétanque, silat.
• Two basketball courts, two tennis courts, and a court for takraw.
• Archery range.

References

• SMAPL website
• Buku Jubli Perak SMAP Labu 2007