Kolej Tuanku Ja'afar was founded in 1989 by members of the Negeri Sembilan Royal Family. Their vision was to create a school which encapsulated the strengths and values of a British boarding education, infused with the vitality of Malaysian culture.
Tunku Naquiyuddin
Tunku Dara
Tunku ImranThe formation of KTJ was a game changer in the Malaysian education landscape, paving the way for holistic education which balances academic excellence with character development. The concept gained support from the Ministry of Education and the corporate sector. 17 companies in Malaysia believed that the vision of the founders would add value to the education ecosystem and stepped forward to provide the initial loans for the construction of the School.
The pioneer team, led by our first Principal, Laurence (Laurie) Rimmer, laid the physical and academic foundations for the School, and in 1991 we welcomed our first students.
They comprised mainly Malaysian students and international expatriate children whose parents worked in Malaysia. Our international student enrolment grew in tandem with our reputation, and today KTJ has students from over 24 countries.
As KTJ continues to evolve, we remain steadfast in our commitment to provide a first-class, holistic education to our students. Our rigorous academic curriculum and range of co-curricular activities are not only kept relevant but are underpinned by the School's values of integrity, empathy and mutual respect.
As a result, we are proud to say that our alumni have graduated from KTJ as kind, independent, forward-thinking individuals who have gone on to Make It in an impressive range of fields all over the world.
View our interactive timeline below to see the milestones in KTJ’s history.
Learn more about the members of our Board of Trustees.