College History
The Anjuman Sunnat ul Jamaat Association (ASJA) was incorporated in 1953. From its inception one of the main objectives of the Association was the promotion of education and the building of institutions of learning. The first ASJA School (Primary) opened in 1953. However it was not until 1960 that the first Secondary School was opened.
ASJA Boy’s College opened it’s doors on January 3rd 1960. It was a private, paying institution housed at the Jinnah Memorial Mosque Hall on Mucurapo Street San Fernando. The school started with 104 students and 3 teachers with the principal, the late C.Debysingh being assisted by Vice-Principal F.Hydal.
When the decision was made to build a permanent structure, two locations were considered – Queen Street, Port of Spain and San Fernando. The ASJA eventually acquired a parcel of land on Park Street in San Fernando from the St. Madeline Sugar Company. On May 14th 1962, ASJA Boys’ College took up permanent residence in a new three-storey building at 19 Park Street, San Fernando. Many had laboured tirelessly to see the establishment of the College in its new location – Haji Mohammed Ibrahim who oversaw construction, Haji Fazloo Rahaman, Haji Shaffique Rahaman, Mr. S.W. Omardeen and many others.
By now the School population had increased to over 300 students and a staff of 8 teachers. The school was still a private institution. In September 1966, ASJA Boys’ College became a government assisted denominational school. Student’s enrolment was increasing and a temporary one-storey annex was constructed in 1967. No other major construction was to take place for the next 25 years.
The first principal, Mr. Debysingh resigned in 1963. He was succeeded by Mr. F.K. Ali and then by Mr. Safirkul Khan who served for 21 years. In September 1989 after years of lobbying, the ASJA finally obtained approved from the government to offer students for the Cambridge Advanced Level Examinations. The first A Level class was a joint class comprising student from both the Boys’ and Girls’ Colleges. Mr. Khan retired as Principal in 1991 and Mr. Faiz Hydal assumed the mantle of leadership. The two schools decided to go their separate ways in 1993 as regards the A Level class. This was made possible by the construction of a new three storey wing at ASJA Boys’ College in 1993, which was officially opened by the then Prime Minister, the Honourable Patrick Manning.
Mr. F. Hydal retired in 1998 and the new Principal, Mr. Alim S. Ali assumed his duties in April of that year. In October 1999, the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, the Honorable Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj officially opened the ASJA Boys’ College Computer Lab. Currently the school has a population of over 600 students and 36 teaching staff. The school’s first National Scholarship was won in 1999 by Robyn Evelyn. A novel system of co-curricula participation has been engineered in 2011 with over twenty eight (28) activities/ clubs/ sports being offered to Forms 1-6 as part of their overall evaluation on a term’s basis.