Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Secondary School

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School History

In 1924, Reverend Tay Sek Tin and the Reverend Tan Leng Tian started Katong Girls’ School with 11 students at 1 Joo Chiat Terrace to provide English and Chinese lessons and to serve as an evangelistic centre. The school moved to Koon Seng Road in 1925 and was renamed Choon Guan School.The name was a tribute to Mr Lee Choon Guan, who gave generously to the building fund.

In 1934, Miss Margaret Dryburgh was appointed as the principal. Educational standards were raised; in 1936, the English section became a separate school called Choon Guan English School. In 1938, it became a grant-in-aid school for boys with Mr J.R. Richardson as the principal. Another school for girls, Kuo Chuan Girls’ School, was opened at 36 Joo Chiat Lane under the principalship of Miss Dryburgh. During the Japanese Occupation, the girls’ school was bombed, and it was closed. The boys’ school became a Japanese school called Koon Seng Road School.

After the war, on 24 September 1945, the boys’ school reopened. To accommodate those who could not gain admission, Dryburgh English School was established as an afternoon school. The boys’ school presented its first group of students for the Cambridge School Certificate Examination in 1949. It was renamed Presbyterian Boys’ School in 1950. The following year, Mr B.F. Atherton arrived as the principal. When he left in 1958, Mr Gay Wan Guay succeeded him. In 1960, Dryburgh English School merged with Presbyterian Boys’ School, and Mr Sia Kah Hui became the principal.

The girls’ school did not reopen until 1946, and Miss Monica Sirkett arrived from England in 1947 to be its principal. It became a government-aided school in 1951; two years later, the first group of students sat for the Cambridge Examination.

In 1970, the two schools’ sense of identity was given a boost with the adoption of a school anthem. The two schools reached another important milestone in 1985. They were amalgamated as a co-educational full school called Kuo Chuan Presbyterian School. As the school buildings and facilities became increasingly inadequate, the Ministry of Education allocated a new site at Bishan Street 13 to the school. In 1987, the full school was split into primary and secondary schools. The primary school moved to the new Bishan site in November 1987, while the secondary school was relocated there in June 1988.

Principals:
- Ms Margaret Dryburgh (1934–1938) (Choon Guan School)
- Mr J.R. Richardson (1938–1950) (Choon Guan English School)
- Mr B.F. Atherton (1951–1958) (Presbyterian Boys’ School)
- Mr Gay Wan Guay (1958–1960)
- Mr Seah Kah Hui (1961–1963)
- Ms Margaret Dryburgh - (Kuo Chuan Girls’ School) (1938–1947)
- Ms Monica Sirkett (1947–1972)
- Mrs Lee Choon Neo (1972–1977)
- Mrs Mabel Lew (1978–1983)
- Madam Kang Swee Chin (1984–1990)
- Mr Low Eng Kee (1991–1998)
- Mr Wong Lok Onn (1999–2003)
- Mr Goh Lay Guan (2004)
- Mr Tony Low Teck Eng (2005–2010)
- Mrs Elsie Rajaratnam (2011–present)

Key Milestones


1924	Founding of Katong Girls’ School in a shophouse at 1 Joo Chiat Terrace.
1925	Renamed Choon Guan School, a co-educational school, and relocated to larger premises at 47 Koon Seng Road.
1940	The school motto ‘Aflame for Truth’ is established, inspired by the Presbyterian emblem of the Burning Bush.
1950	Choon Guan English School is renamed Presbyterian Boys’ School (PBS).
1960	Merger of Dryburgh English School and Presbyterian Boys’ School. Students of Presbyterian Boys’ School went on a strike for one day in protest – the only English-medium school in Singapore where students have gone on strike.
1970	Launch of the school anthem.
1985	Kuo Chuan Girls’ School and Presbyterian Boys’ School were amalgamated into a full school called Kuo Chuan Presbyterian School.
1988	Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Secondary School moved into its present site at Bishan Street 13 in June 1988.
2004	Celebration of 80th anniversary.
2014	Adopt new Vision & Mission Establish school’s distinctive programmes i.e ALP in Media Literacy and LLP in Community Youth leadership.

School Motto

Aflame for Truth

Book of Exodus, 3: 1–12

The school is the place where students are taught the truth of God’s Word and the importance of always upholding the truth. The motto reminds students to uphold the truth in action, speech and thought because God is Truth. In this way, the school acknowledges the presence of God in its midst, guiding and inspiring the students to be upright and responsible.

School Crest

The school crest is circular in shape. In the inner circle, a book – the Bible – rests on top of a shield. A band of gold, representing the light of God, runs across the shield. In the centre of the shield are flames and a burning bush. The red flames do not destroy the green bush because these are the supernatural flames of God. At the base of the shield, the sun radiates out in gold, and this, with the gold band on top, signifies the omnipresence and sovereignty of God, the Light. The book and shield are set in a sea of dark blue with streams of white. The dark blue colour represents the stability of the Christian faith, and white signifies purity and the grace of God.

Encircling the inner circle is the motto, ‘Aflame For Truth’, taken from the Book of Exodus, Chapter 3, verses 1 to 12.