SMK Haji Zainul Abidin

SMK Haji Zainul Abidin, had strange history for a school.

1. It had changed name twice, from Scotland Road Secondary School, then to Haji Zainul Abidin School, and now SMK Haji Zainul Abidin.

2. It was formed by 6 extension schools, namely Sekolah Menengah Lanjutan Westland(Westland Extension Secondary School), which together with Sekolah Menengah Lanjutan Georgetown(Georgetown Extension Secondary School), Sekolah Menengah Lanjutan Tanjong(Tanjong Extension Secondary School), Sekolah Menengah Lanjutan MaCalister(Macalister Extension Secondary School), Sekolah Menengah Lanjutan Jalan Kelawei(Kelawei Road Extension Secondary School) and Sekolah Menengah Lanjutan Glugor(Glugor Extension Secondary School). It was originally a lower secondary school, classes from Remove to Form 3, preparing students for LCE(Lower Certificate of Education).

3. It moved from the original school location at Scotland Road(which the original name was based) to now the Jalan Halminton Road, giving way to Sekolah Menengah Agama Lelaki Al-Manshoor, a residential religious school.

4. It was the school that admit students with special needs, e.g. visually disabled students.

SMK Haji Zainul Abidin indeed had a unique history, that no other school will experience.

SMK Haji Zainul Abidin(再纳阿比汀中学)

Scotland Road Secondary School(1965-1972)

Sekolah Menengah Lanjutan Westland(Westland Extension Secondary School), which together with Sekolah Menengah Lanjutan Georgetown, Sekolah Menengah Lanjutan Tanjong, Sekolah Menengah Lanjutan MaCalister, Sekolah Menengah Lanjutan Jalan Kelawei and Sekolah Menengah Lanjutan Glugor to form a new lower secondary school on 11th January 1965, the name of the school is Scotland Road Secondary School, named after the road nearby. The first headmaster was Mr. Lim San Hoe who was transferred from Westland Secondary School on 1st January 1965.


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SMK Haji Zainul Abidin was located formally at Scotland Road, Penang. It was opened in 1965 to formalize the 6 extension schools into a lower secondary school. It was known as Scotland Road Secondary School with a student population of about 726.
In 1967, the school was officiated by the then cheif minister of Penang, YAB Tan Sri Wong Pow Nee.

Haji Zainul Abidin School(1972-2009)

In 1972 the name of the school was changed to Haji Zainul Abidin School in rememberance to the noble deed of a local Malay educationist who is none other than Tuan Haji Zainul Abidin bin Sultan Mydin of Penang.

In 1982, students with low vision were also placed in this school via a programme known as Blind Students Assimilation Programme and it was the first school in Penang to have such a programme. Blind and low vision students will study together with normal sighted students using the same curriculum and classrooms. This is to ensure that visually disabled students were able to be part of society and be independence when they leave school.

In 1985, Haji Zainul Abidin school became a full-fledged secondary school, and in 1986 112 pioneer students took the SPM examination for the first time.

1986 saw an increase in the number of students to 1371.

SMKHZA(SMK Haji Zainul Abidin)2009 until now

On 12th Sep 2009 Sekolah Haji Zainul Abidin, Jalan Scotland officially transferred to Sekolah Menengah Agama Lelaki Al-Manshoor. SHZA then relocated to Jalan Hamilton and was known as SMKHZA(SMK Haji Zainul Abidin).

It is now located at Jalan Hamilton Jelutong, Penang


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