St. Joseph's Institution (SJI) is an independent Catholic educational institution in Singapore. Founded in 1852 by the De La Salle Brothers, it is the first Catholic school and the third oldest school in the country.
SJI has been offering a dual-track education comprising the GCE Ordinary Level Programme (OP) and the Integrated Programme (IP) track since 2013. The IP track which leads to the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP), which integrates the four-year secondary education with a two-year IBDP, where IP students can proceed onto the two-year IBDP without the need to complete the O-Level examinations at the end of their fourth year. The OP students will take their O-Level examinations at the end of their fourth year. Based on their O-Level examination results, they can apply to continue the IBDP at SJI, or pursue their studies at other junior colleges or polytechnics.
The school had its first IP intake at Secondary 1 and Secondary 3 in 2013 and 2014 respectively while the first IBDP intake was in 2013.
The school's current principal is Justin Arul Pierre, a former cluster superintendent in the schools division, who assumed principalship in January 2022.[1][2]
The school's four fraternities, Fintan, Lawrence, Marcian and Michael, are named after Brother Fintan Blake, Brother Lawrence Robless, Brother Marcian James Cullen and Brother Michael Noctor respectively. The school's thirteen blocks, not counting the chapel or the brothers’ quarters, are named after Julian-Nicolas Rèche, Benildus Romançon, Cyril Bertrán, the school's founder Jean-Baptiste de La Salle, Evencio Uyarra, Florencio Martín, Gabriel Drolin, Jaime Hilario Barbal, former principal Kevin Byrne, the school's first principal Liefroy Bajon, Mutien-Marie Wiaux, the Notre Dame de La Star and Salomone Leclercq.
History
St Joseph's Institution (SJI), originally known as St. John's Institution, was founded in 1852[3][4] as the first missionary establishment of the De La Salle Brothers in the Far East. This endeavour was initiated by Rev Fr Jean-Marie Beurel MEP, who offered the opportunity to six Brothers from Europe to start the school using a former chapel as premises. Within a year, an attap hut had to be erected to accommodate all the students.
On 19 March 1855 (Feast of Saint Joseph), the cornerstone of a new school building was laid, and from that date, the school came to be known as St. Joseph's Institution. The new central classroom block was completed in 1865, though the further expansion of the facilities continued well into the 20th century. The school had 426 students in 1900. This grew to almost 1200 in 1914, and 1600 in 1922. With the student population expanding, a temporary branch school was opened, which eventually led to the building of a second school – Saint Patrick's School, Singapore – in 1933.
During World War II, prior to the fall of Singapore to the Japanese, the school was used as a Red Cross hospital and housed a unit of the Civil Defence Force, the A.R.F. (Air Raid Precautionary Group). On 16 February 1942, a bomb hit the school courtyard during the war, leaving a crater, but the main building remained unscathed.
During the Japanese occupation of Singapore, the school was renamed to Bras Basah Road Boys' School. The Brothers were asked to 'resign' and the school and hostel were run along military lines. Three weeks after the Japanese surrender, the Brothers returned and St Joseph's was re-opened and normal lessons resumed.
In 1975, St Joseph's Institution's first-year pre-university classes and some of its teachers were transferred to the newly opened Catholic Junior College.
In 1988, St. Joseph's Institution shifted into a new campus at Malcolm Road situated just off the neighbourhood of Toa Payoh, beside the Tanglin Community Centre. The old campus, with its distinctive semi-circular wings, was gazetted by the Singapore National Heritage Board as a national monument. It now houses the Singapore Art Museum.
Under the administration of Brother Paul Anthony Rogers, St Joseph's Institution saw its peak in growth. In 1995, a Performing Arts Centre (PAC) and a new wing to house Secondary One students were added.
In 2002, St. Joseph's Institution celebrated its 150th anniversary.
In 2006, St. Joseph's Institution, upon the urging of the Economic Development Board, began an international school. SJI International (St Joseph's Institution International) began classes in January 2007. The School started with just over 100 students but now boasts more than 1200 students across both its Elementary School and High School. This remarkable success is due to the dedication of the Old Boys and the faith of the parents. St Joseph's Institution International High School offers the IGCSE and the IB Diploma Programme (IBDP), similar to the Senior School of St Joseph's Institution, at Malcolm Road, today.
It was also the first year in which only pure sciences were offered to every candidate.
In 2008, the school was re-validated with the Singapore Quality Class Award, obtained, for the second time, the Best Practice Award (Teaching and Learning) and attained the Best Practice Award (Student All-Round Development) in the MOE External Validation exercise. The school received consecutive Sustained Achievement Awards in Academic Value-Added, Sports, Uniformed Groups and Fitness.
In 2009, St. Joseph's Institution was recognised by the Ministry of Education with a pinnacle award – The School of Excellence Award. The School Excellence Award (SEA) recognises schools for their excellence in both education processes and outcomes. It is the highest and most prestigious award in the Masterplan of Awards framework in MOE, Singapore.
In 2013, St. Joseph's Institution took in its first intake of Year 5 male and female students under the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP), with an inaugural batch of 80 students admitted. That same year, St Joseph's Institution also had its first intake of secondary 1 male students into its Integrated Programme (IP) which will culminate with the IBDP when they are year 5.[5] St Joseph's Institution also bolstered its academic staff and upgraded its facilities for the IBDP student block to provide the necessary infrastructure and support for the students to develop to their fullest potential.
At the end of 2013, St. Joseph's Institution moved to a holding campus at Bishan Street 14, while the main campus at Malcolm Road was undergoing renovations. On 20 July 2015, works to redevelop the school began, with a new target of moving back by March 2017.[6]
On 9 January 2017, St. Joseph's Institution moved back to their main campus at 38 Malcolm Road, after two years of renovations. The renovated campus featured two new blocks exclusively for IBDP students (Blocks A and B).
On 22 July 2017, St. Joseph's Institution celebrated its 165th anniversary in Singapore.[7]
In 2022, St. Joseph's Institution celebrated their 170th Anniversary in Singapore. [8]
St. Joseph's Institution has been a Gold Value Added school for the GCE 'O' Level examinations.
The school uniform is a simple, white collared shirt with the school badge on the pocket. The secondary school boys (Years 1 and 2) wear white shorts and white long pants are worn by the Year 3 and 4 boys. The IBDP boys in Years 5 and 6 wear a white shirt with a green inner collar and the school badge on the pocket with white long pants while the girls wear a white blouse with the school badge on the left hand side and a dark green skirt. The shirt is tucked into the pants.
The school tie is worn on the first weekday of school from the start of the school day until 9.30 am, and at all formal school functions. The top button is buttoned when the tie is worn.
School prefects and those authorised to wear the school's green blazer with the school's crest are permitted to wear simple, black, leather shoes when they are formally attired.
Co-curricular activities
Co-curricular activities
SJI has three main groups of co-curricular activities: sports, uniformed groups and clubs & societies. SJI's niches include canoeing, football and table tennis.
The St Joseph's Institution Military Band (SJIMB) clinched the Gold with Honours Award under the baton of Mr Tan Thiam Hee in the recent 2009 Singapore Youth Festival Central Judging, the highest achievable award in that competition.[9] It was one of the top 10 bands in the competition to do so. In the 2011 Singapore Youth Festival Central Judging, the band managed to clinch the Silver award.[10] The choice piece was the Seventh Night of July and the set piece was the Memories of Friendship.
In the 2011 Singapore Youth Festival Central Judging, the Vocal Ensemble managed to clinch the Gold With Honours award. This was the Vocal Ensemble's inaugural participation in the SYF competition. The choice pieces were Ubi Caritas and Kruhay, while the set piece was The Wind by Kelly Tang.
In the 2015 National School Games, the SJI ‘B’ division football team managed to come in runner-up. The SJI cross country team also came in runner-up in the 'B' division and 3rd in the 'C' division, the best in its history.
In the 2018 Trinity College London exams, the SJI Guitar Ensemble has broken records and obtained high distinction of 92%, the highest in Singapore that year. After the achievement, the ensemble went on to claim distinction in SYF as well in 2019 April. Notable pieces played – Concerto grosso If You Love Me and Pastoral – Sky, Cloud, Wind.
In the 2021 Singapore Youth Festival Arts Presentation, SJIMB sent two groups to compete under special considerations posed by the ongoing COVID-19 Situation, and both teams achieved Distinction. The choice pieces were "Starlight Wink" and "The Phantom of the Dark Hollow."
In the 2022 National School Games, the SJI ‘C’ division Football team managed to come in overall champions for South Zone. The best result in the school's history was when the SJI 'C' division football team of 1983 won the South Zone and National Schools Championship under the management of Mr Francis Thomson.
Creativity, activity and service
The creativity, activity and service (CAS) is part of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. CAS is to strengthen and extend students’ personal and interpersonal learning. The three strands are defined as follows:
• Creativity – exploring and extending ideas leading to an original or interpretive product or performance.
• Activity – physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle.
• Service – collaborative and reciprocal engagement with the community in response to an authentic need.
Chong Fah Cheong – Cultural Medallion winner for visual arts (2014)
Dick Lee – musician; Cultural Medallion winner (2004)
Goh Sin Tub – A pioneer of Singapore literature and a teacher, civil servant, banker, builder, social worker and former chairman of the SJI Board of Governors
Jeremy Monteiro – jazz pianist; board member, National Arts Council; Cultural Medallion winner (2002)
Tan Chorh Chuan – Chief Health Scientist, Ministry of Health (MOH) and executive director of the new Office for Healthcare Transformation (from Jan 2018); former president, National University of Singapore (NUS)
The Integrated Programme (IP) is a scheme that allows high-performing students in secondary schools in Singapore to skip the GCE Ordinary Level (O-Level) examination and proceed to sit for the GCE Advanced Level (A-Level) examination, International Baccalaureate (IB), or an equivalent examination, after six years of secondary education. The A-level examination is typically taken by students at the end of their second or third year in junior college.
The Raffles Junior College (RJC) was a junior college in Singapore offering pre-university education. The college was founded in 1982, following a separation from the pre-university section of Raffles Institution (RI). Raffles Junior College was merged as the junior college section of Raffles Institution on 1 January 2009.
Raffles Girls' School (RGS) is an independent girls' secondary school located in Braddell, Singapore. Established in 1879, it is one of the oldest schools in Singapore. RGS, together with its affiliated school Raffles Institution, offers a six-year Raffles Programme, which allows students to skip the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level examinations and proceed to take the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Advanced Level examinations at the end of Year 6.
Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) is an independent secondary educational institution in Bukit Timah, Central Region, Singapore. It was established in 2005 by the merger of The Chinese High School (1919–2004) and Hwa Chong Junior College (1974–2005).
Victoria School (VS) is a government autonomous boys' secondary school in Siglap, Singapore. The school has a hostel. Established in 1876, it is Singapore's second oldest state secondary school.
Catholic High School (CHS) is a government-aided autonomous Catholic boys' school in Bishan, Singapore, founded in 1935 by a French missionary, Reverend Father Edward Becheras. One of the Special Assistance Plan schools in Singapore, it has a primary section offering a six-year programme and a secondary section offering a four-year programme. Since 2013, it has partnered with Eunoia Junior College for a six-year Integrated Programme, which allows its secondary students to proceed to Eunoia for Years 5 and 6 and take the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Advanced Level examinations at the end of Year 6.
St. John's Institution or formerly known as St. John's National Secondary School is a public all-boys school and is one of the oldest schools in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The school is widely known by its initials, SJI and the students of St. John's Institution bear the name Johannians.
Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) is an independent Methodist secondary school in Dover, Singapore. Founded in 1886 by Reverend William Fitzjames Oldham, it was recognised as an International Baccalaureate World School in 2005, and has since consistently ranked among the top three schools worldwide that offer the IB Diploma Programme.
Singapore Chinese Girls' School (SCGS) is an independent girls' school in Bukit Timah, Singapore, located opposite Stevens MRT station. Founded in 1899, it is one of the oldest institutions in Singapore. It offers a six-year primary education in its primary school section, as well as a four-year secondary education in its secondary school section, which was among the first secondary schools in Singapore to be accorded independent school status in 1989. Since 2013, it has partnered with Eunoia Junior College for a six-year Integrated Programme, which allows its secondary school students to proceed to Eunoia Junior College for Years 5 and 6 and take the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Advanced Level examinations at the end of Year 6.
Saint Patrick's School is a government-aided Roman Catholic Lasallian all-boys' secondary school located along East Coast Road, Singapore. It is more commonly referred to as St Pat's, SPS or St Patrick's. Students and old boys call themselves Patricians or Sons of St. Patrick's.
Maris Stella High School (MSHS) (Chinese: 海星中学; pinyin: Hǎixīng Zhōngxué) is a government-aided, all-boys Catholic secondary school with autonomous status. As a full school, it comprises a primary section offering a six-year programme leading up to the Primary School Leaving Examination, as well as a secondary section offering a four-year programme leading up to the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level examinations. Run by the international Marist Brothers at Mount Vernon Road, Singapore near Bartley MRT station, Maris Stella High School is one of the eleven Special Assistance Plan(SAP) high schools in Singapore.
St. Gabriel's Secondary School (SGSS), often known as "St. Gabs" for short, is a government-aided Roman Catholic all-boys' secondary school in Serangoon, Singapore. Founded in 1953, it is affiliated with St. Gabriel's Primary School and Catholic Junior College. It is one of the seven institutions governed by St Gabriel's Foundation, as well as one of the seven Gabrielite schools in Singapore.
Commonwealth Secondary School is a government, autonomous and coeducational secondary school in Jurong East, Singapore. Founded in 1964, Commonwealth Secondary School offers secondary school education which leads to the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level or Singapore-Cambridge GCE Normal <Academic and Technical> Level examination.
Nan Chiau High School (NCHS) is a co-educational government-aided institution in Sengkang, Singapore affiliated to the Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan. It offers the four-year Express (Special) course for secondary education.
Saint Paul's Institution is an all-boys and one of the oldest schools in Seremban and also in the country. The school is widely known as SPI and the students of St Paul's Institution are called Paulians.
CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School (SNGS) is a government-aided autonomous Catholic girls' school in Ang Mo Kio, Singapore. The school is one of 11 Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus (CHIJ) schools in Singapore and one of the designated Special Assistance Plan (SAP) schools. It offers a six-year primary education in its primary school section and a four-year secondary education in its secondary school section. Since 2013, it has partnered with Eunoia Junior College for a six-year Integrated Programme, which allows its secondary school students to skip the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level examinations and proceed to Eunoia for Years 5 and 6 and take the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Advanced Level examinations at the end of Year 6.
St. Joseph's Institution International is an independent co-educational Lasallian Catholic international school at Thomson Road in Novena, Singapore. It comprises an elementary and high school. The elementary school students range in age from 5 to 12 while in the High School the students are aged 12–18. The high school was founded in 2007 and the elementary school opened in 2008.
Methodist Girls' School (MGS) is an independent Methodist girls' school in Bukit Timah, Singapore, founded in 1887 by Australian missionary Sophia Blackmore. It offers a six-year primary education in its primary school section and a four-year secondary education in its secondary school section. Since 2012, it has partnered with its affiliated school Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) for a six-year Integrated Programme, which allows its secondary school students to proceed to ACS(I) for Years 5 and 6 to complete the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.
Direct School Admission (DSA) is a scheme in Singapore introduced in 2004 that allows students to be recognised for their strengths in specific talent areas, such as sports, performing arts, or leadership, alongside their academic performance. The scheme enabled students to secure early admission to schools of their choice. For students entering secondary school in 2005, the scheme was categorised as DSA-Secondary (DSA-Sec), primarily for those applying to the Integrated Programme (IP). In 2005, the Ministry of Education (MOE) extended the scheme to include students seeking direct admissions into junior college, categorising it as DSA-Junior College (DSA-JC).
The Catholic Church in Singapore has been extensively involved in the provision of education in Singapore. From the 19th century, the Catholic education system has grown to be the second biggest sector after government schools in Singapore, with more than 65 000 students. The Catholic Church has established kindergarten, primary, secondary and junior colleges educational institutions in Singapore.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
