GEORGE TOWN, May 24 — All materials including records and artefacts belonging to the Penang Free School (PFS) — one of the oldest English medium schools in South-East Asia — will be digitised to ensure they remain well preserved.

National Archives director-general Azemi Abdul Aziz said the digitisation effort by his department would also reduce the need for direct access to the physical materials which were mostly frail and fragile.

"PFS is also the first school adopted by the National Archives, and we’ll work very hard to maintain and conserve the materials, records and artefacts of the school.

"In addition, we will also train and provide consultancy and training services to teachers, staff and students of PFS who have been selected by the school to learn the techniques of conservation and preservation of materials in a correct and professional manner,” he told reporters after the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between the National Archives and PFS here, today.

The National Archives was represented by Azemi, while PFS principal Omar Abdul Rashid represented the school. — Bernama