KTJ Houses - Student Handbook
1. WELCOME TO KTJ
1.1 Welcome from the Principal
A very warm welcome to KTJ’s diverse community. KTJ is an outstanding international school with fantastic facilities and dedicated, highly qualified staff. At KTJ, you will be supported and challenged academically and you will also have many opportunities to take part in a very wide range of extracocurricular activities. You will get the most out of what is on offer if you remain open-minded and try new things.
The values that are central to KTJ are at the bottom of every page of this booklet. All members of the KTJ community work on demonstrating these values in all that they do. Please do have a think about the values of integrity, empathy and mutual respect and how you can express them.
I really look forward to meeting you; I am sure you will be very happy here.
Dr. Glenn Moodie Principal
1.2 Welcome from the Director of Houses
The inspiration for KTJ stemmed from the Founders' experience attending British boarding schools. Their vision of creating a school that encapsulated the strengths and values of a British boarding education, infused with the vitality of Malaysian culture, remains as strong today as it was in 1989. Boarding and the house system are the jewels in Kolej Tuanku Ja'afar's crown, the "secret sauce" that helps you grow and flourish, and allows the school to provide a truly holistic education.
Our dedicated and experienced House parents are devoted to creating a safe, harmonious space that is warm, homely, and nurturing. Our houses, both day and boarding, are essential settings to manifest the three key ideals from our school song: loyalty, learning, and leadership. Through the house system, students build a deep loyalty to one another and to their house a loyalty that's manifested through sport and competition and endures well into adulthood. The house is also a place of learning, where students study and collaborate daily, with support from seniors and house staff. And through the house system comes leadership, with the independence and resilience fostered by boarding life providing a multitude of opportunities for our boys and girls to transform into young men and women who lead their peers with confidence, élan, and pride. Most importantly, your boarding house is your home, a place you will return to and feel safe, surrounded by friends and looked after by adults who care deeply about you. Never feel that a question is too basic – we are here to help.
Hamish Farquharson Director of Houses
1.3 What it is like to be a boarder at KTJ?
As a boarder at KTJ, you are joining a warm and welcoming community. If you are not used to a busy, sometimes noisy environment, you may take some time to adapt. It is likely that you will be sharing a bedroom, however, what you lose in privacy you gain in friendship. You will be surrounded by people who know exactly what it is like to be living away from home, and who understand the occasional times when you may feel homesick. This is normal and it will go away fairly quickly if you keep yourself busy. You will have a team of staff: House parents, House Coordinators, House Tutors as well as a personal Form Teacher who will all work hard to help you settle into the school. You will also be assigned a buddy, a fellow student, who will help you in the first few weeks of term.
Living and studying in one place will provide you with much more time to get on with whatever activities you enjoy, in the company of your friends. If you are used to having to spend an hour or more each day travelling to and from school, at KTJ you will enjoy the luxury of waking up in the morning in the midst of the campus. We are located in stunning countryside, so you will have the opportunity to enjoy learning in a beautiful environment. For a lot of our students, the best aspects of boarding school life are playing sports and enjoying outdoor activities using our excellent facilities. You will also make friends with students from different nationalities, cultures and backgrounds.
Living here may also make a great difference to how you spend your free time. It will certainly offer you the opportunity to do things that you have never done before, but it may also restrict you in ways you are not used to if you have had a lot of freedom already. Remember that you will be one of a community of more than eight hundred pupils for which the school is responsible. We have rules about when you can come and go, and with whom, so your parents and we know where you are, and that you are safe.
Life in a boarding school is excellent preparation for university and employment as it provides many of the soft skills that are sought after. Boarders have to be tolerant and able to live with other people, and yet must think for themselves. Boarding will encourage you to care for others and get involved, but also to have your own opinions and not to follow others blindly. Experience of boarding will teach you to be independent, but also make you more appreciative of your family and home life.
Overall, the boarding experience will put you in touch with a network of like-minded people from across the globe and give you a great foundation on which to build at university and in later life. Here is a really useful BSA article for those of you who will be boarding for the first time:
How to Thrive as a Boarder.
1.4 What it is like to be a day student at KTJ?
Day students can enjoy many of the benefits boarding students do, and there is now the option for day students to have all their meals at school, and even complete prep within their day house until it closes at 9pm each day. Each student will be assigned to a House - Forms 1 and 2 will join Naquiah Day House and Forms 3 to 5 will join Rahman House. Your Houseparent, as well as the House Tutors, will help and guide you on a day-to-day basis. You will also be assigned a Form Teacher, whom you will meet regularly. During the day, in your free time, you should base yourself in your House as this will help you bond more strongly with other students and will increase your opportunities to be involved in House events, of which there are many. It will also help House Staff get to know you and for you to get to know them.
Within your House, day students will be assigned a locker where you can leave your books, sports kit and your mobile phone during the school day.
All day students are expected to sign up for after-school activities (see the CCA and activities section below) and to join in with House practices/events after school. One of the key features of life at KTJ is the wide range of activities and experiences on offer, which give all students many opportunities to develop their skills and interests beyond the academic curriculum.
Many of our day students eventually become boarders as they move through the school. Where space allows, day students sometimes stay overnight in the Houses to experience life as a boarder. There is a daily charge of RM175 for this service.
1.5 Our Community
Our community is diverse in nationality, culture and background. While most of our students are Malaysians, there are nearly 20 nationalities represented at KTJ. About 250 are day students while the rest of the approximately 600 secondary student population are boarders.
Our staff come from a variety of countries including Malaysia, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Korea, Canada, France, Kenya, Australia and New Zealand. There is a balance between teachers with many years of experience and those newer to teaching. Staff retention is high, and many teachers have been here for more than 10 years. The Principal comes from New Zealand and has extensive experience of working in successful schools in the UK and overseas.
Our Support Staff primarily come from Malaysia. They ensure our services, such as the playing fields, the swimming pool, the boarding houses, and the food provision, are maintained to a very high standard for the benefit and enjoyment of our students.
As well as staff who have joined KTJ as adults, we have several alumni who are also members of staff at KTJ. This includes teachers in primary and secondary, house coordinators and our school doctor.
1.6 Facilities On Campus
As well as classrooms and laboratories, there are many other facilities on campus:
● At the front of the school there is an Admin block that houses the Registrar, the Principal and his support staff, Accounts and Human Resources
● The Kedai Runcit is a traditional boarding school tuck shop that sells essential snacks, drink as well as basic washing and hygiene essentials.
● The Arc contains Rahman House, Cafe Diem and the school shop
● The Tuanku Najihah Hall (TNH), popularly known as the multipurpose hall (MPH) contains a large space for 6 badminton courts and 2 basketball courts, a gym, a climbing wall and three squash courts
● There are two outdoor swimming pools, five fields (for football, rugby, hockey, cricket and athletics), four outdoor tennis courts, two outdoor basketball courts, two netball courts and a running track
● The Sixth Form Centre (SFC) contains photocopying facilities, a computer room, large and small areas for study, a billiards room, a common room and a pantry.
● The Auditorium has seating for 680 students. In the same building there are also dance and drama studios
● Our Waterfront building contains the state-of-the-art facilities required for art, music and design technology
● Each House has a pantry, study areas, a laundry and a common room, as well as bedrooms and bathrooms.
● Surau for Muslim students
● School Shop - where students can purchase uniform and stationary, as well as other school supplies
● The Health Centre - we have a full-time school doctor, and resident matrons are on duty 24 hours a day
2. WELCOME TO YOUR HOUSE
2.1 Induction Programme
There is an extensive induction programme that runs for all new students to KTJ whenever they arrive at our school, with a focus being placed on August and January arrivals. Within these programmes, students are offered the chance to learn about the school, its history and its values whilst also getting the chance to mingle and socialise with their peers through a variety of activities that occur through both school and the boarding houses.
Full details of each induction programme will be sent to all families of new students before they arrive.
2.2 What to Bring to School (Packing List)
While most items are provided for at KTJ, there are some things that you will need to bring to school:
Please see the full packing list here
2.3 What Not to Bring to School
The school will take necessary steps to provide a safe environment, but it cannot be held responsible for any loss of valuable items, such as jewellery, expensive watches, mobile phones, laptops or other electrical goods. You are advised to ensure you take proper care of your belongings. There is no need to bring any expensive items which may go missing.
KTJ is a smoke/vape-free campus. Smoking/vaping paraphernalia, along with alcohol, weapons, pornography and illegal substances should never be brought on-site.
2.4 Routines (Timings of the day)
2.4.1 A Typical Weekday
6.30am - 8:00am Rise (CCA dependent)
6:45am - 7:30am Simple Breakfast
7:30am - 08:30am Full Breakfast
7:00am - 9:00am CCAs
9:00am – 4:00pm Lessons
1:30pm - 2:30pm Lunch (from 13:00 for 6F)
4:30pm - 5:30pm CCAs
5:30pm - 6:15pm Free time / house time
6:15pm - 7:30pm Dinner
7:45pm - 8:45pm First prep
8:45pm - 9:15pm Social Hour
9:15pm - 10:00pm Second Prep (F5/6)
9:30pm - 11:30pm Bedtimes
July 2025
Sixth Form students and others who do not have the first lesson of the day are expected to be out of bed, ready for the day by 9am. Students should not be showering, cooking, doing laundry, sleeping, or visiting other Houses in lesson times as it is a time set aside for study.
2.4.2 A Typical Weekend
Saturday
9:30am - 1:00pm Brunch
1:00pm - 1:30pm Roll Call in houses
1:30pm - 6:00pm Afternoon School Activities
6:15pm - 7:30pm Dinner
7:30pm - 7:45pm Roll Call in houses
8:00pm - 9:30pm Evening School Activities
9:30pm - 11:30pm Bedtimes
Sunday (including public holidays)
9:30am - 1:00pm Brunch
1:00pm - 1:30pm Roll Call in houses
1:30pm - 6:00pm Afternoon House Activities
6:15pm - 7:30pm Dinner
7:30pm - 7:45pm Roll Call in houses
8:00pm - 8:45pm First prep
8:45pm - 9:15pm Social Hour
9:15pm - 10:00pm Second prep (Form 5 to Upper Sixth only)
9:30pm - 11:30pm Bedtimes
2.5 Back to House Times
Sunday to Thursday: 9:15pm (School Prefects are allowed to go out between 10.00 and 10.45pm for meetings. Duty staff must be informed)
Friday and Saturday (Forms 1-5): 10.15 pm
Friday and Saturday (Form 6): 11.00 pm (If Friday/Saturday evening event extends beyond 10.15 p.m., students in Form 5 and below are given 15 minutes to visit the tuck shop and return to houses.)
Sunday (or following an Exeat): 7:30pm return to school time (unless otherwise agreed by your HP)
2.6 Roll Calls
Evening roll call must be recorded on Orah by House Staff on duty. There is an additional roll call on Saturdays, Sundays, Public Holidays and exeat days at 1-2pm.
2.7 Bed Times
Houses Days Forms Upstairs Lights Out
Naquiah House Sunday to Thursday All 9.30pm 9.45 - 10:00pm
Friday, Saturday & Exeat All 10.15pm 10.30pm
Senior houses Sunday to Thursday Forms 3-4 Form 5 9.45pm 10.15pm 10.00pm 10.30pm
Lower Six 11:00pm 11.15pm
Upper Six 11.00pm 12.00pm
Friday, Saturday & Exeat Forms 3-4 Form 5 10.45pm 11.15pm 11.00pm 11.30pm
Lower Six 11.45pm 12.00pm
Upper Six 11.45pm 12.00pm
Weekday times apply to public holidays or the last day of exeats that precede school days.
3. HOUSE RULES
All students and staff at KTJ are expected to respect others, to be kind, and to model the school values of integrity, mutual respect and empathy. If you remember this, then it will be difficult for you to go wrong. It is also advisable to ask your House Staff for guidance if you are unsure about anything; it is better to get advice from them, rather than from your friends, who may not always know the correct information.
School expectations, rules and sanctions can be found by scanning the QR code below or on any of these signs in the boarding house or around school.
Some reminders of important student expectations within houses can be seen below:
Click here for the direct link
● Each House will publish roll call times, meeting times and schedules. It is essential that all students regularly review noticeboards/check their emails to ensure they do not miss out on vital information.
● Each House will have rotas for jobs such as cleaning pantries, clearing the House, locking up and for day-to-day tasks. All students are expected to take part in these tasks for the good of the community.
● Boarding students are encouraged to attend breakfast daily. For Form 1-5 this is compulsory.
● Once social hour is over boarding students (except Prefects on patrol or in meetings) are expected to remain in Houses.
● During exeat weekends and at the end of term, boarding students may leave the school compound only in the company of their parents or relatives unless other arrangements have been agreed upon previously by the Houseparent. All of these permissions need to happen through the Orah boarding software.
● Students are expected to take part in House activities, practices and events wherever possible.
● Boys or girls returning to school after the beginning of term, after exeats, outings or other visits, or after illness, should report their arrival to their House Staff.
● Each House has a House Bank system. Students should not leave money or valuables such as identity cards and passports where they may be taken by others.
● After lights out, boarding students may not use electronic devices. Sleep is important.
● During prep students should work quietly in their own spaces and should not disturb others with music, or conversation.
● If you make a mess, clean it up. If you break something or see something is broken, report it.
● If you are sick, see your House Coordinator or go to the Health Centre. If it is at night time, wake up the member of staff on duty who will arrange for you to be taken to the Health Centre
● Students must report any medication they are holding to their House Coordinator.
● If you wish for someone to visit, please inform your Houseparent the day before, so that details can be recorded and checked. All visits need to be entered onto either Orah so the guard house is aware.
● Students from one House are never allowed to go upstairs in another House.
● Students should label their laundry clearly and must not ‘borrow’ other’s clothing without permission.
● Students are expected to keep their areas organised, to make their beds, to turn off lights, fans and a/c when leaving the room, and to open the curtains in the mornings.
● Shoes should be left in shoe racks outside the room.
● Laundry should be hung on lines, and not on the balconies.
● All students without classes are expected to be out of bed and dressed during lesson times.
● Students cannot leave before the School day ends just because they have no timetabled classes: STUDY!
● Respect each other's belongings - do not take food or drinks that are not yours.
4. COMMUNICATION
4.1 Communicating with parents
It is important for your parents to feel they can contact the school at any time. It is perfectly acceptable for them to phone or email the Principal with any questions or concerns. However, it is typically more appropriate for them to phone or email another member of staff. The first port of call will normally be your Houseparent. For academic matters, the appropriate Head of Year can be directly contacted. Issues concerning the Sixth Form come under the ambit of the Director of Sixth Form.
There are several sources of information for your parents, apart from you! Besides the school website, the Head of Secondary will write to your parents on a fortnightly basis and before the start of each term. The Parent Portal, ISAMS, holds lots of information for parents and all are encouraged to look at this regularly. Parent-Teacher meetings are also an avenue that is available for your parents and you to meet with your teachers.
For boarding students, you and your parents should arrange a suitable time each day to communicate with each other that does not coincide with lesson times, activities you are taking part in, prep times, or bedtimes.
4.2 Mobile Phones
Mobile phones are an essential part of communication in the 21st century but they are also problematic for a range of reasons. In line with most other HMC schools, we do not permit phones during the school day and from shortly before lights out until the following morning.
Form 1 to Form 4 students may use their phones between 4pm and bedtime, and 7.30am until 8.45am. At other times, they must be stored in powered phone lockers near the duty office.
Form 5 and Sixth Form students may keep their phones in their possession, but must not bring them down to lessons between 9am and 4pm. Phones that are seen in the main school area will be confiscated, and privileged use in the evening may be revoked if the house parent and pastoral and sixth form teams perceive there is a problem
4.3 Orah
Orah is a boarding management system that runs the boarding at KTJ. All students, staff and parents have an account and all roll calls, leave requests, trips and events are run through this software. Each house has an iPad where students can check in and out of their house (they are also located in the main lobby and auditorium foyer) and these are backed up with NFC chips which allow students to perform the same processes, provided they have an NFC compatible phone. All roll calls, permissions and requests need to be done through this software which stores the information centrally and can be looked back on if needed in the future.
Your parents will have a received an email with details on how to log on to app.orah.com and further information can be found here as well as a Chinese version here
5. SAFEGUARDING AND WELLBEING
5.1
Safeguarding
Kolej Tuanku Ja’afar (KTJ) is committed to ensuring that all students enjoy a safe environment in which they can learn, develop and flourish.
We recognise our moral and statutory responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all students and outline in detail the School’s commitment to our students and staff.
We are alert to the signs of abuse and neglect, and we follow our procedures to ensure that children receive effective support, protection and justice.
We consider the welfare of each child to be paramount, and it is our stated intention to be proactive and diligent in ensuring every child in our community is kept safe from exploitation, abuse or harm.
Our Safeguarding Policy provides the framework for achieving this.
5.2
Counselling
Our dedicated team of counsellors are our independent adults on site. They are there for you to discuss any issues you may have, and your conversations with them are privileged, and will not be shared among the school community unless there is a safeguarding risk that must be addressed for your safety.
They can be reached at counselling@ktj.edu.my
5.3 The Health Centre and Medication
Within the campus, there is a Health Centre that is staffed 24-hours a day to cater for your medical needs. It is staffed full-time by School Nurses and our School Doctor. There are also clinics and private hospitals on KTJ’s panel of medical care. There are also other school matrons who are able to provide medical support for you in your boarding house or at school events.
In the interest of safety, your parents are advised to inform the Health Centre if you are taking any type of medication. Similarly, any existing illness, whether contagious or not, should be communicated. A full disclosure will allow us to respond appropriately to your medical needs. All medication and prescription drugs must also be handed over to the House Coordinators who will oversee proper dispensation.
In the event that there is an outbreak of any kind of disease, here or elsewhere, the school will take all precautions to safeguard the well-being of those on campus. This may include conducting health checks on all visitors, employees and returning students, as well as enforcing other measures for those on-site.
When there is a medical need:
Before school hours (7:00 am – 8:30 am):
You report to the House Coordinator. Minor problems will be treated in Houses; severe cases will be referred to the Health Centre.
During school hours:
In the event of your being unwell in class, the following procedure should be followed:
• You will be given a medical note from your teacher excusing you from the lesson and be sent to the Health Centre.
• The Duty Nurse will decide on the best course of action. This may be to admit you to the Health Centre or to send you back to class.
• If you are admitted to the Health Centre, the Duty Nurse will enter the information into the schools’ management system.
• In the case of an emergency, the House parents’ will be informed immediately, and the Health Centre will inform the parents. In less urgent circumstances, the House parents’ will be informed by the Health Centre Duty Nurse at the earliest opportunity, who in turn decides the best course of action.
• If you do not feel well during break or at lunch time, you can report to your House Coordinator or go directly to the Health Centre.
After school hours:
• You can report to House duty staff, or, if it is before prep time, report directly to the Health Centre
• If you need to report to the Health Centre after dark, you must be accompanied by another ‘healthy’ student. The duty staff member will manage the situation by contacting the Health Centre informing the Duty Nurse of your arrival. After 9.15 pm, you must first report to the House staff. The Health Centre Duty Nurse and the on-call school Matron are available to transport you from your house to the Health Centre if necessary.
• Emergencies will be dealt by the Health Centre Duty Nurse who can be called to the houses or sports field.
• In the event of an emergency where you are in need of hospitalisation, the Duty Nurse in the Health Centre will arrange for appropriate transport. The patient will be accompanied by a school Matron.
6. SPORTS AND RECREATION
6.1 House Competitions
There are a wide range of opportunities for all students to take part in and a range of House Competitions throughout the year. These include team sports such as rugby, netball, volleyball, basketball and football, as well as other sports, such as athletics, cross-country, swimming, badminton, table tennis and squash.
There are also non-sporting competitions such as House Singing, House Drama and House General Knowledge Quizzes. For all sporting competitions, there will be a junior team, intermediate team and two senior teams for each house (Day students and NQH boarders will compete for their senior houses).
Practice schedules, for training and trials, are published to students and everyone is welcome to try to make the team, or to be a noisy supporter!
6.2 CCA/Sports/Activities
Part of our ‘holistic’ education is to make sure that you develop interests and skills outside the academic classroom. Co-curricular Activities (CCAs) and sports take place both before and after school on all days but only before school on Saturdays. There are three time slots each day: 7.00 am to 7.45 am, 8.00 am to 8.45 am, and 4.30 pm to 5.30 pm.
There are a huge number of CCAs and sports to choose from, including dance and drama, music and art, public speaking, yoga, debate, charity work, martial arts and much more. Details of which CCAs are available are published via an online magazine and also shared with you by House parents, fairs or taster weeks.
You are expected to sign up to at least three CCAs per week (2 if in 6th Form).
Many CCAs and sports have links with other schools and the wider community. Competitions, for individuals and teams, cover everything from sport to public speaking and take place both within Malaysia and overseas.
6.3 Bicycles and Sports Equipment
Bicycles are allowed in the School, but must be chained up outside the Houses, in the designated space, when not in use. Students can only use them when wearing a bicycle helmet. Cyclists must adhere to the same road rules as drivers. In particular they must follow the correct direction of travel where there are one-way systems, stay to the left-hand side of the road in shared use areas, use lights during and after dusk, and show courtesy to pedestrians. Cyclists are also expected to adhere to the signed speed limits. There will be a cycling proficiency course in the first week of term – without this you will not be able to cycle around campus.
Other large sports equipment, such as golf clubs, can be stored in house storage rooms, as is necessary. Skateboards are allowed, but again students should be wearing a helmet, and preferably knee and elbow pads, and should not skateboard on the roads. All students should ensure they wear safety equipment when playing sports, particularly mouth guards for hockey and rugby, and shin pads for hockey and football. Glasses are not allowed to be worn when playing sports unless they are specialist safety glasses; contact lenses are a much better option.
6.4 Trips
There will be a lot of opportunities to go on trips at the School. Each term, each House normally has a House Night/activity trip. There will also be some academic trips, for your subjects, some opportunities to join trips to lectures, fairs or subject-based competitions, some sports trips - to watch or play sports, and some outings to watch plays, films or performances. Some clubs and societies run charitable trips to orphanages, retirement homes, animal sanctuaries and to do environmental work. There are also a number of trips available in the holidays, many overseas, and information about them will normally be shared via email and in school assemblies.
7. MAKAN
As the great French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte stated, an army marches on its stomach, and the boarders of Kolej Tuanku Ja’afar are no different.
Our Dining Hall caters for over 1000 people every day. You can be assured that there is a range of different dishes available at each meal, so you can choose what you prefer to eat. We provide daily vegetarian alternatives, and can cater for special diets and religious requirements, providing we have been notified of such requirements in advance. You are able to keep small amounts of your favourite food or prepare meals and snacks, or hot and cold drinks, in your boarding house pantries outside designated mealtimes. We also have a Kedai Runcit (tuckshop) that sells drinks, sweets and small items, as well as Cafe Diem, which sells food and drinks.
7.1 Dietary Needs
Special dietary needs are catered for. Everyone has a choice of meals, including vegetarian meals. Afternoon tea is also provided. A selection of fresh fruit is always available. A Food Committee comprising House representatives, the Catering Manager and School Prefects meet regularly to discuss the weekly menu.
All boarders from Forms 1-5 must attend breakfast and are expected to attend all other meals. Students are expected to dress neatly and wear footwear to all dining room meals. Appropriate dining etiquette must be observed at all times whilst in the dining room.
Students have facilities in Houses to cook, but they are not allowed to do so at times when the Dining Hall is open. This is to encourage them to eat the healthy, balanced diet that is provided by the school.
There are halal and non-halal fridges, storage containers and cooking utensils available in all houses.
7.2 House Makan and House Nights
Food is one of the most important bonding experiences for boys and girls in boarding. It is a great opportunity to experience other people’s culture, celebrate success, commiserate after an event that hasn’t gone quite as well as hoped or just to raise morale in general. This might take the form of pizza, fried chicken, food trucks, or a BBQ organised by the catering department. There will be a couple per term
There will also be a house night every term, where an event will be organised either on campus or at an attraction in the Negeri Sembilan/Klang Valley area, followed by dinner at a restaurant or mall.
8. HOLIDAYS
8.1 Going Home
Day students are expected to be in school for the duration of lessons and for your CCAs. If you need to arrive late or depart early, for any reason, advanced permission needs to be sought from your Houseparent by applying for leave using Orah. If you are ill, and unable to come to school, your parents will need to contact your Houseparent and attendance@ktj.edu.my as soon as possible. If you need to stay in school after 9pm, for any reason, please also make sure you discuss it with your Houseparent in advance.
Boarding students going home for any reason, need your parent’s or guardian’s permission, and your House parents will also need to agree. There are several events that take place on weekends which are important not to miss, especially House Nights on selected weekends of each term. On other weekends, overnight leave home can be granted by House parents. All of this must be done using Orah, where approval will be granted by house staff and guardians where necessary. Approximately every third weekend, we have an Exeat where many students go home for an extended period (3 to 5 days), and other students go to a friend’s house. Again, permission needs to be obtained in advance through Orah. During Exeats the Houses remain open for our overseas students and those who live further away, or have no-one at home to supervise them. Occasionally, you may need to go out at other times, for family occasions, or similar things. In this case, please ask your parents to give advance notice to your Houseparent through Orah. Sixth Formers are allowed to take day trips on Saturdays, Sundays and on Public Holidays, with parental and Houseparent permissions. All of these requests should be made through Orah. All students are expected to return to school by 7.30pm on the evening before lessons resume.
8.2 Taxis/Getting To/From Airports
The school only books taxis that are licensed and drivers who are known to the school and who have undergone police checks. House parents and/or House Coordinators will collate information on the taxi services required at exeats, holidays and end of terms. This information will then be passed on to the Health & Safety Officer who will contact the taxi drivers and make the relevant bookings. The school will pay for the cost of the taxi in advance and the relevant sum will be added to the student’s bill.
8.2.1 Getting to KTJ from KLIA/KLIA2
Students under 16 years old must book school transport from KLIA or KLIA2 to KTJ. After school holidays, flight arrangements should be shared with both your houseparent and Mr. Sathiya Murthy (sathiyamurthy@ktj.edu.my) at least one week before the date of travel. On receiving this information, Mr. Sathiya will arrange school vans to collect students from both airports at key times of the day. Students will be met by a KTJ member of staff at the arrival gates of both airports (they will be holding a KTJ sign with students' names on it and wearing a school lanyard). Students will be taken in groups, according to arrival time, back to school in school vans. There is a chance students might need to wait until another flight arrives but they will be given the opportunity to get some food during this time and waiting time to return to school is typically never more than one and a half hours.
Students over 16 may use licensed taxis or e-hailing services such as Grab but we would recommend using the school service. At KLIA or KLIA2 there are also airport taxis, limousines and minivans available for hire. Look for the taxi and limousine counters, just after customs, prior to exiting the arrivals gates. Fixed fares according to destination zones are to be paid at the counters. Please be aware of touts approaching unwary visitors offering their services as you exit the arrival lounges. They operate illegal taxis and often over-charge; safety levels for such touts are also a concern. On arrival at the airport, it is recommended that students take an official metered taxi to the School - ‘Kolej Tuanku Ja’afar, Mantin’ is the address to give at one of the official taxi booths.
Phone numbers held by KTJ staff at these venues will be the following: (students should have these numbers saved in their phones):
KLIA 1: 0197165362
KLIA 2: 0197205362
A charge of RM120 will be added to your school bill for this service for students who are 16 years and under as they require airport assistance. A charge of RM90 will be added to your bill for students who are over 16 years of age as they will not require airport assistance.
8.2.2 Getting to KLIA or KLIA2 from KTJ
The School has a pool of regular licensed taxi drivers who have had security checks and who service all of our transport requirements. Trips to the airport (and elsewhere) by taxi can be arranged through the houseparent. The cost can either be paid directly to the driver or charged to parents via the school bill.
For airport transfers before all long holidays, please request an Orah pass as normal at least one week before the date of travel and for transport options, please choose the following:
Bus - Airport transfer - Type ‘Yes’
Once you have done this, you need to add the flight details in the notes section of the pass application.
School vans / buses will take students to the airport at selected times throughout the day and this schedule will be passed onto them via their houseparent. Once students arrive at their selected terminal, a KTJ member of staff will meet them at the van and take over responsibility for the students, including assistance with check-in arrangements (for all students 16 or under). Phone numbers held by KTJ staff at these venues will be as follows and students should have these numbers saved in their phones:
KLIA 1: 0197165362
KLIA 2: 0197205362
A charge of RM120 will be added to your school bill for this service for students who are 16 years and under as they require airport assistance. A charge of RM90 will be added to your bill for students who are over 16 years of age as they will not require airport assistance.
8.3 Saturdays
The essence of Kolej Tuanku Ja’afar is that it is a full boarding school. You may depart for the weekend once Friday lessons are finished but we strongly encourage students to remain in school for the weekend as there is a very full programme of activities organised by staff, house staff sports staff and prefects.
It is imperative that you return to school on Sunday evening in time for the 7.30pm roll call before Sunday evening prep.
8.4 Exeats
Approximately every third weekend the school has a longer weekend, often finishing lessons at lunchtime on a Friday or Saturday. After this you may go home or to a friend’s house. If a boarder wishes to spend the night with their guardians, parents should apply for this using Orah where they will be able to fill in all the required information detailing where you will be staying. House parents will then be able to approve this in the app.
Only students in Form 5 and 6 are allowed to stay at a hotel (with parent permission) and again, this can be applied for using the Orah boarding software.
House parents will also endeavour to obtain full information about the level of supervision and the plans for the weekend. In the instance where parents, the guardian and/or host do not make a leave request through the Orah boarding software, then the student will be required to stay in the Boarding House.
Houses will remain open to accommodate students who cannot or do not wish to go out. Outings are arranged for students staying in and all students on site are required to attend. If the student is in Form 6 he/she may elect to stay in the Boarding House if the Houseparent gives permission (adequate staffing provision will need to be in place for this to occur).
8.5
Holidays
School will remain open for all mid-term breaks and short holidays of up to 10 days. If staying in school for these, there will be an extra charge of RM175 per day and you might be asked to move to a different house to the one you normally reside in.
9. ACADEMICS
The house system is integral to your academic success at KTJ. House parents are all academic staff, as are almost all tutors, and they are there to support you during prep, making subject choices, or even just to talk over an interesting topic you came across while reading around your subject.
9.1 Subjects, Lessons and Exams
Forms 1 to 3
● You will study a wide range of subjects in order to find out both where your strengths lie and what subjects you enjoy
● The curriculum is based on the English National Curriculum, adapted for our students so that they are well prepared to take IGCSEs
● The subjects you will study are Art, Design Technology/Food Technology/Textiles, Drama, Chinese/French/English as an Additional Language (EAL), English, Geography, History (includes local and international), Information Communication Technology (ICT), Maths, Malay/Agama, Physical Education (PE), Science, Swimming
Forms 4 and 5
● You will study IGCSEs, which are courses that last two years. You will sit ‘public’ examinations (which are not set or marked by KTJ) in term 3 of Form 5.
● There are some IGCSEs which you must study: Maths, English (either first or second language), at least one Science and one language
● There are some IGCSEs which you can choose: Accounting, Art, Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Computer Science, Drama, Design Technology, Economics, French, Geography, History, Physics
● You will also have a Physical Education (PE) lesson each week
Lower and Upper 6th
● You will study A levels, which are broken down into AS courses for the Lower Sixth and A2 courses for the Upper Sixth
● Public examinations for AS and A2 are taken during Term 3
● Students usually choose either 3 or 4 AS courses, those who choose 4 then may drop down to 3 A2 courses
● You will also attend IELTS preparation lessons, until you have achieved the level of IELTS required for your university entrance
● If you are interested in going to a US university, you will attend SAT preparation lessons
9.2 Prep Expectations
There is an expectation that you will work hard in all your subjects and that you will complete prep (homework) set and hand it in on time. If you are having difficulties with any of your subjects or a specific piece of work you must let your teacher know, ideally as soon as possible. Teachers at KTJ really want to help you and will do their best to make sure you have the support you need to do well.
All students in Forms 1 to 5 are set prep as per a prep timetable, published by the Director of Studies. Sixth Form students are free to follow your own study plans, but you must be in your rooms working unless specific permission has been given by your house parent.
Naquiah students complete prep in the central house prep room under the supervision of the duty staff. Senior house students may study in your rooms, but this is a privilege that may be withdrawn if there are concerns about your academic progress.
Prep times Monday to Thursday and Sunday:
7.45pm to 8.45pm All students
9.15pm to 10pm Form 5 to Upper Sixth
9.3 Student Support Services
KTJ’s Student Support Services team includes teachers who help with English as an Additional Language (EAL), Learning Support and Counselling Support. The Student Support Services Team recognises and values differences in individuals, believing that when students develop a sense of respect for, and take pride in, their uniqueness, they are able to make wise choices regarding their individual paths to success, develop their full potential, and maximise their own abilities and learning styles.
9.4 ICT and Wi-Fi
KTJ has a ‘bring your own device’ policy and all students are expected to have a laptop or tablet (with keyboard) with them for all lessons and prep sessions. This said, there are restrictions when you can use these devices at other times.
There is Wi-Fi throughout the school (including in the Houses) for which you will be given an account and may access this from whatever devices you own. You will also be given a KTJ email address which will be your pathway into all of the Google products that the school uses. There is an ICT acceptable use policy that you are expected to adhere to.
10. OTHER SERVICES
10.1 Security
Your safety is a top priority for the School. The School has a Guard House situated at the main entrance where the school-employed guards will monitor the movements of everyone passing through. The guards also patrol the campus on a regular basis day and night.
When leaving the School, your status on the Orah software will be checked. Only students with a valid pass approved by your houseparent will be allowed to depart.
When your parents or visitors wish to come to the School, your Houseparent must be informed via Orah of when they will arrive 24 hours ahead of time, and they will then give consent and inform the Guard
July 2025
House. In the interest of safety, parents and visitors who turn up without prior notification can expect to be held at the Guard House until their identification has been verified before being allowed in. All houses are alarmed at night for your safety.
10.2 School ID Cards
All students are issued with an ID card which has their photo on it. This card is used to enter and exit Houses. Your parents can also put money into an account associated with the card and you are then able to use the card to pay for items in the School Shop and Cafe Diem.
10.3 Laundry
Each House has an external contractor that deals with laundry. The Form 5 and 6 students in Houses also have access to washing machines so they can do their own laundry. You should label your clothing clearly, complete the laundry form accurately, and report any missing or damaged items immediately. Your House Coordinator can advise you on any laundry issues. You will not be asked to pay for laundry and only certain, special items such as heavily soiled garments or those which need dry cleaning will incur an extra fee.
11. KTJ SOCIAL MEDIA
KTJ embraces the use of social media for educational purposes and as an avenue to connect with our students, alumni and parents. We also recognise the dangers that are inherent in social media The following are our official social media channels:
Facebook: /kolejtuankujaafar
YouTube: /kolejtuankujaafar
Instagram: @KTJschool
Linkedin: /KTJschool
Soundcloud: /KTJschool
12.WHO’S WHO
Staff pictures and details can be found on the staff section of the school website.