Hwa Chong Junior College
Encyclopedia
Hwa Chong Junior College was a junior college
in Singapore
offering pre-university education. The college was founded in 1974 and merged with The Chinese High School on 1 January 2005 to form Hwa Chong Institution
.
In 1970, the then Minister for Education
Ong Pang Boon
approached a group of Chinese community leaders from the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(SCCCI) to discuss establishing ten junior colleges to replace the pre-university classes in the senior high sections of Singapore's secondary schools.
Ong informed the leaders that the cost of constructing one junior college was estimated to be S$2.2 million and the government hoped that the SCCCI can help to raise half of the total funds. Ong appointed Tan Kong Choon, a prominent businessman and managing director of the board of The Chinese High School to be in charge of the task.
After meetings and discussions, the Chinese community leaders informed Ong that due to financial constraints, they were able to raise sufficient funds for constructing only two of the originally intended ten junior colleges. Subsequently, the management board of The Chinese High School stopped the school's pre-university classes in preparation for the building of a new junior college. In 1974, Hwa Chong Junior College was established at the Bukit Timah Road
campus of The Chinese High School, and was run by the same management board as the high school. The junior college's name was an abbreviation of the high school's Chinese name, to mark the relationship between the two schools. Hwa Chong Junior College became the first government-aided junior college to be set up in Singapore after National Junior College
.
due to structural problems with the building. Lessons were held temporarily at Ngee Ann Polytechnic
and in Woodlands
from May to December 1987. The college shifted to Bukit Batok Street 34 (present-day site of Swiss Cottage Secondary School
and St. Anthony's Primary School) later. Hwa Chong moved back to its Bukit Timah campus in 1992 after the college premises were rebuilt and has remained there since.
, to facilitate the running of the school's Integrated Programme
.
campus, Hwa Chong Junior College was ranked again as one of the top junior colleges in Singapore based on the official college rankings by the Ministry of Education
, that were introduced in the early 1990s. Hwa Chong was consistently ranked as the top college for Arts and Commerce. Hwa Chong had also been ranked as the top junior college in Singapore in terms of academic performance for its Science stream students and in overall performance for a number of times.
The college had an excellent track record in academia, sports, music, culture and the arts. Many of its graduates went on to become leaders in research, industry and government. Since the 1980s, Hwa Chong had been recognized as one of the top junior colleges in Singapore, along with others such as Raffles Junior College
. Hwa Chong was also the first junior college to introduce the Humanities Scholarship Programme for students.
To date, Hwa Chong Junior College had produced the highest number of President's Scholar
s as compared to other junior colleges in Singapore. Besides, Hwa Chong's students also take an impressive share of government and private organization undergraduate scholarships annually. More than 15% of each graduating cohort moved on to study in renowned universities worldwide, such as Harvard University
and Cambridge University. Hwa Chong also had the distinction of being the top junior college for two elective programmes: namely, the Humanities Programme and the Chinese Language Elective Programme.
Junior college (Singapore)
Junior colleges in Singapore were designed to offer an accelerated alternative to the traditional three-year programme, but the two-year programme they offer has become the norm for students pursuing university education....
in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
offering pre-university education. The college was founded in 1974 and merged with The Chinese High School on 1 January 2005 to form Hwa Chong Institution
Hwa Chong Institution
Hwa Chong Institution is an independent school in Singapore for students aged 12 to 18 covering both secondary and pre-university levels. A Ministry of Education-designated FutureSchool, it operates under the Special Assistance Plan for bilingualism, and offers the Integrated Programme and also...
.
Founding
Ministry of Education (Singapore)
The Ministry Of Education is a ministry of the Government of Singapore that directs the formulation and implementation of policies related to education in Singapore.-Statutory boards:...
Ong Pang Boon
Ong Pang Boon
Ong Pang Boon was a prominent first generation People's Action Party politician in Singapore.-Early life and education:Born in Kuala Lumpur, he was educated in a Chinese primary school, a Confucian middle school, Methodist Boys' School , and later attained a geography degree at the then...
approached a group of Chinese community leaders from the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry
The Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a business chamber in Singapore.-History:Established in 1906 as the General Chinese Trade Affairs Association, the SCCCI's original purpose was to look after the interests of the Chinese business community, but it has expanded its scope...
(SCCCI) to discuss establishing ten junior colleges to replace the pre-university classes in the senior high sections of Singapore's secondary schools.
Ong informed the leaders that the cost of constructing one junior college was estimated to be S$2.2 million and the government hoped that the SCCCI can help to raise half of the total funds. Ong appointed Tan Kong Choon, a prominent businessman and managing director of the board of The Chinese High School to be in charge of the task.
After meetings and discussions, the Chinese community leaders informed Ong that due to financial constraints, they were able to raise sufficient funds for constructing only two of the originally intended ten junior colleges. Subsequently, the management board of The Chinese High School stopped the school's pre-university classes in preparation for the building of a new junior college. In 1974, Hwa Chong Junior College was established at the Bukit Timah Road
Bukit Timah Road
Bukit Timah Road is a major road in Singapore extending from the city centre to Woodlands Road on the way to Johor Bahru in Malaysia. The road has a distance of 25km , which is one of the longest roads in Singapore, and the road takes its name from the hill...
campus of The Chinese High School, and was run by the same management board as the high school. The junior college's name was an abbreviation of the high school's Chinese name, to mark the relationship between the two schools. Hwa Chong Junior College became the first government-aided junior college to be set up in Singapore after National Junior College
National Junior College
National Junior College is the first junior college established by the Ministry Of Education, located in Bukit Timah, Singapore. It is considered as one of the top five junior colleges in Singapore. NJC offers a two-year course for pre-university students leading up to the GCE 'A' Levels...
.
Moving out and return to Bukit Timah
On 8 May 1987, Hwa Chong Junior College moved out of its premises at Bukit Timah RoadBukit Timah Road
Bukit Timah Road is a major road in Singapore extending from the city centre to Woodlands Road on the way to Johor Bahru in Malaysia. The road has a distance of 25km , which is one of the longest roads in Singapore, and the road takes its name from the hill...
due to structural problems with the building. Lessons were held temporarily at Ngee Ann Polytechnic
Ngee Ann Polytechnic
Ngee Ann Polytechnic , is an institute of higher learning in Singapore, founded in 1963 as Ngee Ann College with 116 students...
and in Woodlands
Woodlands, Singapore
Woodlands, or the Woodlands New Town , is a suburban town in northern Singapore, part of the North West Community Development Council district...
from May to December 1987. The college shifted to Bukit Batok Street 34 (present-day site of Swiss Cottage Secondary School
Swiss Cottage Secondary School
Swiss Cottage Secondary School is a government secondary school in Bukit Batok, Singapore.-History:Swiss Cottage Secondary School started in 1962 with about 200 pupils, housed at Raffles Institution in Bras Basah Road as the school building along Dunearn Road was still under construction...
and St. Anthony's Primary School) later. Hwa Chong moved back to its Bukit Timah campus in 1992 after the college premises were rebuilt and has remained there since.
Becoming an independent junior college and merger with The Chinese High School
In January 2004, Hwa Chong Junior College became the first junior college in Singapore to become an independent one. On 1 January 2005, the college merged with its neighbour, The Chinese High School, to form Hwa Chong InstitutionHwa Chong Institution
Hwa Chong Institution is an independent school in Singapore for students aged 12 to 18 covering both secondary and pre-university levels. A Ministry of Education-designated FutureSchool, it operates under the Special Assistance Plan for bilingualism, and offers the Integrated Programme and also...
, to facilitate the running of the school's Integrated Programme
Integrated Programme
The Integrated Programme , also known as through-train programme , is a scheme which allows the brightest pupils at secondary schools in Singapore to bypass the "O" levels and take the "A" levels, International Baccalaureate or an equivalent examination directly at the age of 18 after six years of...
.
Achievements
Since moving back to its Bukit Timah RoadBukit Timah Road
Bukit Timah Road is a major road in Singapore extending from the city centre to Woodlands Road on the way to Johor Bahru in Malaysia. The road has a distance of 25km , which is one of the longest roads in Singapore, and the road takes its name from the hill...
campus, Hwa Chong Junior College was ranked again as one of the top junior colleges in Singapore based on the official college rankings by the Ministry of Education
Ministry of Education (Singapore)
The Ministry Of Education is a ministry of the Government of Singapore that directs the formulation and implementation of policies related to education in Singapore.-Statutory boards:...
, that were introduced in the early 1990s. Hwa Chong was consistently ranked as the top college for Arts and Commerce. Hwa Chong had also been ranked as the top junior college in Singapore in terms of academic performance for its Science stream students and in overall performance for a number of times.
The college had an excellent track record in academia, sports, music, culture and the arts. Many of its graduates went on to become leaders in research, industry and government. Since the 1980s, Hwa Chong had been recognized as one of the top junior colleges in Singapore, along with others such as Raffles Junior College
Raffles Junior College
Raffles Institution offers the Raffles Programme at Year 5 and 6 . It is located in Bishan beside the Year 1-4 school campus of Raffles Institution. The Principal is Mrs Lim Lai Cheng...
. Hwa Chong was also the first junior college to introduce the Humanities Scholarship Programme for students.
To date, Hwa Chong Junior College had produced the highest number of President's Scholar
President's Scholar
A President's Scholar is a recipient of the most prestigious class of university undergraduate scholarships awarded to Singapore citizens by the Government of Singapore. In most years, only 2-4 President's Scholarships are awarded...
s as compared to other junior colleges in Singapore. Besides, Hwa Chong's students also take an impressive share of government and private organization undergraduate scholarships annually. More than 15% of each graduating cohort moved on to study in renowned universities worldwide, such as Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and Cambridge University. Hwa Chong also had the distinction of being the top junior college for two elective programmes: namely, the Humanities Programme and the Chinese Language Elective Programme.
See also
- Hwa Chong InstitutionHwa Chong InstitutionHwa Chong Institution is an independent school in Singapore for students aged 12 to 18 covering both secondary and pre-university levels. A Ministry of Education-designated FutureSchool, it operates under the Special Assistance Plan for bilingualism, and offers the Integrated Programme and also...
- The Chinese High School (Singapore)
- List of Hwa Chong Institution people