Research on HCI

History of Hwa Chong Institution

As early as May 1913, Tan Kah Kee proposed the setting-up of a secondary school for Chinese boys in Singapore. His proposal fell on deaf ears. However, he was supported by the Tung Teh Reading club and a dance troupe. Here, the Chinese High School was set-up. The school offered comprehensive secondary-level Chinese education.

It remained funded and supported by Tan Kah Kee until shortly before World War II.
During the Battle of Singapore, the school clock tower first served as headquarters for the Allied defenders and then as headquarters for the Imperial Japanese Army.
After the war, with education resumed, the school continued its Chinese-dominated education, and in the 1950s and 1960s during periods of civil unrest many students, teachers and alumni took part or led anti-colonial riots.

The arrival of Tooh Fee San, the principal from 1979 to 1999, was a major turning point for the school. Steps were taken to improve the school's facilities. In 1987, The Chinese High School became an independent school. As such, it introduced many changes unprecedented in Singapore, such as the abolition of mid-year examinations in favour of camping trips for the entire school, and the introduction of enrichment programmes such as Projects' Day.

In the early 1990s the school underwent an extensive renovation, which saw the building of a new hall, now called Kah Kee Hall (嘉庚堂), a gymnasium, a renovated tower block and also new classrooms.

In the late 1990s, The Chinese High School embarked on a consortium scheme (a "school within a school" concept). iSpark was set up in 2000 for GEP students and exceptional students from the other consortia. In 2002 Quest and Radix merged to form Ortus.

On 19 March 1999 the school's clock tower was gazetted as a national monument, to mark the significance of the institution as the first Chinese-medium secondary school to be built in Southeast Asia catering to the Overseas Chinese. During the school's 80th anniversary celebrations, renowned artist and old-boy Tan Swie Hian presented the school with a giant sculpture of a heavenly horse (天下之马). The school's heritage centre was formally opened by alumnus and former President of Singapore, Ong Teng Cheong.