A Teacher's Memoirs

Hwa Chong Junior College (华中初级学院), established in 1974 is one of the top junior colleges in Singapore. Its’ bilingual (English and Chinese) and bicultural junior college programme prepares enrolled full-time 16 to 18 year-old students for the Singapore-Cambridge GCE A-level examinations for entry into the top local and prestigious foreign universities – such as the Oxbridge universities in the UK and the Ivy League universities in the US.

The College attracts the best local students after their GCE O-level examinations, top-tier foreign students, the Ministry of Education’s ASEAN Scholars as well as other sponsored scholarship students from China and India.

This book of memoirs, covering my years at Hwa Chong as a pioneer teacher from its very first year, shares with all my Hwa Chong  colleagues, students Councillors and students (past, current and future) the history and traditions of the College whose deep rooted ethos and spirit help it to consistently deliver many top students and scholars into the best local and most prestigious universities overseas.

These memoirs, written on the occasion of the College’s 40th Anniversary, also record and share the travails and distressing times of the College, as it was forced to spend several years ‘on the move’ in temporary premises. The memoirs also share the triumphs of the College’s students and student Councillors as they excel not only in their studies but also in various Co-Curricular Activites, and in leadership appointments – while enjoying their College life.