THE HISTORY OF SEKOLAH MENENGAH KEBANGSAAN PRAI
Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Prai is named due to its location which is near Jalan Baru, about 2 kilometres from the Penang Bridge. It is 5 kilometres from Bandar Perda and 10 kilometres from Bandar Bukit Mertajam. The 15,979 square-metre school is situated at lot 4381 Mukim 1, Seberang Perai Tengah.
Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Prai first opened in 1984, with only 19 classes in 2 sessions. It has only 1 school block, which is block A. Block B was built in 1985, block D in 1986 and block C in 1997. The last block contains 4 classrooms, 2 laboratories, 1 resource room, 1 art room and 1 counseling room. This block was finally used in the year 2000.
In 1998, the number of classrooms increased to 20 classes in the morning session and 9 classes in the afternoon session. Students enrolment were 1032 with the Chinese students making up 43.3%, 40.8% Indian and 15.4% Malay. The number of teachers was 57.
In the year of 2000, 2 new laboratories were built. Information and computer technology was taught twice a week for Form 1 until Form 3 students. Starting from 2005, SMK Prai has changed from 2 sessions to 1 morning session, with a number of 48 teachers, 9 supporting staff and student enrolment of 642 with 25 classes.
In 2007, a production multimedia room was built in block B and started operating with 20 Form 4 students who took the MPV elective subject. In October 2007, the reading hut by the name Teratak Mutiara was built after the Perai Run donation drive.
It has been 31 years since the existence of SMK Prai and it will continue to produce excellent students towards its vision to become the student & parents- selected school by 2018.