Kolej Sultan Abdul Hamid (; abbreviated SAHC; also known as Maktab Sultan Abdul Hamid) located in Alor Setar, Kedah, is one of Malaysia's oldest and most prestigious schools. Founded in 1908 as Government English School (G.E.S.), it is also one of the country's oldest English-medium schools. The students of Kolej, are mostly boys as Forms 1 to 5 are for boys only, and the Lower and Upper Sixth Forms are co-educational. There were only 50 students back in the year 1908 and by 2007 more than 1200 students were enrolled. The school is fondly known as "Kolej" to the people of Alor Setar and also Kedah as a whole. Students of this school are proudly known as "Collegians". The school's yearly magazine, Darulaman ("the abode of peace"), takes its name from the state of Kedah's honorific title. The school celebrated its 100 years in existence in the year 2008 and the Sultan Abdul Hamid Old Collegians' Association(SAHOCA) has built a new hall, the Dewan Centennial Sultan Abdul Halim in the school to commemorate the 100 year celebrations. The hall was officiated on May 18, 2016 and is named after Seri Paduka Baginda Yang Di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia (Supreme King of Malaysia), also the present Sultan of the state of Kedah, Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah who was also named the "Collegian of the Century" during the school's 100 year celebrations in 2008. History The First School In 1908, before Kedah came under British protection, the state's government appointed Mohamad bin Iskandar, a senior teacher at the Penang Free School and the father of Mahathir Mohamad (fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia), as the first headmaster of the "Government English School" (GES), which was the state's first English school. The school was housed in a wooden building between the Alor Setar High Court building (now known as Galeria Sultan Abdul Halim) and the Balai Nobat facing the junction of Jalan Baru (now known as Jalan Putera). The small building, which could accommodate no more than 50 pupils, had previously been the office of Chief Minister Wan Md Saman, who was instrumental in the construction of the Wan Md. Saman canal. In 1910, Mohamad bin Iskandar resigned and returned to the Penang Free School leaving the G.E.S. in the hands of Md. Salleh. Ismail Merican, another Senior Assistant Master at the Penang Free School, was appointed Headmaster the following