Gan Eng Seng School Founding Site
Encyclopedia
The Gan Eng Seng School's Founding Site , marked by twin commemorative plaques at present, is located at Telok Ayer Street in the southern part of Singapore
. On 30 August 1997, the site was designated as a national historical site along with five other schools by the National Heritage Board
(NHB), being one of the oldest educational establishments in Singapore
. The others are Raffles Institution
, Raffles Girls' School, St Margaret's Secondary School, Singapore Chinese Girls' School
and Anglo-Chinese School
.
(Abbreviation
: GESS) was located at No. 106 Telok Ayer Street between 1893 to 1941. A land grant was given by the British
colonial government
earlier to the philanthropist
and founder, Mr Gan Eng Seng
who paid S$
5000 for the construction of the school building. Gan was credited for being the first local Chinese in Singapore
to establish the free school in 1885 which emphasised bilingual education through his generous gift of property and funds until his demise. Most other schools of the time were established by missionary or communal organisations.
The school was a two-storey wooden building and housed the school hall in the second storey. It started out as a primary school for boys and could accommodate up to 300 students. Governor H.E. Sir Clementi Smith
officiated the school's Opening Ceremony on 4 April 1893. Mr Tan Keong Saik
, a board trustee of the school briefly gave a history of the institution to the distinguished gathering.
In 1908, a second school building was added to ease the overcrowding it face with each passing year. The school was able to accommodate an almost twofold increase in students population of 641 afterwards. The school was finally abandoned in 1941 when the old section of the building was considered unsafe for use and it was housed temporarily in Sepoy Line Malay School in Park Road and Pearl's Hill School later.
On 30 August 1997, a marking ceremony was held with a twin structures joinly erected by the GESS Old Students' Association, the Singapore Gan Clan Association and the National Heritage Board
near the historic site. Named In Dialogue, it consist of two granite miniature towers with plaques depicting the school's story and information on the founding site to symbolise the on-going dialogue between the past and present generations of its students. About 600 past and present students returned to the site of the building which had been demolished and witnessed the marking ceremony. Distinguished alumnus like Dr. S. Vasoo
, Member of Parliament
for Tanjong Pagar GRC
, Mr. Chua Kim Yeow, former Accountant General
and Presidential Candidate
, and retired Emeritus Professor Kiang Ai Kim of the National University of Singapore
, were invited to grace the event. The school story plaque reads:
At present, the school is located at 1 Henderson Road with a student population of 1,300.
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. On 30 August 1997, the site was designated as a national historical site along with five other schools by the National Heritage Board
National Heritage Board (Singapore)
The National Heritage Board is a statutory board of the Singapore Government, under the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts ....
(NHB), being one of the oldest educational establishments in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. The others are Raffles Institution
Raffles Institution
Raffles Institution , founded in 1823, is the oldest centre for pre-tertiary learning in Singapore. It is an independent school in Singapore providing secondary and pre-university education. RI consists of a boys-only secondary section , and a coeducational pre-university section...
, Raffles Girls' School, St Margaret's Secondary School, Singapore Chinese Girls' School
Singapore Chinese Girls' School
Singapore Chinese Girls' School is one of the oldest schools in Singapore having been founded in 1899. It is a full school with both primary and secondary divisions, taking in students between the ages of 6 and 16...
and Anglo-Chinese School
Anglo-Chinese School
The Anglo-Chinese School ; is a family of Methodist schools in Singapore, and Indonesia.The name is usually abbreviated as "ACS", with the junior college as "ACJC", and its students and alumni referred to as "ACSians" , or "ACS boys" .ACS was the first school...
.
History
The first building site of Gan Eng Seng SchoolGan Eng Seng School
Founded by philanthropist Gan Eng Seng in 1885, Gan Eng Seng School is one of the oldest schools in Singapore. GESS was the first school to be set up by a local Chinese and the first to form a parent-teachers' association in 1950. It was an all-boys' school for 102 years until it became...
(Abbreviation
Abbreviation
An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase. Usually, but not always, it consists of a letter or group of letters taken from the word or phrase...
: GESS) was located at No. 106 Telok Ayer Street between 1893 to 1941. A land grant was given by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
colonial government
Straits Settlements
The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia.Originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Company, the Straits Settlements came under direct British control as a crown colony on 1 April 1867...
earlier to the philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
and founder, Mr Gan Eng Seng
Gan Eng Seng
Gan Eng Seng was one of the early Chinese pioneers of Singapore known for his generosity to many charitable causes during the era of the British Straits Settlements of Malaya and Singapore...
who paid S$
Straits dollar
The Straits dollar was the currency of the Straits Settlements from 1904 until 1939. At the same time, it was also used in the Federated Malay States, the Unfederated Malay States, Sarawak, Brunei, and British North Borneo.-History:...
5000 for the construction of the school building. Gan was credited for being the first local Chinese in Singapore
Chinese in Singapore
Chinese Singaporeans are people of Chinese ethnicity who hold Singaporean nationality. As of 2010, Chinese Singaporeans constitute 74.1% of Singapore's resident population, or approximately three out of four Singaporeans, making them the largest ethnic group in Singapore...
to establish the free school in 1885 which emphasised bilingual education through his generous gift of property and funds until his demise. Most other schools of the time were established by missionary or communal organisations.
The school was a two-storey wooden building and housed the school hall in the second storey. It started out as a primary school for boys and could accommodate up to 300 students. Governor H.E. Sir Clementi Smith
Cecil Clementi Smith
Rt Hon Sir Cecil Clementi Smith G.C.M.G. , was a British colonial administrator. He was known for his effective work in quelling Chinese secret societies in the Straits Settlements, such as those in Singapore...
officiated the school's Opening Ceremony on 4 April 1893. Mr Tan Keong Saik
Keong Saik Road
Keong Saik Road is a one-way road located in Chinatown within the Outram Planning Area in Singapore. The road links New Bridge Road to Neil Road, and is intersected by Kreta Ayer Road.-Etymology and history:...
, a board trustee of the school briefly gave a history of the institution to the distinguished gathering.
In 1908, a second school building was added to ease the overcrowding it face with each passing year. The school was able to accommodate an almost twofold increase in students population of 641 afterwards. The school was finally abandoned in 1941 when the old section of the building was considered unsafe for use and it was housed temporarily in Sepoy Line Malay School in Park Road and Pearl's Hill School later.
Marking ceremony
National Heritage Board (Singapore)
The National Heritage Board is a statutory board of the Singapore Government, under the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts ....
near the historic site. Named In Dialogue, it consist of two granite miniature towers with plaques depicting the school's story and information on the founding site to symbolise the on-going dialogue between the past and present generations of its students. About 600 past and present students returned to the site of the building which had been demolished and witnessed the marking ceremony. Distinguished alumnus like Dr. S. Vasoo
Members of the Singapore Parliament
The following is a historical list of members for the current and past ten Parliaments of Singapore:-See also:*1st Parliament of Singapore*2nd Parliament of Singapore*3rd Parliament of Singapore*4th Parliament of Singapore*5th Parliament of Singapore...
, Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Tanjong Pagar GRC
Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency
Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency is currently a five-member Group Representation Constituency in central Singapore....
, Mr. Chua Kim Yeow, former Accountant General
Accountant General
The Accountant General or Accountant-General was formerly an officer in the English Court of Chancery who received all moneys lodged in court, deposited them in a bank, and disbursed them. The office was abolished by the Chancery Funds Act of 1872, with the duties transferred to the...
and Presidential Candidate
Presidential elections in Singapore
Presidential elections in Singapore, in which the President of Singapore is directly elected by popular vote, were introduced through amendments to the Constitution of Singapore in 1991. Potential candidates for office have to fulfil stringent qualifications set out in the Constitution....
, and retired Emeritus Professor Kiang Ai Kim of the National University of Singapore
National University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore is Singapore's oldest university. It is the largest university in the country in terms of student enrollment and curriculum offered....
, were invited to grace the event. The school story plaque reads:
At present, the school is located at 1 Henderson Road with a student population of 1,300.
See also
- Gan Eng SengGan Eng SengGan Eng Seng was one of the early Chinese pioneers of Singapore known for his generosity to many charitable causes during the era of the British Straits Settlements of Malaya and Singapore...
- Gan Eng Seng SchoolGan Eng Seng SchoolFounded by philanthropist Gan Eng Seng in 1885, Gan Eng Seng School is one of the oldest schools in Singapore. GESS was the first school to be set up by a local Chinese and the first to form a parent-teachers' association in 1950. It was an all-boys' school for 102 years until it became...
- Ministry of Education (Singapore)Ministry of Education (Singapore)The Ministry Of Education is a ministry of the Government of Singapore that directs the formulation and implementation of policies related to education in Singapore.-Statutory boards:...