Catholic High School, Singapore

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Catholic High School
公教中学
Sekolah Tinggi Catholic
Lycée Catholique
Catholic High School, with primary block
Motto 亲，爱，忠诚 （Care, Honesty, Service)
Established 1935
Type SAP, Autonomous, Boys, Single session
Principal Mr. Lee Hak Boon
MOE Code 7102
Colours Green, White, Yellow
Locale Bishan, Singapore
Enrollment approx. 1,400 (Secondary Section), approx. 1,600 (Primary Section)
Website Link
Ministry of Education
Flag of Singapore Republic of Singapore

Catholic High School (公教中学) (Abbreviation: CHS) is an all-boys Catholic school in Singapore offering a six-year primary and a four-year GCE 'O' Level education. The primary school offers the Gifted Education Program (GEP) in addition to the standard PSLE curriculum. The school was founded in 1935 by Rev. Fr. Edward Becheras, a French missionary, on the philosophy of producing scholars who are fluent in both English and Chinese. To date, the school has produced 19 President's Scholars and numerous recipients of other scholarships. The school has a consistent showing in the Band 1 tables of the 'O' Level rankings, and is recognized as one of the top schools in Singapore.

The current principal of the school is Lee Hak Boon, with three vice-principals: primary section - Chaillan Mui Tuan; secondary section - Tay Chen Lai; and administration - Daniel Teo Guan Teck. The supervisor is Father Henry Siew, parish priest of the Church of the Nativity BVM.

The school vision is: "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." It is recited at every morning assembly. Catholic High students are expected to keep up the moral and academic standards set in the Vision.

Catholic High School is affiliated to Catholic Junior College.

Contents

[edit] History

Sculpture of Rev. Father Edward Becheras in front of the clock tower.
Sculpture of Rev. Father Edward Becheras in front of the clock tower.

The school was founded in 1935 by Reverend Father Edward Becheras, a French missionary. Although it is a Catholic institution, it also accepts non-Catholic students. The school started within the Church of St. Peter and Paul. Becheras envisioned the school as an institution of bilingual learning. He stated: "The way of 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."[1]

Catholic High School was recognized as a Special Assistance Plan school in 1979. This enables students in the top 10 percent of the cohort to take both English and Chinese as their first language. In the same year, pre-primary classes were started to prepare students for primary school Chinese study. Catholic High expanded its campus to accommodate its pre- and lower primary classes in Gentle Road and its upper primary classes in Norfolk Road. It moved the primary and high school to its permanent campus in Bishan Street 22 in 1992, to cope with the enrollment demand.

[edit] Supervisors

  • 1935 - 1957: Rev. Fr. Edward Becheras
  • 1957 - 1961: Rev. Fr. J B Itcaina
  • 1962 - 1964: Rt. Rev. Mgr. Noel Goh
  • 1965 - 1966: Rev. Fr. Matthias Tung
  • 1966 - 1967: Rt. Rev. Mgr. Noel Goh
  • 1967 - 1969: Rev. Fr. Matthias Tung
  • 1970 - 1983: Rt. Rev. Mgr. Noel Goh
  • 1984 - 2006: Rt. Rev. Mgr. Francis Lau
  • 2006 - Present: Rev. Fr. Henry Siew

[edit] Principals

  • 1935 - 1950: Mr Yao Kwok Wah
  • 1950 - 1956: Bro. J. Philippe Wu F.M.S.
  • 1956 - 1958: Bro. Subran Sun F.M.S.
  • 1959 - 1960: Bro. Marcellin Sheng F.M.S.
  • 1960 - 1974: Bro. Joseph Dufresse Chang F.M.S.
  • 1975 - 1983: Mr Yap Koon Chan
  • 1984 - 1990: Mr Tan Kiok Ngiap
  • 1991 - 1993: Mr Liaw Beng Teck
  • 1993 - 1997: Mr Loke Kay Khee
  • 1997 - 2002: Mrs Goh Hwee Choo
  • 2002 - Present: Mr Lee Hak Boon

[edit] Crest and anthem

School Anthem is in Chinese - English Translation below :

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.

Catholic High School has used the same crest since its founding. The blue colour symbolises the infinite and boundless universe in which man is free to think and choose how best to spend his time to develop his character as an individual. The cross represents Jesus Christ, who Christians believe suffered and died for the salvation of all mankind. The light signifies that Jesus Christ is the light of the universe.[2]

The school anthem was originally written in Chinese. It was given an English translation in 1991, by Liaw Beng Teck, one of its former principals.

[edit] Dress code

Uniforms are compulsory for students. Students from all grades wear a white collared shirt and dark green shorts. The shorts give the students the classic 'schoolboy' appearance. The name tag and school crest is sewn on for primary school students, while it is pinned on for secondary students. The PE kit consists of a white shirt with yellow sleeves and blue shorts. The house shirts are similar in design, albeit for the house name instead of the school name emblazoned on the back. In addition, only white socks and shoes are allowed to be worn.

A dark green tie is worn during Assembly and formal occasions. A dark green school blazer may be worn over a white, long sleeved shirt and black pants by students while attending external events.

[edit] Houses

The house system is used during intra-school sporting events. The four houses — Edward, Noel, Phillipe and Joseph — are named after former principals and supervisors of the school, and are represented by the colours blue, green, red and yellow respectively.

  • Reverend Fr. Edward Becheras was the founder and first supervisor of the school.[3]
  • Rt. Rev. Mgr. Noel Goh was the school's third, fifth and seventh supervisor.
  • Rev. D.C. Joseph was principal from 1960-1974. He was a musician who was well-versed in both Western and Oriental culture.
  • Rev. Phillipe Wu was principal from 1950-1956. He believed that mastery over oneself was more important than mastery over knowledge. He helped to strengthen the Father Becheras' bilingual policy.

Houses are allocated to teachers and students. There are various leadership positions in each house, such as captain, secretary, treasurer and level coordinator. Sports events such as the annual cross-country and sports night help earn points for the houses. At the end of the year, points are totaled up and the house with the highest points wins the Challenge Shield.

[edit] Camps

Annual school camps are organized for the secondary 1-3 batch of students. These camps are meant to foster team spirit and camaraderie among students, as well as to build character. Camps complement the annual Overseas Educational Programs .[4] Traditionally held on campus, orientation camp is organized by student leaders for secondary 1 students. It concludes a week-long orientation programme to imbue the Catholic High culture and values in them. It ends with a student's investiture ceremony, where the secondary 1 students are officially sworn in.

Level camps are organized for the secondary 2 and 3 students. The secondary 2 camp is held at the MOE Changi Adventure Camp. Activities include kayaking, rock climbing and height-based challenges. The four-day three-night secondary 3 camp is held in Taman Negara, Malaysia. Students can choose the activities they wish to participate in, including white water rafting, cycling, caving and trekking. Annual overseas educational programmes are organized by the school to China and the United Kingdom for the secondary 2 and 3 students respectively, in addition to overseas trips made by the humanities department and individual CCAs. These trips seek to broaden the perspectives of students, allow them to bond with each other as well as to reinforce the bilingual education provided by the school.

[edit] Student Leadership Board

The SLB consists of three boards: The Prefectorial Board, Students Council and Class Management Committee. SLB members can join by nominating themselves, or via a teacher nomination. In addition to possessing leadership qualities, student leaders have good character and academic results. The various departments within the SLB are headed by an Executive Committee (EXCO), which consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary and Committee heads. Student leaders are given opportunities to attend in - house or external leadership development courses and training camps.

Prefectorial Board
The Prefects are appointed by the school administration to assist in maintaining school discipline. The PB has the autonomy in daily enforcement of school rules and regulations. The Prefects are also tasked with assisting the Students Council in organizing school functions. Potential prefects are recognized at the Sec 1 and 2 level and are nominated by their class or CCA teachers.

Students Council
The Student Council is appointed by the school management to represent the student body in ensuring the well - being of students. Councillors are in charge of organizing school functions such as the Secondary 1 Orientation, Teachers Day Celebrations and the Secondary 4 Graduation Ceremony. They are also given a substantial amount of autonomy in managing student affairs, such as Meet-the-students sessions as well as focus group discussions. Aspiring Councillors are interviewed by the EXCO and SLB teachers, where selected applicants go through a Probation course before being officially sworn in as Councillors.

Class Management Committee
The Class Management Committee consists of 2 students from every class, the Chairman and the Vice Chairman, who are chosen by their form teacher or elected by their classmates. Their main job is to handle administrative duties such as daily attendance and form collection. They are also in charge of dissemination of information from teachers to classmates and vice versa, as well as ensuring the welfare and cleanliness of the class. The CMC also periodically assists the Students Council in organizing certain events.

[edit] Campus

The seven-hectare Catholic High campus consists of two blocks, primary and secondary. A common area is shared between these two blocks, where the secondary plaza and two halls are located. Beneath the plaza is the secondary canteen and gallery, where works of art done by the students are showcased, one of which is a 1:1 replica of Leonardo Da Vinci's Last Supper. A lecture theatrette and recording studio is also located there. The two air-conditioned, multi-purpose halls currently serve as venues for assembly, large scale talks, performing arts events, and indoor sporting activities, while the sports hall is currently being built. The auditorium, located beneath the Secondary block, is used as a venue for smaller scale events.

[edit] Sporting facilities

Catholic High track and field, with basketball sculpture in foreground
Catholic High track and field, with basketball sculpture in foreground

There are many sporting facilities catering for the different sports CCAs in Catholic High. A 400m track and field houses a softball diamond and a multipurpose open field. There is also a discus cage and javelin throwing ground. Behind the field are 2 tennis courts and a basketball court. The Sports Hall, which is in construction, will house the basketball courts, volleyball courts and badminton courts, in addition to spectator stands. There are 2 gyms in the school, located in the Secondary campus. Catholic High is one of the few schools that have a in-campus sports class, where its students go through a rigorous sports and academic course. Sports Class students take Physical Education as an 'O' Level subject, in addition to the standard 'O' Level curriculum.

In 2010, Catholic High will be a training venue for athletes competing in Gymnastics for the Youth Olympic Games

[edit] IT Facilities

There are three general purpose computer laboratories and 1 Macintosh lab in the Secondary campus. Students and teachers can access the Internet anywhere on campus via a wireless network. There used to be a Tablet PC programme, but was discontinued after review by the school board. 2 LAN gaming centers are planned to be built, after student suggestions.

[edit] Aesthetics facilities

The two school halls are capable of hosting up to 800 seated guests each in an air-conditioned environment, with excellent acoustics for concerts and plays. For a more intimate environment, the school auditorium is used to present theater and drama productions.

[edit] Co-curricular activities

CCAs are grouped into core and merit CCAs. Joining one core CCA, which consists of sports, performing arts and uniformed groups is compulsory for all students. Merit groups, which are optional, consist of clubs and societies such as drama and debating.

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[5], which led to an invitation to perform in Guangzhou, China the following year. The Catholic High School Symphony Band won a silver at the World Music Festival in Netherlands in 2005. It was the only High School band from Asia to perform there. Catholic High has won many medals in the Singapore Youth Festival, especially in the choir, band, and English drama categories.

In sports, basketball and softball have shown excellent performance, winning the National Championships many times. Uniformed groups have also built a tradition of excellence, with consistent gold awards for the Unit Overall Proficiency Awards. The Catholic High Scouts, established in 1948, have won, for 12 consecutive years, the Frank Cooper Sands Gold award.

Catholic High has also built up a debating reputation, since the founding of the debating society in 1999. Ever since then, the debating society has went on to win accolates. Julia Gabriel Secondary School Debating Championships, the national competition for debaters around Singapore, has seen Catholic High reaching the finals three times; the most recent that being in 2007, where the team lost to Singapore Chinese Girls' School. The same team also participated in the Victoria Junior College Debating Invitationals and emerged as champions. Many members of the debating society have joined the national team.

[edit] Catholic High Music Awards

School Plaza and Halls
School Plaza and Halls

The Catholic High Music Awards is a large - scale performing arts competition organized by the CHS iMedia Club. Originally a small - scale event during Assembly where students go up to perform, it has evolved into a professional, large - scale competition, where lots of effort goes into the sound, lighting, decor, even the promotional materials. There are various categories students can perform in, namely, Solo Vocalist, Group Vocals, Rock Band, Instrumental Band, Duet and Creative Expressions. Creative Expressions, a new category unveiled in 2006, is for students who want to showcase their performing talents in unique ways. Duet, a new category that will be featured in CHMA 2008, is a category where a student must perform a song with a student from another school. Contestants get to experience a professional recording session and publicity poster shoot in the CHS iMedia studio. External bands are often invited to perform. CHMA is an event where students can not only fully exploit their potential, but most importantly, forge close bonds with their schoolmates through this annual musical fiesta.

[edit] Catholic High Homecoming Day

The CHS Homecoming day is an annual event where a funfair is held on school compounds, attended by students, teachers and alumni. It is usually held at the end of June or the beginning of July. Food and Fun fair stalls will be operated by parents, students and alumni to raise funds for the school. A certain percentage of the funds collected has been pledged by the Principal, Mr. Lee Hak Boon, to be given to the CCAs of the school.

[edit] 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.

Notable alumni include:

[edit] External links

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ http://www.catholichigh.moe.edu.sg/index.php?module=htmlpages&func=display&pid=7"
  2. ^ Catholic High School :: Care, Honesty, Service
  3. ^ Catholic High School :: Care, Honesty, Service
  4. ^ Catholic High School :: Care, Honesty, Service
  5. ^ 14th International Festival of Advent and Christmas Music with Petr Eben´s Prize 2004
  6. ^ [1]

Coordinates: 1°21′17″N 103°50′41″E / 1.35472, 103.84472