CHIJ St Nicholas Girls' School

CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School

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School History

In the 1930s, the Chinese population in Singapore was increasing rapidly. The Infant Jesus sisters decided to establish a Chinese-medium primary school to provide education for Chinese girls. On 16 January 1933, Victoria Girls’ School began operations – with 40 pupils and a Chinese teacher – in the building that used to be Hotel van Wijk. Sister Solong was its first principal. The school was later renamed St Nicholas Girls’ School.

Between 1938 and 1939, the school started its first secondary class and a teacher-training section to ensure a pool of qualified teachers. In 1940, Sister Francoise Lee, a local Chinese, became the principal. She expanded the secondary section to include classes up to Simplified Normal IV, making St Nicholas a full school providing primary and secondary education.

During the Japanese occupation, St Nicholas continued as a school but had to change its name to one chosen by the Japanese. While Mandarin continued to be taught, English was forbidden and Japanese was introduced in its place.

The school resumed by November 1945 shortly after World War II. In 1946, there was an enrolment of 700 girls. The outdated Hotel van Wijk building could no longer accommodate the burgeoning school population. In 1949, St Nicholas moved to the Town Convent premises on Victoria Street where it enjoyed the facilities and spacious compound.

In 1972, Mrs Hwang-Lee Poh See became the first lay principal. By then, enrolment had doubled and there was an urgent need for a bigger school. In 1979, the school included a pre-primary section. In the same year, St Nicholas became one of the nine Special Assistance Plan schools in Singapore, in recognition of its rich Chinese culture and strong school outcomes.

By 1980, the school building on Victoria Street could no longer house the entire school. After five years of relocating to different venues to house the school population, St Nicholas finally moved to its permanent premises at Ang Mo Kio Street 13 in 1985. In 1992, St Nicholas was renamed CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School.

In 1995, the school was granted autonomous status in recognition of its value-added academic performance. From the end of 2009 to 2012, the school underwent PRIME upgrading to build a future-ready school. The school celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2013 with the reopening of the school by Prime Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong. In the same year, the school also introduced the Joint Integrated Programme with Catholic High School, Singapore Chinese Girls’ School and Eunoia Junior College. The school celebrated its 85th anniversary in 2018.

Principals:
- Sister Solong (1933–1935)
- Sister Felix (1936–1937)
- Sister Marie Mercedes (1938–1939)
- Sister Francois Lee (1940–1971)
- Mrs Hwang-Lee Poh See (1972–2000)
- Ms Helen Choo (2001–2006)
- Ms Chan Wan Siong (2007–2011)
- Mrs Tan Wai Lan (2012–2016)
- Mrs Fiona Tan (2017–present)

Key Milestones


1933	Founding of Victoria Girls’ School as a Chinese-medium girls’ school by Infant Jesus sisters to meet the needs of the growing Chinese population. It was later renamed as St Nicholas Girls’ School.
1938	Start of the first secondary class and teacher-training section.
1940	Appointment of first local Chinese principal, Sister Francoise Lee.
1941	Graduation of first batch of trained teachers; St Nicholas Girls’ School becomes a full school.
1972	Appointment of first lay principal, Mrs Hwang-Lee Poh See.
1979	Selected as a Special Assistance Plan school. Start of pre-primary section.
1985	Relocation from Victoria Street to permanent premises at Ang Mo Kio Street 13.
1992	Renamed CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School.
1995	Granted autonomous status.
2013	Launch of Joint Integrated Programme with Catholic High School, Singapore Chinese Girls’ School and Eunoia Junior College.

School Motto

Simple in Virtue, Steadfast in Duty

德纯义坚

To be simple in virtue is to cultivate a personal honesty that helps one relate to others with respect, openness and sincerity. Virtue is nobleness of character nurtured by a genuine desire according to God’s will as revealed in the Gospel. To be steadfast in duty is to be faithful in fulfilling one’s obligations and having the capacity to rise above difficulties or obstacles to execute and complete a task in the service of others.

School Crest

The cross is the symbol of salvation and the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus Christ. The garland of marguerites is symbolic of purity and simplicity – charming traits of girlhood. The golden distaff and spindle are symbols of womanly labour and reminders of the dignity of work and the satisfaction and fulfilment to be found in a task well accomplished. The open Gospel represents the teaching of Christ and is a source of inspiration that guides the school community. The silver rosary symbolises prayer and is the story of the Gospel as seen through the eyes of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. The red shield symbolises God’s all-embracing message of love.

The CHIJ school crest is an international badge worn by students of the Infant Jesus schools in South America, the United Kingdom, Europe, Africa and Southeast Asia.

School Song

♫ Listen

钟声悠扬弦歌讽诵
圣铎化雨泽被春风
发扬华夏优良传统
提倡女教美德坤成
发扬,发扬华夏优良传统
提倡女教美德坤成

德纯义坚校训是宗
学贯中西文化交融
圣尼各拉光芒万丈
吾国文化绵延无穷

尼各拉, 圣尼各拉光芒万丈
吾国文化绵延无穷