Singapore Chinese Girls' School is an independent, all-girls school in Bukit Timah, Singapore. Founded in 1899, it is one of the oldest and best institutions in Singapore. It is a full school with both primary and secondary divisions, admitting girls between the ages of 6 and 16. The secondary division was among the first schools in Singapore to be accorded the status of an independent school in 1989, and entry is competitive.
History
Foundation Years
Singapore Chinese Girls' School was founded as an all-girls Peranakan school in July 1899 by a group of Straits Chinese men, namely Dr Lim Boon Keng, Sir Song Ong Siang and Khoo Seok Wan. The school premises was located at Hill Street. The school’s faculty consisted of an English headmistress, and had an enrollment of seven girls. In 1923, the school left its premises at Hill Street and moved to Emerald Hill. The premises at Emerald Hill costed $60,000. The school building was a two-storey block with 12 classrooms, an assembly hall, a staff room, and a principal’s office. From 1905 to 1936, the school admitted a handful of male students, but afterwards reverted to being an all-girls school. After 1946, newly created government laws forced the school to accept girls of all races. By 1950, Singapore Chinese Girls’ School had an enrollment of 700 girls, which rose to 900 in 1952.
Attainment of Independent Status
In 1989, SCGS celebrated its 90th birthday and became an independent school, with more latitude to expand the curriculum. On 4 July 1994, after 70 years at Emerald Hill, the school moved to a newly built campus at Dunearn Road. In 2011, Singapore Chinese Girls' School was presented the School Excellence Award, a pinnacle award under the Ministry of Education Masterplan of Awards, which recognizes schools for excellence in both education methods and results. In addition, SCGS received the Best Practice Award for all three categories and the Outstanding Development Award for National Education. These achievements affirm the school’s holistic education for the pupils as well as the capacity and commitment of the staff.
In 2012, MOE announced that SCGS and five other schools would offer the Integrated Programme. However, SCGS would continue to offer the Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'O' Level Programme to existing and incoming students. In January 2013, SCGS accepted the first batch of IP students in the Secondary One intake alongside new students on the 'O' Level programme. After four years at SCGS, IP students will bypass the 'O' Level examination and move on to Eunoia Junior College. The junior college was newly created as part of a Joint Integrated Programme to accept IP students from Singapore Chinese Girls’ School, CHIJ Saint Nicholas Girls' School and Catholic High School starting from 2017. Besides IP students, Eunoia Junior College will also accept students from other secondary schools with 'O' Level qualifications. All students enrolled in Eunoia Junior College will sit for the Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'A' Level examination after a two-year programme.
School Identity & Culture
Crest
The colours of the school crest are jade and gold. This reflects her time-honoured tradition, because jade and gold in Hokkien, which is the colloquial name for SCGS girls and alumni, and in Mandarin connotes a young Peranakan Chinese girl brought up and educated in the best manner. The school motto is Sincerity, Courage, Generosity and Service. The Yin and yang aspects of the traditional Chinese culture symbol of balance are in jade and gold respectively. This symbol, which represents the universe, light, darkness, life and death, lies at the heart of the many branches of classical Chinese sciences, philosophy and medicine.
