Sulu State College traces its beginnings to the year 1924, when the Americans established the Sulu High School. It was the highest institution of learning then in the whole Province of Sulu. It has since gone through several organizational transformations; primarily in response to the growing educational needs of a developing region.

In 1970, the provincial government opened the Jolo Community College, which quickly grew into a big community college of 1,200 enrollees on average. The year 1974 saw the conversion of Sulu High School into the eponymous Dayang-Dayang Hadji Piandao Memorial High School, so named in honor of the late Pangian (Queen) of Sulu.

While the Dayang-Dayang Hadji Piandao Memorial High School had national government support, the Jolo Community College drew its maintenance from the tuition and other school fees of its students. In 1982, the two schools, which were then administered by the high school principal Mr. Mukatil U. Salih, were merged and took its present legal status as a state college by virtue of Philippine Batas Pambansa Bilang By operation of said law, Mr. Salih became acting president until his retirement in Since then and until 2018, three other educators had taken turns serving as President of the Sulu State College: Dr. Norma A. Abdulla from 1989 – 1995, Dr. Hamsali S. Jawali from 1995 – 2010 and Dr. Abdurasa S. Arasid from 2010 – 2018.

Dr. Abdulla’s watch was marked by the coming of age of computerization, which as a matter of course introduced the College to office automation. She started the Graduate School program. She also established the College’s Computer Center, which foreran the School of Computer Science. It was here that the students took their computer literacy classes. At the start of her presidency, only four schools composed the Sulu State College: Education, Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, and Agriculture.

Dr. Hamsali, during his presidency, added more academic programs and two new schools to the College – the School of Computer Science, Information Technology and Engineering, and the School of Nursing. The Islamic Institute was also established during his term.

By the time Dr. Arasid assumed office, the College already had seven established schools – Education, Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Nursing, Agriculture, Graduate Studies, and the School of Computer Science, Information Technology and Engineering. Dr. Arasid continued the thrust for quality education of his predecessors. Towards this end, he submitted the education program for accreditation,
a first for Sulu State College.

Presently, the College is led by Dr. Charisma S. Ututalum, CESE. The Board of Trustees elected and appointed her in June 21, 2018. Her accomplishments, in the areas of both academic and physical development, are promising and augurs well for the future of the College. She has promised her commitment to the development of academic stalwarts – globally competent professionals academically enabled to produce cutting edge research, knowledge and technologies for sustainable development; a commitment premised on governance that is grounded on values shared by the Sulu State College community – Solidarity, Professionalism, Integrity, Competence, and Excellence.