The Chinese High School
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| Name | The Chinese High School (Chinese: 华侨中学) |
| Abbreviation | TCHS |
| School Code | 7103 |
| Address | 661, Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 269735 |
| Founded | 21 March 1919 |
| Mission | With our blend of tradition and innovation, we nurture leaders in research, industry and government, who have the integrity, wisdom, passion and vision, to succeed in the global environment and serve our nation. |
| Motto | 自强不息 |
| Philosophy | Win-Win 己立立人 己达达人 |
| Type | Independent Secondary School |
| Religion | Secular |
| Students | Boys |
| Levels | Secondary 1 – 4 |
| Colours | Red, Yellow |
| Publications | Hwa Chong Highlights |
| Website | HwaChong.edu.sg |
The Chinese High School (Simplified Chinese: 华侨中学; Traditional Chinese: 華僑中學; pinyin: Húaqīao Zhōngxúe), formerly Singapore Nanyang Overseas Chinese Middle School (Traditional Chinese: 新加坡南洋華僑中學校; Simplified Chinese: 新加坡南洋华侨中学校; pinyin: Xīnjíapō Nányáng Huaqíao Zhōngxúexìao) was founded by philanthropist Tan Kah Kee on March 21, 1919 in Singapore. On 1 January 2005, The Chinese High School merged with Hwa Chong Junior College to become Hwa Chong Institution also called 华侨中学 in simplified Chinese now.
The Chinese High School was the first high school in South-east Asia to cater to different Chinese dialect groups. After Singapore's independence, it has come under the purview of the Ministry of Education and was awarded the Special Assistance Plan status in 1979. It has the unique distinction of having Independent School status in 1988, a scheme that the Ministry of Education perceived had proven successful and was extended to other top schools in Singapore. This premier school is widely considered as one of the top boys' high school in Singapore, both in terms of academic achievement as well as extracurricular activities.
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[edit] History
As early as May 1913, Tan Kah Kee, a prominent merchant, proposed the setting up of a secondary school for Chinese boys in Singapore. His proposal fell on deaf ears. However, he was supported by the Tung Teh Reading club and a dance troupe, claiming to have raised $20000 as building fund. The Singapore Nanyang Overseas Chinese Middle School was then opened on 21 March 1919, at Niven Road, with an enrolment of 78 pupils. Six years and $600,000 later, the school moved to its Bukit Timah campus, with an area of 79 acres.
After the founding of the school, the school offered comprehensive secondary-level Chinese education. It remained funded and supported by Tan Kah Kee until just shortly before World War II. The school was closed temporarily in February 1933 because of the resignation of all the teachers. Later in February 1934, it was reopened with a new principal and staff. In 1934, Lee Kong Chian, whose father-in-law was Tan Kah Kee, became the chairperson of school's board, a post he held until 1957. During his tenture, the school attempted to close several times due to financial difficulties, but did not do so because of the backing of both Lee Kong Chian and Tan Kah Kee.
During the Battle of Singapore, the school clock tower with its height and vantage point first served as headquarters for the Allied defenders and then as headquarters for the Imperial Japanese Army. It also served as a temporary concentration camp to hold people for examination during the Sook Ching massacre.
After the war, with education resumed, the school continued its Chinese-dominated education, and in the 1950s and 1960s during periods of civil unrest many students, teachers and alumni took part or led anti-colonial rule riots.
The arrival of Tooh Fee San, the principal from 1979 to 1999, was a major turning point for the school. He undertook the responsibility of making the school one of the best in the nation. Steps were taken to improve the school's facilities. In 1987, The Chinese High School became an independent school. As an independent school, the school introduced many groundbreaking changes that were unprecedented in Singapore, such as the abolition of mid-year examinations in favour of camping trips for the entire school, and the introduction of numerous enrichment programmes such as Projects' Day.
In the early 1990s, the school underwent an extensive renovation, which saw the building of a new hall, now called Kah Kee Hall (嘉庚堂), a gymnasium, a renovated tower block and also new classrooms.
In the late 1990s, The Chinese High School embarked on a consortium scheme (a "school within a school" concept), in its continuous effort to improve the quality of education provided to its students. It started with the Quest consortium, and Aphelion, ProEd and Radix soon followed. iSpark was set up in 2000 for GEP students and exceptional students from the other consortiums. In 2002 Quest and Radix merged to form Ortus.
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 secondary school to be built in Southeast Asia catering to the Overseas Chinese. During the school's 80th anniversary celebrations, renowned artist and old-boy Tan Swie Hian presented the school with a giant sculpture of a heavenly horse (天下之马). The opening of the school's heritage centre was officiated by alumnus and former President of Singapore, Ong Teng Cheong.
The recent years have seen the school's reputation growing from strength to strength. In 2000, the then United States Secretary of Education, Richard Riley, visited the school. The world-famous psychologist, Edward de Bono has also hailed the school as "the Eton of the far East."
The Chinese High School merged with Hwa Chong Junior College on 1 January 2005 to become Hwa Chong Institution to offer a 6-year Integrated Programme from Secondary 1 to JC 2. The program will allow students to skip the GCE 'O' Levels and directly take the GCE 'A' Levels examinations at the end of their six years in the school, thus allowing them much more time to embark on various educational endeavours that will benefit them.
[edit] School songs
The school song is in classical Chinese and was written by 邵庆元. It is set to the tune of Annie Lisle, though the tempo of the school song is much faster.
新加坡南洋华侨中学校歌
海天寥廓 云树苍笼 中有我华中 礼门义路 时雨春风 吾侪托帡幪 猗与华中 南方之强 我中华之光 雄立狮岛 式是炎荒 万世其无疆
人生茫茫 学海洋洋 吾侪当自强 朝乾夕惕 日就月将 莫负好时光 猗与华中 南方之强 我中华之光 雄立狮岛 式是炎荒 万世其无疆
迨予庶士 笃实辉光 斐然已成章 膂力方刚 经营四方 前途浩且长 猗与华中 南方之强 我中华之光 雄立狮岛 式是炎荒 万世其无疆
Another song which is sung during the weekly assembly is Lets' Be (华中行). Both the Chinese and English versions are sung.
Sometimes, the song Man Jiang Hong, written by the famed Chinese patriot Yue Fei, is sung. It signifies courage against adversity. All students know that they must sing this song with gusto.
[edit] Achievements
The Chinese High School is widely considered to be one of the top three high schools in Singapore, having consistently been ranked in the top 3 under the official rankings by the Ministry of Education. The only other high schools with such an enviable reputation are Raffles Girls' School (Secondary) and Raffles Institution. Competition for places is extremely keen, and every year it attracts the top 3% of the national PSLE cohort.
The school also has the distinction of being the school in Singapore that first initiated the Integrated Programme. It is the current high school division in the newly formed Hwa Chong Institution that was formed under the Integrated Programme. The college section of Hwa Chong Institution is Hwa Chong Junior College, which is a sister institution with an equally impressive pedigree.
Amongst its achievements, the school is famed for its dominance in the Singapore National Interschool Track And Field Championships (it has lost less than 10 times within its 86 year history), and it is also credited with many first-time achievements, such as the formation of the Integrated Programme. It has also one of the largest student councils amongst secondary schools in Singapore, with about 140 councillors belonging to its Students Council.
Its large area of 79 acres (320,000 m²) makes it one of the largest high schools in Singapore and South East Asia. Several other institutions sit on its grounds, including Hwa Chong Junior College and the Singapore Institute of Management.
[edit] Notable Alumni
Famous alumni include:
- Eric Moo (巫启贤), Chinese pop artiste
- James Tan, Commissioner, Singapore Civil Defence Force
- Luo Haocai (罗豪才), chief justice, Supreme People's Court (PRC)
- Ong Teng Cheong (王鼎昌), former President of Singapore
- Tan Swie Hian (陈瑞献), artist
- Zhong Shengbiao (钟盛标), physicist
- Tan Yih San, Brigadier General, Singapore Armed Forces
- Kenny Bee, CEO of Qian Hu
Famous teachers and staff include:
- Lao She (老舍), noted Manchu writer, taught at the school in 1929.
- Liu Kang (刘抗), artist
- James Wong, National discus thrower
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- School Website
- Speech by then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, at the school's 85th anniversary dinner.
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- Satellite image from WikiMapia or Google Maps
- Street map from Multimap or GlobalGuide
- Aerial image from TerraServer
