Zhonghua Secondary School

Last updated

Zhonghua Secondary School
中华中学
Sekolah Menengah Zhonghua
Zhsslogo.jpg
ZHSS17.jpg
Address
Zhonghua Secondary School
13 Serangoon Avenue 3

Serangoon
,
556123

Singapore
Coordinates 1°20′58″N103°52′09″E / 1.3494°N 103.8693°E / 1.3494; 103.8693
Information
TypeAutonomous
Motto禮義廉恥
(Courteous, Righteous, Edified, Dignified)
Established1911 (1911)
SessionSingle-Session
School code3240
PrincipalCindy Low
GenderCo-educational
Enrolmentapprox. 1,200
Colour(s) Green  White 
Website www.zhonghuasec.moe.edu.sg

Zhonghua Secondary School (ZHSS) is a co-educational government autonomous secondary school in Serangoon, Singapore. Founded in 1911 as Chung Hwa Girls' High School, the school has retained its Chinese heritage despite transforming into an English-medium government school in 1990.

Contents

History

Chung Hwa Girls' High School (1911 - 1984)

Zhonghua Secondary School was established on 15 September 1911 as a Chinese-medium girls' school in response to Sun Yat-sen's suggestion for schools to be established for girls. It was the first Chinese-medium girls' school in Singapore, founded by Tay Peng Teng, Puan Yeow Pong and the Chinese community. The school initially operated at the site at Mohamad Sultan Road. [1] [2]

In 1925, it moved to Niven Road and was formally named Chung Hwa Girls' School, providing both elementary and high school education. [3] Lessons were disrupted with the Japanese occupation of Singapore in 1942. In the initial years of resuming education, lessons for high school section were conducted at Nan Chiau Girls' High School in River Valley for between 1947 and early 1951 as a deliberate measure to ease overpopulation. [4] [5] In 1951, the high school section was separated from the elementary school section to cope with increased enrolment, and was renamed as Chung Hwa Girls' High School. [3] A new campus along Bartley Road was officially launched in the same year. [3] The school became government-aided in 1957. [3] [5]

In 1978, Chung Hwa Girls' High was initially included in the list of 12 newly accorded Special Assistance Plan schools. However, Chung Hwa Girls' High School was dropped from the list with the amendments made by the Ministry of Education over the surplus of school places, which left the scheme to proceed with only nine schools. [6]

Chung Hwa Girls' High School faced a massive decline in enrolment towards the end of the 1970s, as English-medium integrated schools gained prevalence. In 1980, English-medium classes were introduced. [7] A deliberate decision was made to allow enrolment of male students from January 1984 and to incorporate into a government school, which transferred the supervision of all aspects of the institution to the state. Following the changes, the school was renamed as "Chung Hwa High School".

Transitioning into a modern institution

In 1987, the school moved to Serangoon New Town along Serangoon Avenue 4 and was formally renamed as Zhonghua Secondary School to reflect its status as a government school. [1] Zhonghua Secondary School was accorded autonomous status in 1996. [8] In December 1999, the school commenced operation at a new school complex along Serangoon Avenue 3 costing an estimated S$23 million. [3] In August 2005, the Centre for Excellence (COE) for Visual Arts is opened in the school. A multi-purpose sports complex was added to the campus in 2008. [3]

Identity and culture

Crest

The crest of Zhonghua Secondary School underwent changes after the change from a girls' school to a co-educational school in 1984, and a subsequent rename in 1987. The full name of the school originally superimposed on the crest was dropped, using instead the shortened name of the school. The English name of the school was added to the crest since 1987. [5] The current crest features the name of the school written in Traditional Chinese characters over a begonia leaf background. The colour green signifies freshness, youth, growth, life, vitality and resilience. The colour white is the emblem of purity, virtue and brightness. Students are encouraged to represent qualities of the Begonia leaf, in particular - to be steadfast, strong, determined and decisive. Students are also encouraged to cultivate qualities such as excellence, endurance, hope and goodness. [9] The shape of the leaf resembles the geographical features of mainland China, which reflects the heritage of the school as an institution set up by Chinese nationalists during the revolution period. [5]

Uniform

The uniform of Zhonghua Secondary School was a modified and modernised variation of its original uniform. Formerly, girls wore white shirts with below-the-knee pleated skirts while boys wore a full white uniform, with the metal school badge pinned on at the left chest level. The uniform was redesigned in 2002 following strong advocations by the student body, with major changes to the girl's uniform.

Currently, girls wear white shirts with the school logo sewn at the left chest level, complemented by a green skirt. The full white uniform for boys was retained, featuring a white shirt with white shorts for lower secondary levels and white long pants for upper secondary levels. [10]

Academic information

Being a government secondary school, Zhonghua Secondary School offers three academic streams, namely the four-year Express course, as well as the Normal Course, comprising Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical) academic tracks.

O Level Express Course

The Express Course is a nationwide four-year programme that leads up to the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level examination. [11]

Normal Course

The Normal Course is a nationwide 4-year programme leading to the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Normal Level examination, which runs either the Normal (Academic) curriculum or Normal (Technical) curriculum, abbreviated as N(A) and N(T) respectively. [12]

Normal (Academic) Course

A 5th year leading to the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level examination is available to N(A) students who perform well in their Singapore-Cambridge GCE Normal Level examination. Students can move from one course to another based on their performance and the assessment of the school principal and teachers. [12]

Normal (Technical) Course

The Normal (Technical) course prepares students for a technical-vocational education at the Institute of Technical Education. [13] Students will offer 5-7 subjects in the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Normal Level examination. [13] The curriculum is tailored towards strengthening students' proficiency in English and Mathematics. [13] Students take English Language, Mathematics, Basic Mother Tongue and Computer Applications as compulsory subjects. [13]

Notable alumni

Related Research Articles

Temasek Secondary School (TMS) is a co-educational government autonomous secondary school in Bedok South, Singapore. Founded in 1980, it offers secondary education leading to the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level or Singapore-Cambridge GCE Normal Level examination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hai Sing Catholic School</span> Government-aided school in Pasir Ris, Singapore

Hai Sing Catholic School (HSC) is a co-educational government-aided Catholic secondary school in Pasir Ris, Singapore. Founded by the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM) sisters in 1959, it is affiliated to Catholic Junior College. The school has temporarily moved from its permanent site to its holding site at 15 Pasir Ris Street 21 until Dec 2025.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Valley High School, Singapore</span> Government-aided school in Boon Lay

River Valley High School (RVHS) is a co-educational government autonomous secondary school in Boon Lay, Singapore. Founded in 1956 and originally located in River Valley, it is one of the Special Assistance Plan schools designated by the Ministry of Education in recognition of its heritage and excellence in education. Since 2006, the school has been running a six-year Integrated Programme that allows students to skip the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level examinations and proceed to sit for the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Advanced Level examinations at the end of Year 6.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zhenghua Secondary School</span> Government school in Bukit Panjang, Singapore

Zhenghua Secondary School (ZSS) is a co-educational government secondary school located in Bukit Panjang, Singapore. Established on 15 December 1999, the school offers secondary education leading to the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level examinations or the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Normal Level examinations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh)</span> Autonomous school in Toa Payoh, Singapore

CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) is a government-aided autonomous Catholic girls' secondary school in Toa Payoh, Singapore. Founded in 1854, the school is the oldest of the 11 Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus (CHIJ) schools in Singapore. The school is currently recognised as a Centre of Excellence for Language and the Arts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint Anthony's Canossian Secondary School</span> Autonomous school in Bedok, Singapore

St. Anthony's Canossian Secondary School (SACSS) is a government-aided autonomous Catholic girls' secondary school located in Bedok, Singapore. It is part of the Canossian family of Catholic girls' schools in Singapore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anderson Secondary School</span> Autonomous school

Anderson Secondary School (ANDSS) is a co-educational government autonomous school in Ang Mo Kio, Singapore offering education for Secondary 1 to Secondary 5. It became an autonomous school in 1994 and was one of the pioneer autonomous schools in Singapore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commonwealth Secondary School</span> Autonomous school in Jurong East, 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 Level examination.

Dunman Secondary School (DMN) is a co-educational government autonomous secondary school in Tampines, Singapore. It was founded in 1963.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pei Hwa Secondary School</span> Government-aided school in Sengkang West, Fernvale, Singapore

Pei Hwa Secondary School (PHSS) is a co-educational government-aided secondary school in Fernvale Link, Singapore within walking distance of Fernvale and Layar LRT stations. Re-established in 2005, Pei Hwa Secondary School was first founded in 1934 as Pei Hwa Public School.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School (Secondary)</span> Government-aided school in Hougang, Singapore

Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School(PLMGS) is a primary and secondary school for girls located in Hougang, Singapore. Running on a single-session, the school caters to students from Primary 1 to 6 and Secondary 1 to 4/5 in the Express, Normal Academic and Normal Technical streams in Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School (Primary) and Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School (Secondary).

Holy Innocents' High School (HIHS) (Simplified Chinese:圣婴中学, Traditional Chinese: 聖嬰中學, pinyin: Shèngyīng Zhōngxué) is a Catholic school in Singapore. Founded in 1892, the school offers secondary school education leading up to a Singapore-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level examination, in both the Express and Normal (Academic) streams, as well as Singapore-Cambridge GCE Normal Level in the Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical) streams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beatty Secondary School</span> Government school in Singapore

Beatty Secondary School is a co-educational government secondary school in Toa Payoh, Singapore. It was established in 1953 along Beatty Road and moved to its current site in Toa Payoh in 1982.

St. Margaret's School (Secondary) (SMSS) is a government-aided autonomous girls' secondary school in Bukit Timah, Singapore, under the purview of the Anglican Diocese of Singapore. It is the first girls' school in Singapore and often regarded as the oldest existing girls' school in Southeast Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geylang Methodist School (Secondary)</span> Government-aided school in Geylang, Singapore

Geylang Methodist School (Secondary) (GMS(S)) is a co-educational government-aided Methodist secondary school located in Geylang, Singapore. Founded in 1924, the school offers secondary education leading to the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level or Singapore-Cambridge GCE Normal Level examinations. The incumbent principal is Mr Victor Owyong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nan Hua High School</span> Government school

Nan Hua High School (NHHS) (simplified Chinese: 南华中学; traditional Chinese: 南華中學; pinyin: Nánhuá Zhōngxué) is a co-educational autonomous government secondary school in Clementi, Singapore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bukit Merah Secondary School</span> Government school in Bukit Merah, Singapore

Bukit Merah Secondary School (BMSS) is a co-educational government secondary school in Bukit Merah, Singapore. BMSS has established itself as a Value-Added school since 1993, offering the Express, Normal Academic and Normal Technical streams leading to a Singapore-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level or Singapore-Cambridge GCE Normal Level certificate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Secondary education in Singapore</span> Overview of secondary education in Singapore

Secondary education in Singapore is largely public, and is compulsory until a child has reached 16 years of age. At the end of public primary education, Singapore students take the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) and are placed into the different streams and secondary schools based on their results. There are three main public secondary education streams: Express (E)(Currently known as G3), Normal (Academic), and Normal (Technical), with special and private education courses also being available. The Express stream has a more stringent cut-off than the Normal (Academic) stream, which is in turn more selective than the Normal (Technical) stream. Secondary students can move between streams based on their academic performance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meridian Secondary School</span> Government/co-educational school in Pasir Ris, Singapore

Meridian Secondary School is a co-educational government secondary school in Pasir Ris, Singapore. It was formed by a merger between Coral Secondary School and Siglap Secondary School in 2017.

References

  1. 1 2 "Chung Hwa Girls' High School at Bartley Road, 1973 - BookSG - National Library Board, Singapore". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  2. ↑ "Mount Sophia (includes Ellison Building and Rex Cinema)". ura.gov.sg. Urban Redevelopment Authority, Singapore. 30 June 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "History". www.zhonghuasec.moe.edu.sg. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  4. ↑ 南侨女子中学创校卅周年纪念特刊 1947-1977. Singapore: 新加坡，南侨女子中学. 1977. pp. 18–19.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Chung Hwa Girls' High School (1972). 新加坡中华女子中学创校六十周年纪念特刊 : 一九一一-一九七一. Singapore: Xinjiapo : Xinjiapo zhong hua nü zi zhong xue, 1972. pp. 14–15, 135.
  6. ↑ Lee, Kuan Yew (2011). 李光耀 - 我一生的挑战 - 新加坡双语之路. Singapore Press Holdings. pp. 97–122. ISBN   978-981-4342-04-9.
  7. ↑ "AST | ZHONGHUA SECONDARY SCHOOL". MOEHC. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  8. ↑ "NEW AUTONOMOUS SCHOOL - MOE Press Releases (2 August 2003)". www.moe.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 20 June 2009. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  9. ↑ "AST | ZHONGHUA SECONDARY SCHOOL". MOEHC. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  10. ↑ "Grooming and Attire". www.zhonghuasec.moe.edu.sg. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  11. ↑ "Express Course Curriculum". www.moe.gov.sg. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  12. 1 2 "Secondary School Courses". www.moe.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 4 July 2017. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  13. 1 2 3 4 "Normal Course Curriculum". www.moe.gov.sg. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  14. ↑ Lee, Jocelyn (23 September 2015). "Bad boy Royston Tan poured acid on principal's car". The New Paper . Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  15. ↑ Hong, Sophie (20 January 2012). "'Smart joke' vid backfires on teen". My Paper . Singapore. Archived from the original on 31 March 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  16. ↑ "PM Lee grateful to Zhonghua for taking care of his eldest son". Zelva Weekly. 22 September 2011. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
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.