The school was built in 1890 by Mill Hill
missionaries to convert the local people to
Catholicism. At the time, the main mode of transportation was then the Moyog River. As a result, the present day St. Michael's church and the school were built in
Kampong Dabak, Penampang, which was close to this river. The initial school structure, constructed from
bamboo, served as both a classroom and residence for the church's priests. Its flooring consisted of bare ground, with walls rising about 3 feet from the ground. Students utilized slates and blocks of
limestone for writing. However, the school faced challenges, as many local families hesitated to send their children due to concerns that the
British North Borneo Company might conscript them into the
British Armed Forces. Payment of fees was made in
rice,
tapioca,
yam,
fruit and
firewood. The school's current site used to be a
paddy field. It was donated to the school by locals. Despite the students having to share their classroom space with village goats, the school gained a commendable reputation, attracting students from as far as
Tambunan,
Ranau,
Papar and
Kuala Penyu. This increasing demand led to the establishment of a
boarding school, but it was short-lived until about the 1960s, when the school became a fully non-residential school. During
World War II, the
Japanese occupation forced the temporary closure of the school. However, the school was not badly damaged, suffering only from
machine gun bullets. Rev. Fr. M. Henselmans applied to convert the school to a senior or secondary school on 10 August 1957 to provide the 53 students who were then in primary six with a post-primary school. The school was converted into a secondary school on 10 March 1958 with Tambunan native Marcus Otigil at the helm. The school rose slowly, with the older buildings replaced by newer ones over the years. == Principals ==