Catholic High School (Singapore)

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Catholic High School
公教中学
Sekolah Tinggi Catholic
Motto Care, Honesty, Service
Established 1935
Type SAP, Autonomous, Single
Principal Mr. Lee Hak Boon
School code 7102
Colours Green, White, Yellow
Locale Bishan, Singapore
Enrollment approx. 1,600 (Secondary Section), approx. 2,000 (Primary Section)
Website Link
Flag of Singapore Republic of Singapore
This is about Catholic High School (Singapore). For other schools, see Catholic High School (disambiguation).

Catholic High School (公教中学) is a boys' school in Singapore offering primary and secondary education. The school was founded in 1935 by Rev. Fr. Edward Becheras on the philosophy of producing bilingual scholars who are fluent in both English and Chinese.

Contents

[edit] Overview

Catholic High is a government-aided, Special Assistance Plan (SAP) and autonomous school. The primary section offered the Gifted Education Programme until the Ministry of Education shut it since the start of 2005.

The school changed its location several times since it was founded as it sought a permanent place. It was located at Queen Street (in Sts. Peter and Paul Church), Gentle Road, Bishan Street 12 (co-locating with Guangyang Secondary), and Bright Hill Drive at various times and is now at its permanent home in Bishan Street 22.

Catholic High improved its annual ranking by a significant margin over the years. In 2005, Catholic High was ranked the 7th best school in Singapore, up from 18th in 2 years. However, in 2006, the school took a slight dip to Band 2 (L1B5: 11) from Band 1 (L1B5: <11) the year before.

In 2005, Catholic High hosted the United Nations Peace Monument for Asia. In addition, the Tablet PC Programme was introduced for the Secondary Two cohort as Catholic High School became one of the first schools in Singapore to use this programme, which was scraped just after one year.

[edit] School's History

The school was founded in 1935 by the late Reverend Father Edward Becheras, a French missionary. It is a Catholic institution but takes in both Catholic and non-Catholic students. The school had a humble beginning within the Church of St Peter and Paul at Queen Street . To cope with the enrollment demand, it was relocated to its present site in Bishan in 1992. Reverend Father Becheras envisioned the school as an institution of learning, and especially for acquiring bilingual competence. His enunciation - "The way of the Catholic High School is a way made of two rails - Chinese and English, free from any entanglement, straight to its end. Happy are those who follow. They shall obtain the scope of a sound education" - remains firmly as a cornerstone of the school's philosophy.

Catholic High School is dedicated to the total development of bilingual individuals with integrity who are able to perform to their fullest potential through a balanced education. To date, the school has produced 19 President's Scholars and numerous recipients of other scholarships. Many of its alumni are prominent leaders in the public and private sectors (see below).

Catholic High School was identified as one of the Special Assistance Plan schools in 1979. This enables students in the top 10% of the cohort to take both Chinese and English as their first language.

Catholic High School also has a very effective TAF club. In 2006, about 80% of TAF members had lost enough weight to be out of TAF club. This is due to the gruelling training, as TAF members have to run consistently on the track and are not allowed to walk. Also, TAF members are strictly prohibited from eating or drinking unrecommended food from the canteen. Those who do so are severely punished.

[edit] School Mission

To establish Catholic High School as a school of distinction in innovative and challenging programmes, a forerunner in character building and a beacon for the mindset of excellence, firmly built upon the foundation of Christian values.

[edit] School Vision

(Adapted from the official school website)

The Catholic High student is a gentleman and bilingual scholar of high integrity and robust character, who is passionate about life, learning and service to others.

[edit] School Song

[edit] Lyrics

公教中学，屹立新洲；
黉宇高耸，环境清幽。
宣传文化，中西并筹；
阐扬学术，文质兼收。
振兴教育，惠及同俦；
发挥道德，砥柱中流。
莘莘学子，勤勉研求；
弦歌讽诵，涵泳优游。
白云渺渺，绿水悠悠；
敦品励学，无间无休。
蕉雨淅淅，椰风飕飕；
振我邦国，万祀千秋。

[edit] Meaning of lyrics in English

Catholic High School stands tall,
On this Island of Singapore ;
Serene and picturesque are its precincts,
And to Heaven does its spire soar.
Propagating Cultural heritage: East, West and more.
Striving towards excellence is our very goal.
Promoting bilingualism benefits one and all.
Cultivating virtues as steadfast as mountains admidst turbulence.

Diligent are the boys in scholastic pursuits,
Joyfully they sing, play and grow,
Never slackening in life-long learning,
Never departing from social mores.

Through the clear sky the white clouds float,
Into the deep sea the green waters flow.
On this tropical island,
We build a nation, forever strong and free,
Reaching out together from here to eternity.

Adapted and translated from the School Song by Liaw Beng Teck

[edit] School Uniform

The uniform comprises of a white top with olive green shorts.

The top has 2 chest pockets at the chest level and epaulettes on the shoulders, the epaulettes, pockets and the front of the shirt are buttoned up using metalic buttons that has "公中" inscribed on. The metalic school crest is pinned on the left chest above the chest pocket; students who are monitors wears a different crest which has the word "monitor" on a yellow background, similiarly prefects wear the crest with prefect against a red background.

Catholic High School is one of only two schools in Singapore that make male students of every grade level wear shorts, the other being Chinese High School; in fact, the uniforms of both schools are similar.

[edit] Student Leaders' Board

The Catholic High School Student Leaders' Board is consists of the longest-running Students' Council, the Prefectorial Board and the newly-formed Class Management Committee. The Students' Council (SC) is mainly in charge of the welfare of the student body, the Prefectorial Board (PB) - in charge of mainly the discipline and running of the school, and the Class Management Committee (CMC) revolves round the class spirit and bonding. All three boards complement each other in the unified Student Leaders' Board (SLB).

[edit] Events organised

Events and activities organised by the SLB include Teachers' Day Celebrations, SLB Investiture and Secondary 4 Graduation Night. The SLB also co-ordinates in events such as the Open House, Parent-Teacher Meetings and Sports Night.

[edit] CCA Achievements

[edit] Sports

  • Basketball B Division –National 1st and South Zone 1st
  • Basketball C Division –National 1st and South Zone 1st
  • Cross Country C Division – National 1st
  • Golf C Division – National 3rd
  • Softball B Division - National 3rd and South Zone 3rd
  • Softball C Division - National 1st and South Zone Champion
  • Table Tennis B Division - National Top 8 and South Zone 4th
  • Table Tennis C Division - National 4th and South Zone 3rd
  • Tennis B Division - National 3rd
  • Tennis C Division - National 4th
  • Track & Field C Division - National 5th and SPH Relays 2nd
  • Volleyball C Division - National 1st and South Zone 1st
  • Wushu B Division - National 3rd
  • Wushu C Division - National 1st(2006)

[edit] Uniform Groups

  • Scouts - 12th consecutive Frank Cooper Sands, Gold, Numerous Chief Commissioner Awardees, 49 President Scouts Awardees
  • NCC Air – Gold, 2 SAF-NCC Awards
  • NCC Land - Gold, 2 SAF-NCC Awards
  • NPCC – Gold
  • St John Ambulance Brigade – Silver, 3 Chief Commissioner’s Awards

[edit] Aesthetics Groups

  • Edward Becheras Choir – Gold With Honours
  • Symphony Band – Gold With Honours
  • English Drama – Gold
  • Chinese Orchestra – Gold
  • Chinese Drama - Gold (2nd)
  • Modern Dance – Silver

[edit] Clubs and Societies

  • English Debating and Oratorial Society - Singapore Secondary School Debating Championships Finalist (1999, 2001), Victoria Junior College Debate Invitationals (2003), National University of Singapore Vice Chacellor Shield (2004), Raffles Junior College- Debate Association Youth 14 finalist (2004), Victoria Junior College Debate Invitationals- Individual Best Speaker of Series (2005), National University of Singapore Chancellor Shield- Individual Best Speaker of Series (2006), British Council-Debates Association (Singapore) Zero Carbon City Debates- #3 Best Speaker of Series (2006), Hwa Chong Junior College Debating Invitationals- Runnersup, Individual Best Speaker of Series, #2 Best Speaker of Series (2006)
  • IT Club - 21st National Software Competition (2005) - IT Quiz (Third)
  • Chess Club - Char Yong Cup (National Youth Chinese Chess Competition)(1st, 2nd in 2001, 2002 U15)(1st, 3rd in 2003 U18), Raffles Cup Chinese Chess Competition (National Schools Team Competition) (1st in 2002,2003,2005 --- 2nd in 2001, 2004) (3rd in 2006)

Singapore Polytechnic Chess Challenge (1st in 2001,2003,2004,2005) (2nd in 2002)

[edit] More about Achievements

In 2004, the Edward Becheras choir won the top prize (Laureate of the Festival) in the 14th International Festival of Advent and Christmas Music with Petr Eben Award in Prague, which led to an invitation to perform in Guangzhou, China the following year. The Catholic High School Symphony Band also did well enough to gain a silver at the World Music Festival in Netherlands in 2005. Catholic High also did exceptionally well in the 2005 Singapore Youth Festival, winning many gold-with-honors and gold medals, especially in the choir, band, Chinese orchestra and English drama categories.

Catholic High also possesses an excellent debating tradition, with many Singapore national team speakers hailing from the school, as recently as 2006. Following an illustrious run in the Nationals in 2002 and 2003 that ultimately came to not, in 2003 and 2004, it won the National University of Singapore Vice Chancellor's Shield and the Victoria Junior College Debating Invitationals before following up with unprecedented top 4 finishes in many competitions in 2005. In 2006, it broke first in the top-tiered A Division beating a host of top schools including the Anglo-Chinese School and Methodist Girl's School, leaving it as firm favorites for the national title before suffering a shock defeat on 24 March to put to an end, hopes of ending a three year title drought. Since then, it has gone on a remarkable turnaround, beating Raffles Junior College to advance to the semifinals of the British Council-Debating Association Zero Carbon City Debates where it was defeated by Victoria Junior College. On 22 July, the team reached their first final in 30 months when they lost narrowly to Raffles Institution in the finals of the Hwa Chong Junior College Debating Invitationals.

Due to exceptional hard work and support, the softball team improved greatly within 2 years to become the National Champions (in 2004), but the team is often criticized for playing mechanically and without flair or style. There are many other promising faculties in the school, such as its basketball team which is expected to do exceptionally well in the upcoming 2006 year. Catholic High won the 2005 B Division championship, however their C Division clinched fourth, falling to South-Zone powerhouses Gan Eng Seng Secondary and Raffles Institution several times during the tournament. The C Division team then went on to win the National Title, crushing Jurong Secondary School by 80-47.

[edit] Co-Curricular Activities

[edit] Primary School

[edit] Sports and Games

  • Athletics
  • Basketball
  • Ten Pin Bowling
  • Soccer
  • Softball
  • Table Tennis
  • Tennis
  • Volleyball

[edit] Uniformed Groups

  • Scouts

[edit] Cultural Activities/Clubs & Societites

  • iMedia Club
  • Chinese Chess Club
  • International Chess Club
  • Chinese Speech & Drama
  • Library
  • Robotics Club
  • Young Aviators' Club
  • AMEC (Advanced Mathematics Enrichment Club)
  • Catholic Activities
  • I & E Club
  • Science Club

[edit] Performing Arts

  • Concert Band
  • Chinese Orchestra
  • Choir
  • Modern Dance Club
  • Violin Ensemble

[edit] Secondary School

[edit] Sports and Games

  • Basketball
  • Bowling
  • Cross Country/Track & Field
  • Sailing
  • Softball
  • Volleyball
  • Table-tennis
  • Tennis
  • Wushu

[edit] Uniformed Groups

  • NCC (Land)
  • NCC (Air)
  • Scouts
  • St John Ambulance Brigade

[edit] Clubs and Societies

  • Chess Club
  • Chinese LDDS (Calligraphy)
  • IT Club
  • Library Council
  • Design and Technology Club
  • English Debating and Oratorical Society
  • i-news Club

[edit] Performing Arts

  • Catholic High School Chinese Orchestra
  • Catholic High School Symphony Band
  • Chinese LDDS (Drama)
  • Modern Dance

[edit] Alternative CCA

  • Legion of Mary
  • Young Christian Students' Movement (YCS)
  • TAF Club

[edit] Collaboration

Students from Catholic High School Primary and Secondary often have activities where both sections come together. These include those in the CCA aspect, when the Band and Chinese Orchestra from both sections come together for practices; Softball and Track and Field from both sections having combined training sessions. The Student Leaders' Board of the Secondary section also conducted training sessions for their Primary section counterparts.

Catholic High School (Secondary) Student Leaders' Board has also organised a number of Student Leaders' Convention with schools like St. Joseph's Institution, CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School and CHIJ Toa Payoh. These conventions bring together Student Leaders (Prefects, Councillors and Class Monitors/Chairpersons) from all over Singapore to come and experience with other SLs.

[edit] Catholic High Alumni

The school prides itself on having a close relationship and strong areas of collaboration with her Old Boys Association. The CHA has been very active and supportive in the school's programmes, especially in funding many local/overseas enrichment programmes for students as well as staff development programmes for teachers. The CHA offers the OBA Founders' Scholarships for outstanding Catholic High students. Members of the CHA also volunteer as guest speakers at assembly talks, mentors for CHA scholars and advisors for special projects such as the OBA-CH Innovative Problem-Solving Competition using IT and the IT Challenge Programme, etc.

[edit] Notable alumni

[edit] External links

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