| Hwa Chong Institution | |
|---|---|
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| Location | |
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661Bukit Timah Road,Singapore 269734 | |
| Coordinates | 1°19′36″N103°48′13″E / 1.326540°N 103.803491°E /1.326540; 103.803491 |
| Information | |
| Former names |
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| School type | Independent Boys (secondary) Co-educational (junior college) |
| Motto | 自强不息 (Tireless self - improvement with tenacity, innovation and passion) |
| Established | 1 January 2005; 20 years ago (2005-01-01) |
| Principal | Lee Peck Ping[1] |
| Enrollment | ~4000 |
| Campus size | 29 hectares (0.29 km2) |
| Campus type | Urban |
| Color | Red Yellow White |
| Affiliations | |
| Website | hci.edu.sg |
Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) is an independentsecondaryeducational institution inBukit Timah,Central Region,Singapore. It was established in 2005 by the merger ofThe Chinese High School (1919–2004) andHwa Chong Junior College (1974–2005).
HCI provides secondary education for boys only from Years 1 to 4, and pre-university education for both boys and girls in Years 5 and 6. Since 2005, HCI and its affiliated schoolNanyang Girls' High School have offered a six-yearIntegrated Programme, which allows students to skip theSingapore-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level examinations and proceed to take theSingapore-Cambridge GCE Advanced Level examinations at the end of Year 6. Its name "Hwa Chong" ("Hua Zhong" or "华中") is an abbreviation of The Chinese High School's Chinese name, "Hua Qiao Zhong Xue" or "华侨中学".
AMinistry of Education-designatedFutureSchool, HCI operates under theSpecial Assistance Plan (SAP) for bilingualism, and offers the Integrated Programme and theGifted Education Programme. HCI has been a top feeder school for international students to theUniversity of Oxford andUniversity of Cambridge.[2] The institution is also a member of Strategic Alliance of Global Educators, Strategic Educational Alliance of Southeast Asia and the Global Learning Alliance which involves some of the world's most innovative schools from the highest performing nations, including Australia, Canada, China, Finland, New Zealand, Singapore, Sweden, and the United States.[3] HCI has also forged partnerships with educational institutions across five continents, including cross-border research collaboration with theDominion High School inVirginia andStaples High School inConnecticut.[4]
Previously two separate but affiliated schools —The Chinese High School andHwa Chong Junior College – HCI was established through a merger on 1 January 2005. It was among the first batch of schools to offer the six-yearIntegrated Programme, which leads directly to theSingapore-Cambridge GCE Advanced Level examinations at the end of the sixth year. In spite of the merger, the High School section remains boys-only. TheCollege section remains co-educational; its Integrated Programme cohort consists of boys from Hwa Chong's High School section as well as girls fromNanyang Girls' High School .[5][6]
The Chinese High School was founded byTan Kah Kee in March 1919 at Niven Road, as the Singapore Nanyang Overseas Chinese Middle School (traditional Chinese:新加坡南洋華僑中學;simplified Chinese:新加坡南洋华侨中学). With an enrolment of 78 pupils, it was the first Chinese institution of higher learning at that time in Southeast Asia, catering to Chinese dialect groups amongst the overseas Chinese.[7] Six years later, the school moved to itsBukit Timah campus.[8]
After its founding, the school offered comprehensive secondary level Chinese education. It remained funded and supported by Tan Kah Kee until shortly beforeWorld War II. In 1934,Lee Kong Chian, Tan Kah Kee's son-in-law, became the chairman of the school's board and remained in his post until 1955. During his tenure, the school faced the threat of closure several times due to financial difficulties, but managed to survive due to strong financial support from Lee and Tan. Together, they built a legacy which is currently commemorated by the school body through songs, plays, musical performances, and a heritage trail.[7][9][10]
During theBattle of Singapore, the school'sclock tower, due to its height and vantage point, served as a headquarters for theAllied defenders.[11] Following the war, the school resumed its Chinese education. In the 1950s and 1960s, during periods of civil unrest in Singapore, many students, teachers and alumni participated in or led theanti-colonial riots.[7][12]
After Singapore gained independence in 1965, the school came under the purview of theMinistry of Education and was accorded theSpecial Assistance Plan (SAP) status in 1979.[13] Later, in 1988, the school achieved the status of an independent school.[12] This scheme was perceived by the ministry as successful, and was thus extended to other well-performing schools in Singapore.[14] On 19 March 1999, the school's clock tower was gazetted as a national monument.[11]
In the late 1960s, Singapore's education system for secondary schools was in the form of a four-year programme followed by a two-year programme for pre-university education. The Chinese High School's board of directors decided to construct ajunior college immediately adjacent to the school. This junior college was the second to be built in Singapore, and the first government-aided one.
Hwa Chong Junior College began lessons in 1974 under the same administration as The Chinese High School.[2] The name "Hwa Chong" ("Hua Zhong") is an abbreviation of The Chinese High School's Chinese name, "Hua Qiao Zhong Xue", to mark the relationship between the two schools.[12] During its initial thirteen years, Hwa Chong Junior College gradually developed into a top junior college in Singapore, with the school frequently producing high-scoring students in theSingapore-Cambridge GCE Advanced Level examinations.[citation needed]
Hwa Chong Junior College moved out of its campus at Bukit Timah Road in the late 1980s following the discovery of structural problems with the building to facilitate rebuilding. Students were relocated toNgee Ann Polytechnic initially, before a temporary campus was erected inBukit Batok. The temporary campus was utilised from 1987 to 1992, as reconstruction works proceeded at the original campus. Lessons restarted at the original campus in 1993.[citation needed]
After The Chinese High School was accorded independent school status in 1987, Hwa Chong Junior College followed suit in 2004, becoming the first junior college in Singapore to be granted the status of an independent school.[2]
Following the introduction of theIntegrated Programme into Singapore's education system in the early 2000s, The Chinese High School merged with Hwa Chong Junior College on 1 January 2005 to form an integrated institution, featuring a High School section and a college section.[2] The merged institution kept the native name of The Chinese High School (華僑中學;华侨中学), and adopted "Hwa Chong Institution" as its administrative name. The college section is formally renamed as "Hwa Chong Institution (College)" (華僑中學 (高中部);华侨中学 (高中部))[15] In the same year,Hwa Chong International School was established under the auspices of the institution, offering independent education that leads to theInternational Baccalaureate Diploma.[16]
When HCI was formed in 2005, the former Hwa Chong Junior College's principal Ang Wee Hiong became the new principal and chief executive officer of HCI, while Hon Chiew Weng, who was previously the principal of The Chinese High School, became principal of the High School Section and Deputy Chief Executive Officer of HCI.[17]
In 2008, HCI was selected by theMinistry of Education to implement the FutureSchools@Singapore programme,[18] one of five initial schools to do so and amongst the eventual fifteen planned.[19] In the same year, the Hwa Chong Diploma was introduced and has been awarded to the best performing 30% of each year's graduating cohort on top of theSingapore-Cambridge GCE Advanced Level certificate.[20]
After Hon Chiew Weng succeeded Ang Wee Hiong as Principal of HCI in 2009, the role of chief executive officer was abolished. Hon stated that since HCI was a school and not a company, there was no need for a chief executive officer. Hon retired on 22 December 2017, and was succeeded by Pang Choon How, an alumnus of the school who was previously the principal ofChung Cheng High School (Main).[17]
HCI commemorated its centenary on its founder's day, 21 March 2019.[21]
On 21 March 2019, in commemoration of the school's centennial, a dinner dubbed the "dinner of 10,000 people" was organised and held. It was celebrated in the field before the school's iconic clock tower and the statue of Tan Kah Kee, the school's founder. The celebratory dinner entered the Singapore Book of Records as the largest school anniversary dinner, with 12,581 attendees, including Prime MinisterLee Hsien Loong.[22] This was the fifth time Hwa Chong had organised such a celebratory dinner, with prior dinners in 1979, 1989, 1999 and 2009.
The same year, the school staged the Centennial Musical at theNational University of Singapore Cultural Centre. The musical featured 537 participants, and was attended by alumnaSim Ann, Senior Minister of State at theMinistry of Communications and Information. TheSingapore Symphony Orchestra's Tan Wee-Hsin was the conductor, while Yang Wenzhong was the director at-large with the orchestra comprising HCI students.[citation needed]
In the High School Section, students in Secondary 1 to Secondary 3 (inclusive) wear a white short-sleeved shirt with khaki short trousers and white socks, which must cover the ankles. The four metal buttons must be worn on the two front pockets and on both shoulders. The school collar pin should be worn on the left collar. Either white, blue or black shoes with either white or black laces must be worn. Secondary 4 students wear beige long trousers with a beige shirt, similar to the boys in the College Section. College girls wear a beige blouse and a beige skirt.[23] The uniform for the College Section is the same as that of the former Hwa Chong Junior College, and it was designed by a Malay girl of the pioneer batch.[24]
Students earn demerit points for poor behaviour. Accumulated demerit points can affect final grades and eligibility for certain awards, scholarships and overseas trips.[25] The student handbook for the High School Section states that students who commit serious offences may be punished with detention,caning, suspension, or expulsion. Only the principal or discipline master may administer caning.[26] Students found smoking are immediately caned or suspended or both.[23] Caning may also be given for integrity-related offences (e.g. cheating), uncivilised behaviour (e.g. defiance), and criminal offences (e.g. fighting).[25]
The current school crest of HCI is a stylised form of the traditional Chinese characterHuá (華), which is part of the school name and reflects its Chinese heritage. The red crest also bears much similarity to a burning torch of passion.[27]
HCI offers the six-yearIntegrated Programme with its affiliated schoolNanyang Girls' High School (NYGH), which is known as the Hwa Chong Affiliate Programme. Under the programme, NYGH students and HCI High School students proceed to the HCI College Section for their pre-university education in Years 5 and 6,[28] and sit for theSingapore-Cambridge GCE Advanced Level examinations at the end of Year 6. However, HCI High School and NYGH students who have not achieved a Mean Subject Grade (MSG) of 3.00 or below at the end of Year 4, or who have applied to leave the Integrated Programme, do not proceed to the HCI College Section for Years 5 and 6.[29]
Under the umbrella Hwa Chong family of schools, HCI is affiliated toHwa Chong International School (HCIS) andHwa Chong Institution Boarding School (HCIBS).[30] All three schools share the same prefix in their names, and are located in the same main campus. However, in spite of the multi-sharing, each school possesses its own set of facilities, though students from the different schools may access and use the facilities in other schools.
HCIS is a co-educational, private independentinternational school offering a six-year programme from Grade 7 (11–13 years old) to Grade 12 that leads to theInternational Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. In the interim years, the students will sit for theInternational General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE). HCIS saw its final batch of graduating IGCSE students and the first batch of graduating IB students in 2010.[30]
HCIBS is the institution's boarding school, accommodating HCI's international scholars. It also houses international scholars studying in other local schools such asSingapore Chinese Girls' School andBukit Panjang Government High School. Local Singaporean boarders staying in the boarding school are participants of HCI's Integrated Boarding Programme. The boarding complex was designed by architectKenzo Tange,[31] consisting of seven six-storey halls providing accommodation for up to 1,000 boarders or guests.[32]
The main campus of HCI inBukit Timah covers 72 acres,[2] making it one of the largest campuses in Southeast Asia. The campus land is shared among the Hwa Chong family of schools, which also includeHwa Chong International School andHwa Chong Institution Boarding School. Also onsite is the Bukit Timah campus of theSingapore University of Social Sciences and its administrative headquarters. Despite the multi-sharing, each entity possesses its own set of facilities, marked by certain perimeters. The school also has anational monument in its campus.[33]
The 31-metre tallclock tower of the school is a national monument. It is the only school in Singapore to have a national monument in its campus.[34] It is built in theneoclassical architectural style. It was built in 1925 bySwan & Maclaren and was funded by donations of the Chinese community. The clock tower was gazetted as a national monument in 1999.[35] The classrooms in the building which holds the clock tower is used for special programmes.[33]
There are two libraries in the campus, the Jing Xian Library in the college section and the Kong Chian Library in the High School section respectively. The Jing Xian library was founded in 1974, and was renamed in 1983 in honour of the father of the chairman of the management committee. The Kong Chian Library officially opened as the Kuo Chuan Library in 1957, but was later renamed in honour ofLee Kong Chian in 1967.[36]
The Science Research Centre, built in 2008, has ten purpose-built laboratories in which students experience different research disciplines outside of the usual curriculum, including labs for Robotics and Engineering, Biotechnology and Microbiology, and the Pharmaceutical Sciences.[37] The centre provides resources to support the research and innovation programmes, serving as a central facility for student research activities.[38]
The Ong Teng Cheong Student Activities and Leadership Training Centre (also called the Ong Teng Cheong SALT Centre, or the SALT Centre), named in honour of alumnusOng Teng Cheong, the fifthPresident of Singapore, aims to develop students holistically, particularly in arts and leadership development. Housed in it are dance studios, music rooms, and a cardiovascular and weight-training room. The centre also houses a moot parliament hall modelled on theSingapore Parliamentary Chamber. The venue is used for events such as student council meetings, co-curricular activities, lectures by guests speakers, andModel United Nations conferences such as the Hwa Chong Model ASEAN Summit and The Hague International Model United Nations conference.[39][40]
Other facilities in Hwa Chong Institution include a table tennis room, street soccer courts, a judo dojo, three-storey library, a makerspace,[41] a gymnasium, a 400-metre track, a multi-purpose hall, a multi-storey carpark, lecture theatres, general laboratories and classrooms.
In line with the school's plan to set up a Global Academy, HCI established its Beijing Satellite Campus in 2007, the first of its kind for a Singapore school.[42] An agreement was inked withThe Second High School Attached to Beijing Normal University, in which classrooms will be leased. A total of four batches of students make their way to the campus every year, staying for up to two months. Priority is given to scholars of HCI's Bicultural Studies Programme and Humanities Programme.[43] Students in the campus take lessons together with students from China in partner schools, carry out community involvement activities, and take field trips to cities such asXi'an,Tianjin andShanghai.[44]
HCI has been quoted as saying that it is looking to opening satellite campuses in India and the United States, with the aim of establishing the two in the near future. In July 2010, it was announced that HCI would be developing a school in the Sino-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City inGuangzhou, akin to that of its first satellite campus, following the inking of amemorandum of understanding. This would see HCI partnering a top local school for exchange and mutual learning programmes.[45]
In addition to the Beijing Satellite Campus, the Xi'an Winter Campus was set up in 2011 with its site based in High School Affiliated toXi'an Jiaotong University. Students partaking in the Winter Campus programme would spend four weeks there attending lessons that are conducted in Chinese and focused on humanities subjects including history, geography, literature, socio-Economic as well as political aspects of China. This programme also provides opportunities for students who are strong in English, mathematics and the sciences, but weaker in Chinese, to better master the language and to immerse themselves in a different environment, and at the same time, appreciate Chinese culture and history.
Secondary 1 boys first enter the High School Section and study there for four years before proceeding to the College Section, where they prepare to take theSingapore-Cambridge GCE Advanced Level examinations at the end of Year 6. The High School Section uses theMean Subject Grade (MSG) grading system in tests and exams. The school-wideIntegrated Programme offered enables students to skip theSingapore-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level examinations, which is typically taken by Secondary 4 students in Singapore. The Hwa Chong Diploma was introduced in 2008 and is awarded to the best performing 30% of its graduating cohort. It is awarded on top of the GCE Advanced Level certificate, and is an added qualification to university applications.[46]
The school enrols an estimated 4,000 students, spread across the six levels,[47][48] with a student-teacher ratio of 13:1.[49] Hwa Chong Institution has produced 58President's Scholars. The college section's Humanities Programme has a significant percentage[50] of its students going on to study abroad at places such as theUniversity of Oxford,University of Cambridge,Harvard University,Yale University,Stanford University,University of Chicago,NYU,UC Berkeley,[51]Peking University andTsinghua University.[52][53]
Students in the High School Section are divided into what are calledconsortia – a different naming convention from the typicalhouse system. The four consortia in the school are Aphelion, iSpark, Ortus and ProEd. The iSpark consortium houses HCI'sGifted Education Programme students. The consortia work closely with one another and each has its own student council.[54] In the College Section, the student population is divided into four faculties – Apollo, Ares, Athena and Artemis – named afterGreek deities.[55]
Various special programmes are offered in HCI, such as the Bicultural Studies Programme, theArt Elective Programme and the Science and Math Talent Programme. These programmes offer a degree of specialisation that is generally not possible in the standard curriculum, enabling students in the school to explore respective fields to a greater degree. Despite having similar names, the special programmes offered in the High School and College sections are different; however, most are closely associated with each other. An example would be the Humanities Programme (HP), in which the high school HP focuses on the three core humanities subjects – History, Geography and English Literature, while the college HP offers a greater variety of subjects such as China studies and economics while gearing students for university humanities programmes locally and abroad.[56]
Special programmes offered in the school are as follows:[57][58]
In 2008, the Centre for Scholastic Education (CSE) was set up to house all special programmes in the High School Section except for the AEP and the MSP. They are the BSP, HP and SMTP. From 2013 onwards, all students participating in Special Programmes are housed under CSE, part of the iSpark Consortium.[59] The Integrated Programme-Special Programme (IPSP) has been abolished in the same year.[60] CSE also used to house the now-defunct Entrepreneurship Programme. CSE is anumbrella term to describe the specialised academic programmes offered at the upper secondary level.[61]
HCI's AEP students have consistently attained awards such as the UOB Painting of the Year Award, and scholarships from theMedia Development Authority,National Arts Council,Urban Redevelopment Authority andMinistry of Education to further their studies within creative fields. All in all, the programme aspires to produce cultural leaders and entrepreneurs who will contribute to Singapore's cultural capital in the areas of fine art, design, and new media
In 2013, the Special Science and Maths Talent programme (SSMT) was introduced to the SMTP curriculum to train talented students in areas such as physics and biology.[citation needed]
Sexuality and relationship education programmes are also conducted.[62]
The Integrated e-Message Board (iEMB) serves as Hwa Chong Institution's official platform for disseminating school-wide announcements and notices. All students, parents, and staff are instructed to check their iEMB daily for important updates.[63] The iEMB platform supports modern web browsers includingInternet Explorer,Firefox, andGoogle Chrome.[64]
The Intelligent School Portal (ISP) functions as HCI's centralized administrative and academic gateway for students, staff, and parents. Users can access account settings, manage personal information, view examination results, register for co-curricular activities (CCAs), and submit out-of-campus requests.[65]
Login credentials for the ISP are identical to those used for iEMB, allowing seamless access across platforms. The ISP is essential for daily school operations and communication among all user groups.[66]
Under HCI's Integrated Programme, the Sabbatical Programme is offered whereby students from Secondary 1 to 4 go on one-weeksabbatical courses in each term in the first semester (Terms 1 and 2).[26] The programme is unique in allowing the majority of the school populace to put aside formal curricular lessons for a week in pursuit of their passions or interests, though some students are required to attend certain courses by their teachers' discretion. Sabbaticals offered are of a wide variety, in categories as defined by the school: Arts & Aesthetics, Chinese Studies, Humanities, English & Literature, Leadership, Technology, Science and Math, Camps and Student Exchange; they are essentially courses for students to opt for, such as beginner guitar and songwriting lessons, professional music production, Model United Nations training camps, football friendlies with other schools, etc. Also, the school requires students to use the specifically designed Online Bidding System – the i-ComP – to organise their sabbatical plans.[58] Students who accumulate demerit points as a result of various offences are penalised in their sabbatical bidding or are recommended for corrective work order.[25]
HCI offers a wide variety of extra-curricular activities calledco-curricular activities (CCAs) by theMinistry of Education, and this is in part due to the school's large student population and size. It offers more than 30 CCAs.
Hwa Chong Institution offers a variety of sports Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs), including soccer, ten-pin bowling, wushu, and touch rugby. The school's fencing, canoeing, gymnastics, judo, shooting, table tennis, and track and field teams have consistently participated in national competitions. The track and field team has held national records in pole vault and has won championships in several divisions.[67][68][69] Other teams, including basketball, taekwondo, volleyball, water polo, and wushu, have also participated in various competitions, with notable achievements. For example, in 2010, the volleyball team won the championship in both the Boys' and Girls' A divisions.[70] Nine students from Hwa Chong Institution were selected to represent Singapore in the2010 Summer Youth Olympics, two of whom were from the championship-winning basketball team.[71]
Hwa Chong Institution currently offers four uniformed groups: theNational Cadet Corps (Land),National Police Cadet Corps,St John Brigade, andScouts (and Ventures & Rovers). These CCAs operate with a structured organization and hierarchy. The Hwa Chong National Cadet Corps (HCINCC) has received the Gold award for 15 consecutive years and won the Best Unit Competition (BUC) in 2000. It is also recognized as a Centre of Excellence for Precision Drill among all NCC units in Singapore. The National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) is the largest uniformed group in HCI and has achieved 25 consecutive Gold awards in the Unit Overall Proficiency Award (UOPA) as of 2022.[72] The unit has also received The NPCC Golden Cane in recognition of their achievement. The St John Brigade has earned Gold in the Corps Achievement Award for 20 consecutive years. The Scouts unit includes the Bugle Band andLion Dance troupe, which perform at special events. All four uniformed groups have achieved Gold in the annual national assessment.[73] In addition to regular training, the units also participate in inter-unit competitions such as bowling and captain's ball.[74][75]
In 2010, Hwa Chong Institution offered eleven performing arts groups, including the Chinese Orchestra, String Orchestra, Piano Ensemble, Chinese Drama Club, Harmonica Ensemble, English Drama Club, Choir, Music and Dance Society, Guitar Ensemble, Band, and Chinese Dance. By 2023, the number of active performing arts groups had decreased to six: Chinese Orchestra, String Orchestra, Chinese Drama, English Drama, Choir, and Band. In the 2010Singapore Youth Festival, the English Drama Club received a Silver Award.[76] In 2009, several of the performing arts groups were assessed, with the Chinese Orchestra and High School Band earning Gold with Honours.
In addition to occasional performances held locally at venues such asVictoria Theatre and the school’s Drama Centre, many of Hwa Chong Institution’s performing arts groups also travel overseas for exchanges and performances. TheHigh School Band, Choir, Chinese Orchestra, and String Orchestra have participated in various international events. In 2010, the College Choir achieved notable results at the Festival of Songs inOlomouc, Czech Republic.[77] In 2011, the Choir received a Gold with Honours in the Singapore Youth Festival Central Judging of Choirs.[78] The Chinese Orchestra has performed in China, Malaysia, and Australia, and was part of the Singapore Youth Festival closing ceremonies in 2005 and 2009. From 2013 to 2023, the Chinese Orchestra received Distinction in the Singapore Youth Festival Central Judging for Chinese Orchestras, with the exception of 2019, when it earned an accomplishment award. Prior to this, from 1993 to 2011, the Orchestra consistently received Gold, the highest award at that time.[79] The High School Band has performed at theIstana and participated in the Pacific Basin Music Festival in Hawaii in 2010, where it earned a Gold award. The Band has also performed at theNational Day Parade. The High School String Orchestra, also known as HCISO, has toured internationally, including performing at the 2006 Gothenburg International Music Festival, where it earned first runners-up in the open category.[80] HCISO also toured with theAustralian Boys Choir toMelbourne andJohor Bahru for the 7th JB Arts Festival.[81][82] More recently, HCISO received Distinction at the 2023 Singapore Youth Festival. In 2012, HCISO was one of six schools and the only one in Asia invited to participate in the Los Angeles International Music Festival at theWalt Disney Concert Hall.[83]
HCI has nine major leadership bodies for both High School and College. The five leadership bodies in High School are: the High School Council (HSC), Green Council (GC), Values-in-Action Council (VIAC), Students' National Education Council (SNEC), and the Co-curricular Activities Council (CCAC), and four consortium councils. The College equivalent of the HSC is the Hwa Chong Students' Council (HCSC), and the College equivalent of the VIAC is the Community Involvement Programme Council (CIPC). HCI also has faculty committees for College, in place of consortium councils. Consortium councils and faculty committees represent the individual consortiums (Aphelion, iSpark, Ortus, Proed) and faculties (Ares, Apollo, Artemis, Athena).
Members of all councils in High School are selected through annual leadership selection camps; for College, members of the HCSC are elected via voting amongst students of the faculty candidates are from. For the College GC, CIPC and SNEC, the President, Vice-President and Attache are selected from the HCSC, while other members go through a standard selection process. For faculty committees, the Faculty Head and Vice Faculty Head are selected from the HCSC and sit as ex officio members of the HCSC Social and Relations Committee. Other members of the faculty committees, namely the Programmes, Sports and Publicity members-in-charge, are first elected by their classes. A shortlist of three students per class is then sent for an interview with faculty leaders before a faculty committee member is selected.
HCI organises academic competitions and conferences, both for its students and external participants. The school organises the Asia Pacific Mathematical Olympiad for Primary Schools (APMOPS) and the Singapore Mathematical Olympiad for Primary Schools (SMOPS).[84] TheInternational Science Youth Forum (ISYF)[85] is hosted at HCI and co-organised byNanyang Technological University, Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS), bringing students from across Asia-Pacific together to network and dialogue, withNobel laureates coming down to share their experiences in the scientific field; a record five Nobel laureates were involved in 2010.[85]Hwa Chong annually hosts the Asia-Pacific Young Leaders Summit (HCAPYLS) which brings students all across the world to discuss global issues in summit dialogues. The school also annually hosts the Asian Youth Chinese Forum (AYCF), in conjunction with the school's Bicultural Studies Program (BSP), as well the Student Leaders' Convention (SLC).
Hwa Chong also hosts various Model United Nations events such as Hwa Chong Model ASEAN Summit (HCMAS), and Hwa Chong Conflict Resolution and Inquiry (HCCRI).
In 2020, an email from the school administration advising students not to discuss matters regarding the2020 Singaporean general election sparked controversy and debate.[86] It was sent on the school's Integrated e-Message Board to College Section students, advising them to avoid posting anything related to the general election on social media platforms associated with the school, as well as the students' own social media accounts. A screenshot of the message was leaked and circulated online, stirring debate on topics such as free speech, political opinions and whether youths should be free to engage in political discussions.
The incident led to a backlash in which a group of alumni, led by filmmakerAnthony Chen, sent a letter to the school administration to express their disappointment. HCI defended its advice to students in a statement saying, "Our intention is not to silence students' voices, nor to curb their interest in national issues. Instead, we encourage our students to engage actively in discussions and even debates on national issues, in a safe environment." The school refused to comment if disciplinary action had been taken against students who had raised concerns.[86]
On 13 July 2022, a school counsellor at the institution gave a talk to secondary 4 students using false content that many deemed to be homophobic. According to reports, amongst the content shown to students was"What are LBGT so proud of?" followed by a list: "58% of homosexuals have problems with intestinal worms","23% of children with lesbian parents have been sexually abused", "78% of homosexuals have STDs" and"1 in 15 homosexuals is a pedophile".[87] Photos of the presentation quickly went viral and was reported by local press and by rights groups in Singapore.
Following the backlash, Hwa Chong released a statement saying that the presentation was based on the individual staff's personal perspectives and not of the school or MOE. The school also promised a review of the processes. The school initially suspended the counsellor from giving further sexuality education presentations. On 2 August 2022, however, Minister for EducationChan Chun Sing revealed in a written reply to a question in Parliament that the school had suspended the counsellor from all duties, pending further investigations.[88]
Organizations like Pinkdot have condemned the message and Hwa Chong's response to the incident, saying, "To chalk this incident up to the actions of one rogue counsellor ignores systemic issues of inadequate sexuality education.".[89]
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HCI and its predecessor schools,The Chinese High School andHwa Chong Junior College, have a wide alumni base extending to various sectors and industries in Singapore and other countries. One of the school's alumni is Pang Choon How, the previous principal of the school. Its best-known alumnus is probablyOng Teng Cheong, the fifthPresident of Singapore, who graduated from The Chinese High School in 1955.
Other prominent alumni include politicians such asJek Yeun Thong,Grace Fu,Chee Hong Tat,Ng Chee Meng,Lee Yi Shyan,Sim Ann,Koh Poh Koon,Tan Kiat How,Ker Sin Tze,Murali Pillai andSam Tan, as well asSingapore Armed Forces top brass such asNg Yat Chung,Ng Chee Khern,Hoo Cher Mou,Ng Chee Peng,Goh Si Hou andKelvin Khong.
HCI's more notable alumni in business and finance includeTikTok chief executive officerShou Zi Chew,Hyflux founderOlivia Lum,Trafigura Asia chief executive officerTan Chin Hwee,Novena Holdings founderToh Soon Huat,United Overseas Bank chairmanWee Cho Yaw,Razer Inc. founderMin-Liang Tan,Jumbo Group chief executive officer Ang Kiam Meng,CapitaLand chief executive Officer Ronald Tay,Qian Hu Corporation founderKenny Yap, andSea Ltd co-founder Ye Gang.
In the arts and media, there are also notable HCI alumni such asThe Straits Times editorWarren Fernandez, film directorAnthony Chen, musiciansLiang Wern Fook,Eric Moo, andGentle Bones, artistTan Swie Hian, and playwrightKuo Pao Kun. South Korean bandPENTAGON'sYang Hong-seok was also a student ofHwa Chong International School.
