The Chinese High School
Encyclopedia
The Chinese High School , formerly Singapore Nanyang Overseas Chinese Middle School was an independent school in Singapore
offering secondary education
. The school was founded by Tan Kah Kee
on 21 March 1919 and it merged with Hwa Chong Junior College
on 1 January 2005 to form Hwa Chong Institution
. The new institution retains the Chinese name and the logo of The Chinese High School.
The Chinese High School was the first high school in Southeast Asia
to cater to different dialect groups among overseas Chinese
in the region. After Singapore gained independence in 1965, the school came under the purview of the Ministry of Education
and was accorded the Special Assistance Plan
(SAP) status in 1979. It has the unique distinction of having the Independent School status in 1988, a scheme that the ministry perceived had proven successful and was extended to other top schools in Singapore. The Chinese High School remained as one of the best performing schools in Singapore, both in academic achievements and extracurricular activities.
, a prominent businessman, proposed setting up a secondary school for Chinese boys in Singapore. Tan's proposal was supported by the Tung Teh Reading Club and a dance troupe, claiming to have raised S$20,000 as funds for building the school. On 21 March 1919, the Singapore Nanyang Overseas Chinese Middle School was formally opened at Niven Road with an enrolment of 78 students. Six years later, with an additional funding of S$600,000, the school moved to its new campus at Bukit Timah Road
, covering an area of 79 acres (319,701.9 m²).
After its founding, the school offered comprehensive secondary level Chinese education. It continued to be funded and supported by Tan Kah Kee until shortly before World War II
. The school was temporarily closed in February 1933 when all the teachers resigned. Later in February 1934, the school was reopened with a new principal and staff. In the same year, Lee Kong Chian
, son-in-law of Tan Kah Kee, became the chairperson of the school's management board, and he held the post until 1957. During Lee's tenure, the school almost closed several times due to financial difficulties, but managed to survive due to strong financial support from both Tan and Lee.
During the Battle of Singapore
, the school's clock tower, for its height and vantage point, served as a headquarters for the Allied defenders
and later for the Imperial Japanese Army
during the Japanese occupation of Singapore
. The school also served as a temporary concentration camp to detain people for examination during the Sook Ching massacre
. After the war, the school resumed its predominant Chinese education. In the 1950s and 1960s, during periods of civil unrest in Singapore, many students, teachers and alumni participated in or led the anti-colonial riots.
In 1987, the school was granted the status of an independent school by the Ministry of Education
and proceeded to implement changes to its curriculum that were unprecedented in other Singapore schools. The changes include the abolition of mid-year examinations in favour of camping trips for the school, as well as the introduction of numerous enrichment programmes in place of lessons.
In the early 1990s, the school underwent an extensive renovation, which saw the construction of a new hall, named after the school's founder, a gymnasium, a renovated clock tower block and new classrooms. In the late 1990s, the school embarked on a consortium scheme to improve the quality of education for students. It started with the establishment of the Quest and Aphelion consortiums, followed by ProEd and Radix. In 2000, the iSpark consortium was set up for students in the Gifted Education Programme
(GEP). In 2002, Quest and Radix merged to form the Ortus consortium.
On 19 March 1999, the school's clock tower was gazetted as a national monument
to mark the significance of the institution as the first Chinese medium school to be built in Southeast Asia to cater to the education of overseas Chinese. As part of the school's 80th anniversary celebration in 1999, the school's heritage centre was formally opened by Ong Teng Cheong, President of Singapore from 1993 to 1999, who was also an alumnus of the school. In addition, artist and alumnus Tan Swie Hian
presented the school with a giant sculpture of a horse, which currently stands near the school field.
In recent years, the school's reputation as a premier high school in Singapore has been increasing. In 2000, Richard Riley
, the then United States Secretary of Education
visited the school. Edward de Bono
also once called the school "Eton
of the east".
On 1 January 2005, The Chinese High School merged with Hwa Chong Junior College
to form Hwa Chong Institution
under the six-year Integrated Programme
from secondary one to junior college year two. The new scheme allows students to skip the GCE O Levels, typically taken by students in secondary four, and proceed to take the GCE A Levels
at the end of the six years of education.
's annual official rankings. Each year, the school attracted the best performing 3% of the Primary School Leaving Examination
(PSLE) cohort.
The school was also the first one in Singapore to initiate the Integrated Programme
. It is the current high school section in Hwa Chong Institution
. The college section of the institution is the former Hwa Chong Junior College
, a sister school with an equally impressive pedigree.
Among its extracurricular activities achievements, the school was famous for its performance in the annual national track and field
championship competition. It had lost less than 10 times in the competition in its 86 years of history.
Covering an area of 79 acres (320,000 m²) made it one of the largest high schools in Singapore and Southeast Asia
in terms of land area. Other educational institutions that sit on the school's grounds include the former Hwa Chong Junior College and the Singapore Institute of Management
.
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...
offering secondary education
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
. The school was founded by Tan Kah Kee
Tan Kah Kee
Tan Kah Kee was a prominent businessman, community leader, and philanthropist in colonial Singapore, and a Communist leader in the People's Republic of China.- Early years :...
on 21 March 1919 and it merged with Hwa Chong Junior College
Hwa Chong Junior College
Hwa Chong Junior College was a junior college in Singapore offering pre-university education. The college was founded in 1974 and merged with The Chinese High School on 1 January 2005 to form Hwa Chong Institution.-Founding:...
on 1 January 2005 to form Hwa Chong Institution
Hwa Chong Institution
Hwa Chong Institution is an independent school in Singapore for students aged 12 to 18 covering both secondary and pre-university levels. A Ministry of Education-designated FutureSchool, it operates under the Special Assistance Plan for bilingualism, and offers the Integrated Programme and also...
. The new institution retains the Chinese name and the logo of The Chinese High School.
The Chinese High School was the first high school in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
to cater to different dialect groups among overseas Chinese
Overseas Chinese
Overseas Chinese are people of Chinese birth or descent who live outside the Greater China Area . People of partial Chinese ancestry living outside the Greater China Area may also consider themselves Overseas Chinese....
in the region. After Singapore gained independence in 1965, the school came under the purview of the Ministry of Education
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:...
and was accorded the Special Assistance Plan
Special Assistance Plan
The Special Assistance Plan is a programme in Singapore which caters to academically strong students who excel in both their mother tongue as well as English. It is only available in selected secondary schools. In a SAP school, several subjects may be taught in the mother tongue, alongside other...
(SAP) status in 1979. It has the unique distinction of having the Independent School status in 1988, a scheme that the ministry perceived had proven successful and was extended to other top schools in Singapore. The Chinese High School remained as one of the best performing schools in Singapore, both in academic achievements and extracurricular activities.
History
As early as May 1913, Tan Kah KeeTan Kah Kee
Tan Kah Kee was a prominent businessman, community leader, and philanthropist in colonial Singapore, and a Communist leader in the People's Republic of China.- Early years :...
, a prominent businessman, proposed setting up a secondary school for Chinese boys in Singapore. Tan's proposal was supported by the Tung Teh Reading Club and a dance troupe, claiming to have raised S$20,000 as funds for building the school. On 21 March 1919, the Singapore Nanyang Overseas Chinese Middle School was formally opened at Niven Road with an enrolment of 78 students. Six years later, with an additional funding of S$600,000, the school moved to its new campus at Bukit Timah Road
Bukit Timah Road
Bukit Timah Road is a major road in Singapore extending from the city centre to Woodlands Road on the way to Johor Bahru in Malaysia. The road has a distance of 25km , which is one of the longest roads in Singapore, and the road takes its name from the hill...
, covering an area of 79 acres (319,701.9 m²).
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The school was temporarily closed in February 1933 when all the teachers resigned. Later in February 1934, the school was reopened with a new principal and staff. In the same year, Lee Kong Chian
Lee Kong Chian
Lee Kong Chian , was a prominent businessman and philanthropist and the founder of The Lee Foundation in Singapore. He was one of Southeast Asia's richest men in the 1950s and 1960s. He was the son-in-law of philanthropist Tan Kah Kee.-Early life:...
, son-in-law of Tan Kah Kee, became the chairperson of the school's management board, and he held the post until 1957. During Lee's tenure, the school almost closed several times due to financial difficulties, but managed to survive due to strong financial support from both Tan and Lee.
During the Battle of Singapore
Battle of Singapore
The Battle of Singapore was fought in the South-East Asian theatre of the Second World War when the Empire of Japan invaded the Allied stronghold of Singapore. Singapore was the major British military base in Southeast Asia and nicknamed the "Gibraltar of the East"...
, the school's clock tower, for its height and vantage point, served as a headquarters for the Allied defenders
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
and later for the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
during the Japanese occupation of Singapore
Japanese Occupation of Singapore
The Japanese occupation of Singapore in World War II occurred between about 1942 and 1945 after the fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942. Military forces of the Empire of Japan occupied Singapore after defeating the combined Australian, British, Indian and Malayan garrison in the Battle of Singapore...
. The school also served as a temporary concentration camp to detain people for examination during the Sook Ching massacre
Sook Ching massacre
The Sook Ching massacre was a systematic extermination of perceived hostile elements among the Chinese in Singapore by the Japanese military during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore, after the British colony surrendered on 15 February 1942 during the Second World War. Sook Ching was later...
. After the war, the school resumed its predominant Chinese education. In the 1950s and 1960s, during periods of civil unrest in Singapore, many students, teachers and alumni participated in or led the anti-colonial riots.
In 1987, the school was granted the status of an independent school by the Ministry of Education
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:...
and proceeded to implement changes to its curriculum that were unprecedented in other Singapore schools. The changes include the abolition of mid-year examinations in favour of camping trips for the school, as well as the introduction of numerous enrichment programmes in place of lessons.
In the early 1990s, the school underwent an extensive renovation, which saw the construction of a new hall, named after the school's founder, a gymnasium, a renovated clock tower block and new classrooms. In the late 1990s, the school embarked on a consortium scheme to improve the quality of education for students. It started with the establishment of the Quest and Aphelion consortiums, followed by ProEd and Radix. In 2000, the iSpark consortium was set up for students in the Gifted Education Programme
Gifted education
Gifted education is a broad term for special practices, procedures and theories used in the education of children who have been identified as gifted or talented...
(GEP). In 2002, Quest and Radix merged to form the Ortus consortium.
On 19 March 1999, the school's clock tower was gazetted as a national monument
National Monuments of Singapore
National Monuments of Singapore are buildings and structures in Singapore that have been designated by the Preservation of Monuments Board as being of special historic, traditional, archaeological, architectural or artistic value....
to mark the significance of the institution as the first Chinese medium school to be built in Southeast Asia to cater to the education of overseas Chinese. As part of the school's 80th anniversary celebration in 1999, the school's heritage centre was formally opened by Ong Teng Cheong, President of Singapore from 1993 to 1999, who was also an alumnus of the school. In addition, artist and alumnus Tan Swie Hian
Tan Swie Hian
Tan Swie Hian is a Singaporean multidisciplinary artist known for his contemporary Chinese calligraphy, chinese poetry and contemporary art sculptures found in Singapore and many parts of the world....
presented the school with a giant sculpture of a horse, which currently stands near the school field.
In recent years, the school's reputation as a premier high school in Singapore has been increasing. In 2000, Richard Riley
Richard Riley
Richard Wilson Riley , American politician, was United States Secretary of Education under President Bill Clinton and the 111th Governor of South Carolina. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
, the then United States Secretary of Education
United States Secretary of Education
The United States Secretary of Education is the head of the Department of Education. The Secretary is a member of the President's Cabinet, and 16th in line of United States presidential line of succession...
visited the school. Edward de Bono
Edward de Bono
Edward de Bono is a physician, author, inventor, and consultant. He originated the term lateral thinking, wrote a best selling book Six Thinking Hats and is a proponent of the deliberate teaching of thinking as a subject in schools.- Biography :Edward Charles Francis Publius de Bono was born to...
also once called the school "Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
of the east".
On 1 January 2005, The Chinese High School merged with Hwa Chong Junior College
Hwa Chong Junior College
Hwa Chong Junior College was a junior college in Singapore offering pre-university education. The college was founded in 1974 and merged with The Chinese High School on 1 January 2005 to form Hwa Chong Institution.-Founding:...
to form Hwa Chong Institution
Hwa Chong Institution
Hwa Chong Institution is an independent school in Singapore for students aged 12 to 18 covering both secondary and pre-university levels. A Ministry of Education-designated FutureSchool, it operates under the Special Assistance Plan for bilingualism, and offers the Integrated Programme and also...
under the six-year Integrated Programme
Integrated Programme
The Integrated Programme , also known as through-train programme , is a scheme which allows the brightest pupils at secondary schools in Singapore to bypass the "O" levels and take the "A" levels, International Baccalaureate or an equivalent examination directly at the age of 18 after six years of...
from secondary one to junior college year two. The new scheme allows students to skip the GCE O Levels, typically taken by students in secondary four, and proceed to take the GCE A Levels
GCE Advanced Level
The Advanced Level General Certificate of Education, commonly referred to as an A-level, is a qualification offered by education institutions in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Cameroon, and the Cayman Islands...
at the end of the six years of education.
Achievements
The Chinese High School was one of the top high schools in Singapore, having been consistently ranked among the top four schools according to the Ministry of EducationMinistry 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:...
's annual official rankings. Each year, the school attracted the best performing 3% of the Primary School Leaving Examination
Primary School Leaving Examination
The Primary School Leaving Examination is a national examination taken by all students in Singapore near the end of primary six in primary school, which is also their last year in Primary school before they leave for secondary school. It is administered by the Ministry of Education...
(PSLE) cohort.
The school was also the first one in Singapore to initiate the Integrated Programme
Integrated Programme
The Integrated Programme , also known as through-train programme , is a scheme which allows the brightest pupils at secondary schools in Singapore to bypass the "O" levels and take the "A" levels, International Baccalaureate or an equivalent examination directly at the age of 18 after six years of...
. It is the current high school section in Hwa Chong Institution
Hwa Chong Institution
Hwa Chong Institution is an independent school in Singapore for students aged 12 to 18 covering both secondary and pre-university levels. A Ministry of Education-designated FutureSchool, it operates under the Special Assistance Plan for bilingualism, and offers the Integrated Programme and also...
. The college section of the institution is the former Hwa Chong Junior College
Hwa Chong Junior College
Hwa Chong Junior College was a junior college in Singapore offering pre-university education. The college was founded in 1974 and merged with The Chinese High School on 1 January 2005 to form Hwa Chong Institution.-Founding:...
, a sister school with an equally impressive pedigree.
Among its extracurricular activities achievements, the school was famous for its performance in the annual national track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
championship competition. It had lost less than 10 times in the competition in its 86 years of history.
Covering an area of 79 acres (320,000 m²) made it one of the largest high schools in Singapore and Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
in terms of land area. Other educational institutions that sit on the school's grounds include the former Hwa Chong Junior College and the Singapore Institute of Management
Singapore Institute of Management
The Singapore Institute of Management is Singapore's largest and most comprehensive provider of private tertiary education and professional training. It was founded by the Singapore Economic Development Board in 1964. SIM offers diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes as well as a...
.
See also
- Hwa Chong InstitutionHwa Chong InstitutionHwa Chong Institution is an independent school in Singapore for students aged 12 to 18 covering both secondary and pre-university levels. A Ministry of Education-designated FutureSchool, it operates under the Special Assistance Plan for bilingualism, and offers the Integrated Programme and also...
- Hwa Chong Junior CollegeHwa Chong Junior CollegeHwa Chong Junior College was a junior college in Singapore offering pre-university education. The college was founded in 1974 and merged with The Chinese High School on 1 January 2005 to form Hwa Chong Institution.-Founding:...
- List of Hwa Chong Institution people