Xinmin Secondary School

Government school in Hougang, Singapore

Xinmin Secondary School

新民中学
Sekolah Menengah Xinmin

Address

11 Hougang Ave 8
Singapore 538789

Hougang

Singapore

Coordinates| 1°22′21″N 103°52′59″E﻿ / ﻿1.37243°N 103.883092°E﻿ / 1.37243; 103.883092
Information
Type| Government
Autonomous
Co-educational
Motto| Leading Hearts, Leading Minds
Established| 1 November 1945; 79 years ago (1945-11-01)
Founder| Yap Fun Fong
Session| Single Session
School code| 3050
Principal| Tan Soon Hui
Enrolment| Approx. 2000
Colour(s)|  White   Blue
Website| xinminsec.moe.edu.sg

Xinmin Secondary School (XMS) is a co-educational secondary school in Hougang, Singapore with autonomous status.

## History

[edit]

### Sin Min High School (1945-1986)

[edit]

Xinmin was founded as Sin Min Public School (公立新民学校) by Yap Fun Hong.[a] Yap sold five of his pigs in order to raise money to buy three bungalows along Upper Serangoon Road.[7] Lessons commenced for primary school education on 1 November 1945. Initial enrollment was capped at 620 students. Secondary classes were offered subsequently in 1956.[8]

### Xinmin Secondary School (1987-Present)

[edit]

In 1987, Sin Min High School was restructured under the government from a Chinese-English integrated medium school into a government secondary school, with English as the medium of instruction. The secondary section of Sin Min High School was relocated to 11, Hougang Avenue 8 and renamed as Xinmin Secondary School, while the primary section was relocated the following year to 9, Hougang Avenue 8 and renamed as Xinmin Primary School.[8]

Between 1992 and 1997, Xinmin Secondary School underwent changes to its curriculum under principal Goh Tong Pak, which included stricter rules and fostering of an inclusive culture.[9] The school gradually gained reputation as one of the top neighbourhood schools in Singapore, being listed as one of the top 20 Value-Added Schools in Singapore from 1992 to 1993.[10][11] In 2001, the school attained autonomous status from the Ministry of Education in recognition of its consistent excellence in holistic education.[12]

Xinmin Secondary School moved into a holding campus off Sengkang West Avenue between January 2003 and December 2004 for modernisation of its Hougang campus.

In September 2005, Xinmin Secondary School became the first neighbourhood school to be accorded the School Excellence Award.[13]

In 2010, in celebration of her 65th anniversary, Xinmin Secondary School broke the Singapore Book of Records by building the largest sculpture out of recycled cans.[14]

In 2013, the school completed work on a Creative Arts Complex. Funds were raised by students through the annual Homecoming Day celebrations along with significant donations by notable alumni such as Dr George Quek, the founder and CEO of BreadTalk, and Chua Kee Teang of Mukim Investment.[15]

## Principal

[edit]

Name of Principal  | Years Served

|

Yap Fun Hong[8] | 1945-1949
Heng Chin Soo[8] | 1950-1953
Tung Sey Yew[8] | 1953-1965
Chew Peng Leng[8] | 1965-1985
Teo Ting Kok[8] | 1986-1991
Goh Tong Pak[8] | 1992-1997
Lee Hak Boon[8] | 1998-2002
Low Ay Nar[8] | 2003-2006
Liew Wei Li[8] | 2007-2010
Ong Hong Peng[8] | 2011-2017
Tan Kuo Cheang  | 2018-2022
Tan Soon Hui  | 2023–present

## Gallery

[edit]

* Stone plaque at the entrance of Xinmin Secondary School

* Rock climbing facilities in Xinmin Secondary School

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Yap Fun Hong (叶帆风), may also be known as Yap Fun Fong, or Yeh Fan Feng in some news articles, and historical records.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Xinmin school toasts founder". AsiaOne. 26 October 2013. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
2. ^ "Major Milestones". xinminsec.moe.edu.sg. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
3. ^ "Speech by Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo at the Xinmin Secondary School Gala Dinner 28 July". www.mfa.gov.sg. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
4. ^ "Crest of Sin Min High School, 1977 - BookSG - National Library Board, Singapore". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
5. ^ "YEH Fan Feng 叶帆风 – Oral History Interviews – Record Details (Accession Number 001457) – Reel/Disc 5 of 6". www.nas.gov.sg. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
6. ^ 区如柏 (February 2011). "又见叶帆风校长" (PDF). 怡和世纪. p. 27.
7. ^ "Xinmin school toasts founder". AsiaOne.
8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Crest of Sin Min High School, 1977 - BookSG - National Library Board, Singapore". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
9. ^ "BreadTalk hires senior educator to be group CEO". news.asiaone.com. Archived from the original on 19 October 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
10. ^ "Speech by Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister for Education at Poon Sing Wah's book launch - "Collection of Interviews with Principals in Singapore" and "Commentaries on Singapore Education" - at the Singapore Management University, Level 3". www.moe.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 19 October 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
11. ^ "Major Milestones". 19 October 2016. Archived from the original on 19 October 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2016.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
12. ^ Press Release on Xinmin's Autonomous Status, [1] Accessed October 2007
13. ^ "ANNEX_A2 Winners of Special Awards (School Excellence Awards and School Distinction Awards) 2004 to 2008" (PDF). moe.gov.sg. Ministry of Education, Singapore. 21 September 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 April 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
14. ^ "Records By Schools | Singapore Book Of Records". Singapore Records. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
15. ^ "PM lauds Xinmin for 'giving back'". AsiaOne. 27 October 2013.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* United States