Bukit Panjang Government High School

Bukit Panjang Government High School (Abbreviation: BPGHS) is a secondary school in Choa Chu Kang, a residential town in the western part of Singapore. According to the new school ranking system put in place in 2004, BPGHS is a Band 1 school as of 2009,^[1] making it one of the top secondary schools in Singapore.

History

Bukit Panjang Government High School was formed in 1960 with the merging of Bukit Panjang Secondary School and Chua Chu Kang Government Chinese Middle School into one single school building at Jalan Teck Whye. It was the first 'integrated' government school in Singapore. The spirit of the school's beginning is described on the cover of the first school magazine: "Dominating the Bukit Panjang horizon are the twin peaks of Bukit Panjang – two peaks but one hill – symbolic of the integrated Chinese and English streams of education which work and play together as one in the valley below."

The school, the first secondary school to be opened in the rural West Zone, was officially opened by the Minister of Education, Mr Yong Nyuk Lin on 11 Jan 1960. Mr Suen Y-Chern was the first principal of the school. The first annual school sports meet was organised in 1960 and in the same year, the first batch of English Stream students sat for their Cambridge School Certificate Examinations. Mr Yao Kwok Wah took over from Mr Suen in June 1961. Under Mr Yao, uniformed groups including the Red Cross, Scouts and Army Cadets were started. The Chinese Stream Higher School Certificate classes were started in 1963 and the first batch of Chinese Stream candidates sat for the Government Higher School Certificate and Government Secondary Four School Certificate Examinations in 1964.

Mr Wee Teck Yam was principal of the school from February 1966 to December 1974. In 1967, the School Advisory Committee was formed. The school continued to make great strides in the academic field. In 1970 the school obtained 93.6% passes in the Chinese School Certificate Exams – the highest among all integrated schools. The Chinese Higher School Certificate results were second only to that of National Junior College. The school band, which has become one of the top marching bands in Singapore today, was also formed in 1967.

In January 1975, Mr Loo Pui Wah took over from Mr Wee as Principal. Upon his appointment, Mr Loo immediately set out to construct the new ECA block first mooted in 1969. The ECA block was completed in June 1976 and was officially opened by Mr Chai Chong Yi, Senior Minister of State for Education. In 1979, Loo was replaced by Mr Chan Tung Fong. That year the school started an audio-corner and SELP classes to help students improve their English Language proficiency. The school band also won the prestigious gold medal award and the Mace of Honour at the 1979 and 1983 Inter-School Band Competitions.

In March 1981, Mr Chan Tung Fong was succeeded by Mr Yar Yee Har. It was during this period that all Chinese stream students had to take GCE 'O' level subjects in English. Yar worked on improving the standard of English language in the school. Under his leadership, the percentage of 'O' level passes in English Language shot up from below 50% to 98% in 1995. Mr Lee Yock Suan, Minister of Education in 1993, announced that the school was one of the six schools to be granted autonomous status in 1994 and that it would be offering Higher Chinese and Higher Malay from 1995.

In 1993, the school moved from its old premises at Jalan Teck Whye to its present site at Choa Chu Kang. The Guest-of-Honour who graced the official opening of the new school building on 15 July 1995 was the MP for Chua Chu Kang, Assoc Prof Low Seow Chay. Mr Yar retired in January 96 and was replaced by Mr Lim Yam Meng. Over the last few years, the school has been able to attract top students according to PSLE results and it is now one of the most sought-after schools in the western part of Singapore. Mr Lim retired in Dec 1998. Ms Tan Lay Choo was appointed as the 8th principal of the school with effect from 14 December 1998. Mrs Shirleen Ong was appointed as the 9th Principal of the school in December 2002. Mr Lee Seng Hai was appointed as the 10th Principal of the school in November 2007. A PSLE result of 244 and above is needed to go into this school's express stream, as of 2009.

The school moved to a holding site in November 2006 located at 38 Teck Whye Crescent as the campus at Choa Chu Kang was being upgraded under the government's PRIME, due to be completed by 2009. Its temporary holding site was also the one used by West Spring Secondary School and Zhenghua Primary School before they moved to their new school building.

The school moved to its new location at Choa Chu Kang on 2 January 2009.

Past principals

• Mr. Swei Y-Chern (1960–1961)
• Mr. Yao Kwok Wah (1962–1966)
• Mr. Wee Teck Yam (1966–1974)
• Mr. Loo Pui Wah (1975–1978)
• Mr. Chan Tung Fong (1979–1981)
• Mr. Yar Yee Har (1981–1995)
• Mr. Lim Yam Meng (1996–1998)
• Ms. Tan Lay Choo (1998–2002)
• Mrs. Shirleen Ong (2002–2007)
• Mr. Lee Seng Hai (2007 – 2011)
• Ms Chan Wan Siong (2012 - )

Notable alumni

• Eelyn Kok: Actress, MediaCorp
• Lam Chuan Leong: Ambassador-at-Large; Former Permanent Secretary
• Dr Low Cheng Hock: Former Head, Academy of Medicine
• Saiyidah Aisyah Mohamed: Gold medallist (rowing), SEA Games, 2013
• Shawn Lee: Actor
• Sim Wong Hoo: Founder and executive chairman, Creative Technology
• Yaw Shin Leong: Member of Parliament for Hougang SMC, 2011-2012

References

External links

• Bukit Panjang Govt High School Official site

Coordinates: 1°22′54″N 103°44′20″E / 1.38167°N 103.73889°E / 1.38167; 103.73889