Qifa Primary School Heritage Corner

Explore Qifa Primary School's heritage gallery, tracing its roots from early 1900s to the present through artefacts, storyboards, and displays on Hakka history and local culture.

Last updated 9 September 2026

A wide angle shot of the entrance of Qifa Heritage Gallery

Qifa Primary School was established in 1906 as Khee Fatt Study Institution (启发学堂) by the Char Yong (Dabu) Association, which was made up of early Hakka immigrants from China. After the Second World War, Khee Fatt School was officially opened by Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the first Prime Minister of Singapore, on 13 October 1966. In 1985, Khee Fatt School was renamed Qifa Primary School. In 2008, Jin Tai Primary merged with Qifa Primary.

The school heritage gallery is in a classroom-sized space is located near the school canteen. The entrance bears the lines: Cherish our Past, Celebrate the Present, Confidence in our Future.

A heritage corner display for 'Low's Tailoring and Fashion' (洋服中心), featuring a decorative panel titled 'Magical Needles' that describes the history of Hakka tailors in Singapore from 1936 onwards.

A glass display case containing vintage items associated with a traditional Chinese medical hall, including a paper bag from 'Fei Fan Drug Store' (惠華藥行) with Chinese text, a small bottle of Minyak Gamat (Winter Green oil), a pink box, a traditional wooden abacus with brown beads, a handwritten letter in Chinese, a pamphlet from 'Eng Aun Tong — The Tiger Medical Hall' featuring Tiger Balm, orange scissors or tongs, a small round tin, and various other artefacts arranged on a wooden shelf."

A heritage display panel titled 'The Humble Beginnings' (客家移民的卑微起源) in red Chinese characters and English, mounted within a wooden frame.

Storyboards depict the history of the Hakka community in Singapore. Glass display cases depict artefacts related to medicinal halls owned Hakka businessmen, and other early Hakka businesses.

The design alongside one wall echoes the old classrooms of Khee Fatt School, complete with a blackboard. Old desks and cabinets, textbooks and school apparatus give an ‘old school’ feel.

A built-in projector and whiteboard allow the space to be used for teaching and learning. The school augments the curriculum for Primary 3 (CCE) and Primary 4 students (Social Studies) through gallery tours and the use of curated students’ worksheets.

a white shelving unit decorated with cartoon bee illustrations labelled 'See', 'Think', and 'Wonder', with small potted ferns, miniature furniture figurines, and a sunflower mural at the base.

A ‘Think See Wonder’ special feature wall serves as a flexible space to share updated programme highlights related to Character can Citizenship Education (CCE).

two mannequins in traditional Malay wedding attire in dark green with gold embroidery on the left, and a red Chinese wedding outfit (xiuhe fu) with gold dragon and phoenix embroidery on the right. In the centre, a vintage chalkboard, typewriter, and rotary telephone are arranged around an old wooden desk. A red pull-up banner on the far right describes Chinese wedding customs.

In July 2024, the gallery featured a special display of mannequins in various wedding outfits as a temporary exhibit in celebration of Racial Harmony Day.

A house-shaped heritage display panel titled 'Building Closer Ties with West Coast', tracing the history of the West Coast area from a Malay kampong to its present-day community hub, featuring historical photographs and illustrations of Ayer Rajah Food Centre.

A heritage display shaped like a vintage pushcart, titled 'Memory Lane', featuring historical photographs and text about Haw Par Villa and the Singapore Miniature Zoo in Pasir Panjang, decorated with illustrated cartoon children and animals, and food imagery along the top

Illuminated display carts in the canteen promote a greater appreciation of local food culture.