Speech by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the 100th Anniversary Dinner of Zhonghua Secondary School, 9 September 2011 at Raffles City Convention Centre Fairmont Ballroom

Mdm Chuang Yong Eng, Chairperson of the School Advisory Committee and School Alumni Committee
Mrs Dolly Ong, Principal of Zhonghua Secondary School
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen

            Congratulations on your 100^th birthday. It’s a remarkable milestone for a school, and you joined a very select group of centenarians in Singapore today. It’s a testimony to Zhonghua’s excellent track record, your dedicated faculty – teachers, principals, staff – and the strong community support which the school has received.

2.         In 1911, when Zhonghua was founded, our education system in Singapore was very basic and disparate. The Colonial government supported some government schools, but many other schools were sponsored by the missions or the community groups, and in particular the Chinese schools were organized by the Chinese community. There was no common identity – schools catered to different groups, different communities and students were educated in their vernacular languages or dialects. And not everyone had access even to basic education; the standards varied across schools.

3.         After Singapore became independent in 1965, the Government made education one of our top national priorities. We did this to promote nation-building, especially for a young and multi-ethnic country. We did this to grow our economy, because we knew that people were our only resource and we needed to invest in them. We did this to give every Singaporean the opportunity to achieve his potential, as an embodiment of a meritocratic society where we let 100 flowers grow. And so the Government invested heavily to build new schools, to train a professional teaching service, and to develop an outstanding education system.

4.         This education system has come a long way since then. Today every child can enjoy a high quality education, regardless of his family or social background. And our students perform well, not just comparing with ourselves but comparing internationally, in rankings and contests, whether it’s the TIMSS, the Trends in International Math and Science Studies; whether it’s the Olympiads for science, for mathematics, for IT; whether it’s the international debates, choir festivals, dance performances and so on. Internationally, we rank high. And this gives Singapore a competitive advantage. This is especially important, because we’re facing stiffer global competition. And we’re able to have this advantage because we have a good system, which enables our students to go far. So almost 70% of every group of students makes it to polytechnics or to universities – which is very high by international standards. And we imbue our students with the ethos of continuous learning and self-improvement throughout their lives, throughout their careers. Because we have this, Singapore has attracted investments, and this has created good jobs, and improved our quality of life. And given us the confidence to face the future.

5.         Zhonghua has reflected this transformation of Singa­pore, and has contributed to this transformation of Singapore. Zhonghua’s beginnings were humble, in Mohamed Sultan Road, but after many changes and many different school premises, now it’s an autonomous school with modern facilities in Serangoon. From the initial intake of 10 students – 10 girls, now you have more than 1,200 students from all races, backgrounds and academic abilities. And you’ve got many achievements, the principal cited a few just now. You’ve received a School Distinction Award for holistic education. You’re a regular winner of Sustained Achievement Award for Academic Value-Added and for Sports. And you’re the first co-educational school to offer the Art Elective Programme with a strong focus on Chinese arts and culture, where there’s calligraphy, Chinese orchestra or guzheng. And they’ve produced many beautiful souvenirs and performances for this 100^th Anniversary celebrations.  I can speak with confidence that the school looks after its students well. Because my son came to the school and I’m very deeply grateful for all that the principals and the teachers did for him. And what they made him into. So thank you very much on behalf of all the principals, all the students and all the parents.

6.         Schools like Zhonghua are what make our education system stand out. They are devoted to helping every student achieve their best, staffed with dedicated teachers who tailor the education to the needs and the abilities of their students, and who are supported by the alumni and the wider community. And there are many other good schools like Zhonghua in our education system. Neighbourhood schools like Xinmin Secondary or Bukit Panjang Government High, who win awards for academic performance, sports and the arts; who excel in their own areas and enrich our educational landscape; and who enable us to assure every child of a good education, regardless of which school he goes to.

7.         We will continue to improve our education system – to raise the quality of every school, whether it’s a neighbourhood school, whether it’s a vocational institute, whether it’s a school for students with special needs. We will create many more pathways to success, not just a single narrow road to the top. And we will give every Singapore child the opportunity to succeed and the means to achieve his potential and fulfil his goals. To do this, we need more than a good Government and the Government’s work. We need a much broader involvement – parents, alumni, the community, all coming together to support our schools.

8.         And indeed, Zhonghua’s success has been helped by its longstanding links with the Chinese community. It was founded 100 years ago, 1911, which also was the year of the Chinese Revolution. And there’s a connection, it was started by Chinese community leaders in Singapore who were inspired by a call by Dr Sun Yat Sen to provide education for girls in Singa­pore, in an age when many girls were just kept at home for the kitchen and to get married. The school has retained its links with the Chinese community despite many changes as our society and our education system changed, and it has received consistent and enduring support from the Chinese community over the century. This success is a reflection of the community’s strong emphasis on education and its sense of responsibility to the society by supporting education. And it is a tradition which has contributed greatly to our nation-building.

9.         Zhonghua’s alumni network has helped a lot too. Many Zhonghua teachers were previously students in the school. Many Zhonghuarians volunteer on the school committees and in other ways, including of course Madam Chuang, who’s Chairman of the SAC. And generations of Zhonghuarians are gathered here tonight to celebrate this happy occasion. And hence the theme of tonight’s centennial celebration – 百年树人中华情 – is a most appropriate theme. Because it has taken 100 years of hard work to bring Zhonghua to where it is today. And Zhonghua must now build on the camaraderie, the friendships, the memories, and the achievements of the last one century. Remember your roots, even as you branch out and thrust out into the future. And continue to strengthen the Zhonghua spirit through successive generations of Zhonghuarians.

10.       So I congratulate school leaders, teachers, alumni, and parents for your dedication to Zhonghua over all these many years. And I wish you all the best for many more successful centuries to come! Thank you very much.

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