The school was officially opened on 27 February 1979 by the then-Education Minister, Dato’ (now Tun) Musa Hitam.
Named after Datuk Peter Joinod Mojuntin, the 5th State Minister of Local Government and Housing, who was killed in June 1976 among with other Sabahan politicians due to a plane crash known as the Double Six Tragedy. He was a well-respected leader and was regarded as the Golden Son of the Kadazan.
History
A majority of the school's students are from Kadazandusun ethnic who come from the remote areas of Penampang district like Buayan, Terian, and Longkogungan as well as nearby villages within the school area such as Hungab, Babah/Bunduon, Hubah, Sukod (Suok/Kodundungan/Digot), Terawi, Guunsing and many more within the Penampang region (from all villages on both halves of Penampang, Donggongon and Putatan, which are the nearest towns to this school).
SMK DPM has 3 central units - E-Management, Recreational School and Resource Centre Across School.
The E-Management is implemented to achieve a systematic management. The Information System used is the Students Information System, Discipline, Co-curricular, Fees, Attendance, NILAM, Audio Visual Aids, Information System for Malaysian Certificate of Education, Malaysian Higher certificate of education and Lower Secondary assessment (SPM, STPM and PMR (abolished; now PT3; also abolished)), Automation for the Resource Centre, Salary, Timetable and School Assessment System
Activities conducted by the Resource Centre of the school are:
Focus Exhibition by every class.
Mini library in each class.
Corridors of information and knowledge.
The school building was repainted in stages which started in the year 2002 with the help and co-operation of the YB, community and the education department. A few buildings were erected namely the Open Hall, Squash Court, Hostel Dining Hall, Computer laboratory, the Grooming Room and the Rekacipta (Invention) Studio.