校史 School History

SCHOOL HISTORY

光华学校重要里程碑
Kong Hwa School’s Key Milestones

1951-1955　初升的朝阳　
在第二次世界大战日军投降后的几年，新加坡面临学校供需严重失调的问题。 当时，身为新加坡福建会馆主席的陈六使先生，与会馆委员会的理事们意识到人民对教育的迫切需求。为秉持会馆的宗旨―“全面照顾人民的福利，特别是在教育方面”，福建会馆决定创办“光华学校”，以推广教育及弘扬中华文化。各位先贤对于建校办学义不容辞，陈六使先生捐献了大片土地，李光前先生也以个人名义捐赠了30万新元来兴建光华学校。光华学校于1951年建于基里玛路的沼泽地。学校当时的土地面积为1.3 公顷，是郊区规模最大的学校。学校的设施完备，计有30间课室、大礼堂、食堂、储藏室、厨房及其他基本设施。

1952年，刘守潜先生受委为光华学校的首任校长。

学校在1953年正式招生开课。办校初期，光华学校约有360名居住在郊区的学生，一共开办了11个小学班级和1个幼儿班，课程为全日制。由于学生人数少，许多教室并未被充分利用。

光华学校原名为“光前学校”，这是福建会馆为了表彰李光前先生对教育事业的伟大贡献而命名。然而，李光前先生一心为教育，不愿自己显名扬声，因此致函福建会馆主席坚持易名。会馆董事部最后决定尊重李光前先生的意愿，将学校更名为“光华学校”。

1954年，学生人数增至792人。为此，光华增加了9个小学班，幼儿班也多开了10班。后来，政府大力发展周围地区，芽笼一带也日渐繁华，促使学生人数不断增加，班级多至24班。

1951-1955 Our Beginning
In the early years immediately after the Japanese occupation, there was a drastic shortage of schools in Singapore. Mr Tan Lark Sye – then Chairman of Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan (SHHK) - and its executive council members realised the urgent need for education, decided to build Kong Hwa School with the aim of helping the community to solve the serious problems of education. Construction of Kong Hwa School started in 1951 on a swampy area of land in Guillemard Road. The plot of land was donated by Mr Tan Lark Sye, and Mr Lee Kong Chian spearheaded the donation drive with a personal donation of $300,000. The school’s land area was 1.3 hectares and it was the biggest school in the suburban area then. There were 30 classrooms, a hall, a tuckshop, utility rooms, kitchen and other basic facilities.

Mr Lau Siu Ching was appointed the first principal of the school in 1952.

Kong Hwa School opened its doors in 1953 and provided education to about 360 students in the suburban area. It began as a full day school of 11 primary classes and 1 kindergarten class. Many of the classrooms were not fully utilized due to low enrolment.

The school was originally named “Kong Chian School”, in recognition of Mr Lee Kong Chian’s significant contributions to education. However, Mr Lee was of the belief that philanthropy should be a common occurrence and not something to be celebrated. After Mr Lee’s repeated pleas, SHHK decided to respect his wish and rename the school “Kong Hwa School”.

In 1954, the student enrolment escalated to 792, with an increase of 9 primary classes and 10 kindergarten classes. As the surrounding land gradually developed and the Geylang area began to prosper, student enrolment increased further to 24 classes.

1956-1991　跃升与成长
1956年，随着加冷机场迁至巴耶里峇，及独立桥的落成和启用，基里玛路不仅成为通往市区的主要公路，周围也建造了许多组屋。种种因素促使这一带的人口大幅度增加，而光华学校的学生也激增至1700名。

1957年4月，光华学校获得政府的全额教育援助，成为政府辅助学校。

1960年第二学期，刘守潜先生卸下了校长职务。福建会馆因此调聘属校南侨女子中学代理校长吴师逵先生于1961年起接任校长一职，成为光华学校第二任校长。

1960年底，福建会馆耗资9万新元买下了学校隔邻一块面积超过6万平方英尺的空地，准备扩建新校舍增办中学部。后来，由于南侨女中于原址展开重建工程，该校师生便迁至光华学校的新校舍上课。当南侨女中的新校舍竣工后，福建会馆与中正中学董事部达成协议，以基里玛路的新校舍和金炎路的中正分校校舍对换，中正中学分校于是成为光华学校的“邻居”。

1963年，光华学校踏入了办校的首10年。学校依然持续大幅度地成长，跃升到最高峰。全校共有56个小学班和5个幼儿班，教职员多达87人，学生人数为2540人。

1970年，吴师逵校长退休，由在光华服务多年的黄叔明先生接掌校务，成为光华学校第三任校长。

1986年，黄叔明校长辞卸校长职务。由于一时没有适当人选，1986及1987年校长一职悬空。

1988年，林锦泉先生出任光华学校第四任校长。

1991年，李以星女士担任校长一职，成为光华学校第五任校长。

1956-1991　Our Growth
In 1956, with the relocation of the Kallang Airport to Paya Lebar and the building of Merdeka Bridge, Guillemard Road became a main road linking to the town area. Flats were built and population in the area increased rapidly, resulting in a surge of student enrolment to 1700.

In April 1957, the school accepted the government’s full grants-in-aid, and became a government-aided school.

In the second semester of 1960, Mr Lau Siu Ching left his post, Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan then appointed one of its sponsored school principals, Mr Ngo See Kwee from Nan Chiau Girls’ High, to head Kong Hwa in 1961. Mr Ngo became Kong Hwa School’s 2nd principal.

At the end of 1960, Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan bought over an adjacent piece of land of over 60,000 square feet at a cost of $90,000 to construct a secondary school wing. When Nan Chiau Girls’ High was reconstructed on site, its students were housed in the new Kong Hwa Wing. After the rebuilding of Nan Chiau Girls’ High School, Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan council members and Chung Cheng High School (Branch) Management Committee came to an agreement for the newly built Kong Hwa Wing building to be exchanged for the Kim Yam Road Chung Cheng High School (Branch). Chung Cheng High School (Branch) was thus relocated to Guillemard Road and became Kong Hwa’s neighbour.

In 1963, Kong Hwa School reached its first 10th year milestone. The school continued its rapid growth. At its peak, the school had 56 primary classes and 5 kindergarten classes, and a staff of 87. The student enrolment was 2540.

In 1970, Mr Ng Soh Beng took over the role as Kong Hwa School’s 3rd principal.

In 1986, Mr Ng Soh Beng resigned from the post of principal. The position was left vacant in 1986 and 1987 due to lack of suitable candidate.

In 1988, Mr Lam Kam Choon was appointed as Kong Hwa School’s 4th principal.

In 1991, Mrs Pang Hong Tin was appointed as Kong Hwa School’s 5th principal.

1992至今　再创高峰
1992年，教育部将光华列为全国15 所特选小学之一，肩负起传承华族文化和价值观的使命，以及培养双语双文化幼苗的责任。

校友会于同年11月10日获社团注册局批准。校友会的成立，除了加强联系校友外，也让新旧校友多了互识互动的平台。最重要的是校友们能实现对母校“饮水思源，回馈母校”的心愿。

为了满足学生人数增加的需求，以及加设更完善的学校设施，光华学校获得教育部和福建会馆的鼎力支持，并在校方、校友和各方的努力下，开展了庞大的校舍重建计划。1992年底，学校迁至阿裕尼路的旧实明小学校舍上课，以方便学校在原址重建。

1996年底，耗资1400万新元的新校舍落成启用。时任福建会馆主席黄祖耀先生为光华学校主持“盖顶”仪式。学校于同年10月26日举行了隆重的迁返仪式，校旗在临时校舍降下后，连同学校的象征物 ― 光华火炬，由校长、校友和学生们沿途跑步护送至基里玛路的新校舍。光华学校在1998年5月4日举行了隆重的新校舍开幕典礼，并由时任教育部长张志贤准将主持开幕仪式。

1998年6月，李以星校长荣休。张莉莲女士接掌校务，出任光华学校第六任校长。

1999年4月，光华学校家长会成立，进一步促进学校与家长之间的合作，共同培育光华子女。

2003年12月，张莉莲校长任满后，王来发先生于隔年出任光华学校第七任校长。

2008年，光华学校获颁予教育部的 “卓越学校奖”，以及新加坡标新局所颁发的“新加坡素质级奖”。这些荣誉一再证实了光华学校致力于推行优质教育政策、培养未来杰出英才的精神和理念。

2010年，光华再次展开学校重建与翻新计划，期望在扩建后提供更理想的学习环境、更完备的教学设施，让学生们在良好的学习氛围中学习与成长。学校暂时迁移至循环路的旧柏盛中学校舍。

2012年中，位于基里玛路的光华学校新校舍圆满竣工。光华学校在6月29日举办了盛大庄严的校舍迁返仪式，全体师生、校友及家长高高兴兴地参与其盛，共同见证这历史性的一刻，携手掀开光华校史的新章。学校在2013年11月15日举行了新校舍落成典礼，并由时任卫生部部长颜金勇先生主持典礼。

2013年12月，王来发校长任满后，蔡颐龄女士于隔年出任光华学校第八任校长。

2014年，光华学校二度获颁予教育部的 “卓越学校奖”，以及五项“最佳治校奖”。这些殊荣再次肯定了光华学校的优质教育体制和各方面的特出表现。

2020年12月，蔡颐龄校长任满后，方小龙先生于隔年出任光华学校第九任校长。

2023年5月，光华学校举行建校70周年暨光华学校校友会成立30周年双庆。学校设立校史文物馆“承薪阁”。

1992 – Present Scaling Greater Heights
In 1992, Kong Hwa School was accorded the SAP (Special Assistance Plan) School status, whose mission is to promote Chinese culture and values, and nurture bilingual and bicultural students.

The Kong Hwa School Alumni Association was inaugurated as a society on 10 November 1992. It provided a platform for the alumni to connect and network; and more importantly fulfilled the wish of the alumni to contribute back to their alma mater.

With the increase in enrolment and the demands for more and better facilities, the school embarked on its first major upgrading project. To help facilitate the onsite construction of the new school building, the school was temporarily relocated to a holding site at Aljunied Road (former Aljunied Primary School building) at the end of 1992.

The $14 million 4-storey new school building was completed at the end of 1996. The “Roof-Capping” Ceremony was officiated by Mr Wee Cho Yaw, then Chairman of Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan. On 26 October 1996, a grand Moving-back Ceremony was held. The torch relay was flagged off at the Aljunied holding site and it ended at Guillemard. On 4 May 1998, RADM Teo Chee Hean, then Minister for Education, officiated the opening of the new school building.

Mrs Pang Hong Tin retired from the education service in June 1998. She was succeeded by Ms Chong Lee Lian who became Kong Hwa School’s 6th principal.

Kong Hwa School’s Very Support Parents (VSP) was established in April 1999, fostering greater school-parent partnership.

Ms Chong Lee Lian completed her term as principal in December 2003, with Mr Ong Lye Whatt taking over the helm as the 7th principal of Kong Hwa School the following year.

In 2008, the school was awarded the MOE School Distinction Award (SDA). It was also validated by Spring Singapore and conferred the Singapore Quality Class (SQC). The awards were a testimony of the many processes and systems that the school had put in place to deliver quality education.

Kong Hwa School underwent its second major school upgrading project in 2010, with the aim of providing students with better school facilities and conducive learning environment. The school relocated to its holding site at the former MacPherson Secondary School in Circuit Road.

Upon completion of its new campus, the school returned to Guillemard in mid-2012. To celebrate the moving back, a relay-walk from Circuit Road to Guillemard Road was held on 29 June 2012. Staff and students, together with alumni and parents, witnessed the significant moment. With this symbolic walk back, it began yet another chapter in the history of Kong Hwa School. On 15 November 2013, Mr Gan Kim Yong, then Minister for Health, officiated the opening of the new school building.

Mr Ong Lye Whatt completed his term as principal in December 2013. He was succeeded by Mrs Cheong Ye Ling who became Kong Hwa School’s 8th principal the following year.

In 2014, Kong Hwa School was conferred the MOE School Distinction Award (SDA) for the second time, and 5 Best Practice Awards (BPA). It was a further testimony to the school’s sustained systems and processes, as well as the many good practices in the school.

Mrs Cheong Ye Ling completed her term as principal in December 2020, with Mr Poon Siow Leng taking over the helm as the 9th principal of Kong Hwa School the following year.

In May 2023, a joint celebration was held to commemorate Kong Hwa School’s 70th anniversary and its Alumni Association’s 30th anniversary. Cheng Xin Ge – Kong Hwa School History and Heritage Gallery – was established.