Dunman High School

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Not to be confused with Dunman Secondary School.

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Dunman High School
德明政府中学
Crest of Dunman High School
300px
诚信勇忠 (Honesty, Trustworthiness, Moral Courage, Loyalty)
Location
Kallang, Singapore
Information
Type Autonomous, Integrated Programme school
Established 14 October 1956
Session Single
School code 3101
Principal Dr Foo Suan Fong (Dec 2009-Present)
Enrolment Secondary and Junior College students totalling to 2,400+
Colour(s) Dark blue, white, red
Website http://www.dhs.sg/

Dunman High School (DHS) (formerly known as Dunman Government Chinese Middle School) is an autonomous co-educational secondary school in Singapore offering the Integrated Programme. It has always been the top co-educational high school in Singapore in terms of academic results.[1][2]

In 2009 the school moved back to the Kallang campus, which has been expanded to seven hectares, making it one of the largest government schools in Singapore in physical area.

Its Chinese name Démíng (德明) is a transliteration of "Dunman". The meaning of its name in Chinese is derived from a line in the Book of Rites (大学之道，在明明德) which is a statement that has influenced the Emperors of the Han, Tang and Song dynasties in Imperial China. It can be roughly translated as "the Dao (path) to the greatest learning lies in understanding the brightest virtues".

History

Establishment

On 14 October 1956, in the midst of the Chinese middle schools riots, the Ministry of Education established the predecessor of Dunman High School, Kallang West Government Chinese Middle School, along with other schools like River Valley High School.

In the 1956 riots, Chinese middle-school students who subscribed to the communist ideology staged sit-ins and demonstrations, disrupted classes, and in effect shut their schools down. The function of the newly established Kallang West Government Chinese Middle School was to allow students who had no wish to be embroiled in communism to have a place to study.[3] The premises of a newly built primary school at Mountbatten Road were loaned, and the initial enrolment included about 100 boys from The Chinese High School,[4] with 10 teachers. In December 1957 the school moved to Dunman Road and was renamed Dunman Government Chinese Middle School.[5]

Special Assistance Plan

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. In 1979, the school was selected to be one of the nine Special Assistance Plan (SAP) secondary schools. The school was renamed "Dunman High School" and began to offer both English and Chinese languages at the first-language level. When the Music Elective Programme (MEP) was introduced by the MOE in 1982, DHS was selected to implement the programme for musically gifted students.

In 1990, the school expanded its physical area by taking over the neighbouring former premises of Dunman Secondary School at Dunman Road. It then became a single-session school (previously the school was divided into the "morning session" and "afternoon session" so that two classes of students could share a classroom). It was one of six schools to go autonomous in 1994. The school moved to its current location in Tanjong Rhu on 27 May 1995. It was made the 7th Gifted Education Programme centre in Singapore in 1997.

Dunman High Programme

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. From 2005 the school has implemented a customised version of the Integrated Programme called the Dunman High Programme (DHP), which allows all students to bypass the 'O' Level examinations and directly take the A-Level examinations.

50th anniversary

A time capsule was launched on the opening ceremony of DHS's 50th anniversary celebrations on 31 March 2006. The time capsule will be opened in 2031 on Dunman High's 75th anniversary. Items such as the DHS uniform and the 2006 student handbook were placed in it. A letter by the current Principal of the school was also included.[6][7] In addition, a Heritage Run was organised that day.[5] There were also performances, including a dance by the school's Chinese Society, and a drumming performance by the percussionists from Chinese Orchestra and Symphonic Band. A 50th anniversary song, written by Kelvin Ang Chin Yuan, was played by Clara Ng Yi Wen and sung by the school.

PRIME

Dunman High School embarked on a 6-year Integrated Programme called the Dunman High Programme.

To meet the needs of the Integrated Programme, the school moved to a holding school in the former Raffles Junior College at Mount Sinai in December 2006 to allow for upgrading of the current site at Tanjong Rhu.

The land area of the expanded campus increased from four hectares to seven hectares, making Dunman High School one of the biggest government schools in Singapore.[8]

Completion

In December 2008 the classrooms, general office and staff rooms of the Tanjong Rhu Campus were completed, and the school moved back to the Tanjong Rhu campus.

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Dunman High School's upgraded campus along Tanjong Rhu Rd.

On 2 January 2009 the school opened to a new year with an opening ceremony named "Homecoming" （回家） to welcome students and staff to the upgraded campus.

Principals

Since its establishment in 1956, Dunman High School has had eight principals:

In office Name Chinese name Photo Significant contributions/remarks
1956 – 1959 Mr. Sun Hwan Sin 孙焕新
1959 – 1969 Mr. Chen Jen Hao 陈人浩
1969 – 1978 Mdm. Shu June Mai 许锦美
1978 – 1993 Mr. Lim Nai Yan 林乃燕
1994 – 1998 Mr. Cheah Chak Mun 谢泽文
1998 – 2004 Mr. Tan Thiam Hock 陈天福
2004 – Dec 2009 Mr. Sng Chern Wei 孙振炜 98px
  • Former Dunmanian (1984–1987).
  • Awarded the President's Scholarship in 1990.
  • Youngest principal to have taken office in Singapore's history, taking office as Dunman High School principal at age 34.
  • Has led the designing of the Dunman High Programme and also the PRIME needed for expanding of the school campus to meet the new Integrated Programme's needs.
  • Is now Zonal Director, Schools (West) starting from December 2009.
Dec 2009 – Dr. Foo Suan Fong 符传丰
  • Also a former Dunmanian.
  • Principal of Nan Hua High School from December 2003 to December 2009.

School song

[10]

Simplified Chinese Pinyin English translation
德明中学 矗立加东 démíng zhōngxué chùlì jiādōng Dunman High School stands proud in Katong
亭亭松影 习习海风 tíngtíng sōngyǐng xíxí hǎifēng (Where) the pines sway in the ocean winds
集我英才 汇于一家 jíwǒ yīngcái huìyú yījiā Gather all my talents under one roof
文艺科学 同冶同攻 wényì kēxué tóngyě tónggōng Studying arts and science
树模楷 教诚信 shù mókǎi jiào chéngxìn Establishing the model, teaching us honesty and integrity
立风范 诲勇忠 lì fēngfàn huì yǒngzhōng Setting an example, preaching bravery and loyalty
吾学兮博通 吾德兮高崇 wúxué xī bótōng wúdé xī gāochóng Our learning is of the most comprehensive, our virtue is of the highest quality
师生共陶镕 浩气干长空 shīshēng gòng táoróng hàoqì gān chángkōng Students and teacher exist harmoniously, our courage compares with the horizon.
爱护我德明 永志乎五中 àihù wǒ démíng yǒngzhì hu wǔzhōng Love and protect my Dunman, declare my aspirations
光大我德明 永志乎五中 guāngdà wǒ démíng yǒngzhì hu wǔzhōng Glorify my Dunman, declare my aspirations

School crest

File:DunmanHighSchoolCrest.png
Dunman High School Crest

The school crest of DHS was designed by the late Chen Jen Hao, its second principal, and Liu Kang, a pioneer in local fine art and former art teacher of the school.[11] The two Chinese characters read, from right to left, Dé míng, the Chinese name of the school. The characters are written in seal script.

The red colour symbolises passion and the drive for success. The blue colour signifies peace and dignity, while the circular border represents wholeness and unity, as well as the pursuit of universality, as defined in the Confucian classic Book of Rites.

Relations with other schools

Dunman High School is not officially affiliated with any school.

It holds an annual sports meet with Chung Cheng High School (Main), Ngee Ann Secondary School and Temasek Secondary School called the Four-School Combined Athletes Meet since 1980, in which students aged 13 to 16 from the four schools compete in sports events.[12]

Co-curricular activities

DHS offers co-curricular activities (CCAs), including competitive sports, uniformed groups, musical groups and clubs and societies. The school's traditional forte has been Chinese orchestral music.[13] The Uniformed Groups have a strong presence in Dunman High School, with CCAs like Saint John Ambulance Brigade, Scouts, Girl Guides and National Police Cadet Corps achieving honours.[14]

Junior High CCAs

Dunman High School provides a wide range of CCAs ranging from sports, uniformed groups and performing arts to special interest clubs and leadership councils to all Junior High students joining Dunman High School in Year 1 from the year 2008.

The CCAs that are offered in Junior High are:

Uniformed Groups Council

The Uniformed Groups Council was formed by the Uniformed Group members in the Senior High section in 2010 by then Executive President Chew Kiat Shing. It has since been an integral part of Dunman High School, providing all Uniformed Groups with greater cohesiveness.

Chinese Orchestra

The Dunman High School Chinese Orchestra was founded in 1973 and has a current strength of almost 300 members.

The Orchestra director is Mr Tay Teow Kiat. The school has also engaged several professional music instructors from the NAFA City Chinese Orchestra as sectional instructors.[15]

The orchestra has been invited to perform at various functions and celebrations, including festival performances at the Istana, the Millennium Chinese Cultural Festival Opening Ceremony, Singapore Youth Festival Opening Ceremony, and the opening ceremonies of certain international conferences.[citation needed]

Since 1984, the orchestra has given an annual public concert at the Victoria Concert Hall.[citation needed]

It has also been invited to perform in other countries including Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, and China.

The orchestra has participated in the biennial National Music Competition (Chinese Music Section) and won prizes in both the ensemble and individual categories.[16]

In addition, the orchestra has won the biennial Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) "Award of Distinction" since 1983, and "Best Chinese Orchestra of the Year" since the inception of this award in 1997.

The Dunman High Junior High Chinese Orchestra was awarded "Gold with Honours" at the 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2011 SYF Central Judging.{http://www3.moe.edu.sg/ccab/musicdance/Webpages/SYF%20Central%20Judging/SYF%20CJ%20Results.htm}

The Dunman High Senior High Chinese Orchestra has been established only since the start of the school's Integrated Programme. It took part in its first SYF in 2009, and was awarded "Gold with Honours". It won "Gold" in the 2011 SYF. {http://www3.moe.edu.sg/ccab/musicdance/Webpages/SYF%20Central%20Judging/SYF%20CJ%20Results.htm}

Sailing Club

The Sailing Club was formed as a student-initiated CCA for the senior high section in 2008, obtaining funding from MOE's Co-Curricular Activities Branch Sea Sports Programme.[17] The club recruits sailors who go on to compete at the National Interschools Sailing Competition.[18]

Notable Alumni

Politics

Business

Education

Sports

Entertainment and The Arts

See also

References

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  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ http://www.chhs.edu.my/joomlacn1/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=69&Itemid=167
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ DHS Handbook 2009.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Tan, Lorna (19 August 2008). "She doesn't stint on the three Fs". The Straits Times (Singapore).
  22. ↑ "Lunarin, The Chrysalis" (press release).

External links

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