« Yusof Ishak Secondary School | Home | Modal School Teacher »
Dunearn Secondary School
By Peace | August 12, 2008
Dunearn Secondary School, at Bukit Batok, near my mother’s house
Dunearn Secondary School is a government secondary school in Singapore. It is located in Bukit Batok in western Singapore. The school was established at Dunearn Road in 1962 as Dunearn Chinese Middle School, and merged with the neighbouring Dunearn Vocational School in 1969. It moved from Dunearn Road to its present location in 1993.
The current principal is Mr. Wong Lok Oon, who served Dunearn Secondary School from 15 December 2003. In 2003, Dunearn Secondary was part of a pioneer group of schools in Singapore to allow members of the public to use its football fields. The other schools were Meridian Junior College, Bedok North Secondary, Seng Kang Secondary, Sembawang Secondary and Serangoon Secondary.
Dunearn Secondary Technical School or Dunearn Hill Secondary School (1964 - 1992): Dunearn Secondary Technical School (DSTS) was founded in 1964 was officially opened by then Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Toh Chin Chye on Friday, 14 May 1965. This is a precious piece of photo found at this website The Official History of Dunearn Secondary Technical School (DSTS)
This is exactly what I had seen when I was young — my big brother’s school…. long flight of stairs, twirling here and there, leading up to the ‘hilltop’ ( DSTS was sited on a small hill sandwiched between Linden Drive and Hillcrest Road. To gain access to the school, one either had to take a 10-minute walk up a winding path or to climb a 103 stepped staircase leading to the top of the hill. No wonder DSTS had produced such good athletes during the 1970s as the walk or the climb to the school daily was a natural exercise) ….. the uniform was grey in colour then.
These are the small fine prints on the photo: how beautiful are the verses!
With majesty and pride she stands on the high hill top
Commanding respect and reverence from one and all
She is the home of students who come with high hopes
And an anvil where character and intellect is forged.
Her classrooms are her student’s pride;
Her workshops a craftsman’s paradise,
And her field an athlete’s dream.
So stands a School — a testimony in sand and stone
Of a nation’s toil for a great future.
History of Dunearn Secondary Technical School
DSTS started in 1964 although it was officially opened on Friday, 14 May 1965, by the then Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Toh Chin Chye, and witnessed by the then Education Minister, Mr Ong Pang Boon. The School lasted until June 1992 when it had to move out of its Hillcrest site to Bukit Panjang. With the move, the school was renamed to Greenridge Secondary School.
Speaking of good athletes, it brought to mind that DSTS was indeed quite excellent in its sports. DSTS athletes always excelled in District and National levels and training was naturally conducted by Mr Kunalan. Besides athletics, the school was also famous for its rugby. Some of the rugby players and track and field members not only represented the school in district and national levels, there were one or two who represented Singapore in rugby and athletics in the SEAP Games (later known as SEA Games in 1975) during 1970s. Tennis and Girls Hockey were also sports which the school had excelled in both levels.
This was indeed true. My brother participated in cross country. He could run well, and at home, there were all his ‘champion cups and medals’.
The school was a technical school and had the best technical facilities available during that time. Other schools such as Raffles Institution, Anglo Chinese School, Raffles Girls Secondary School would send their students to DSTS campus for their technical lessons.
The School’s motto “From Each His Best” exhorts every student to do his/her best in everything that he/she does. “Best” is the willingness to do what one can, not only in the academic or intellectual fields but also in the social, intellectual and public field as well. In this area, it is pleasing to learn that some of its former students have become very successful, and to name a few, we do have a Member of Parliament, chief executives of MNCs, pilots, a renowned jockey in Singapore, prominent businessmen, entrepreneurs, etc.
Written By Annie Yeo
Aug 2004 for Reunion 2004
Established 1962, Motto: Determined & Disciplined
The schools motto: “From Each His Best”
The School motto exhorts every students to do his best in everything that he does…
The word, “BEST” does not refer to intellectual ability alone. It does not mean distinctions and good grades in all subjects that you take, neither does it mean a first in position in class or the whole standard.
What it does mean that you give whatever you can offer to the best capability, whatever your limits maybe. We are aware that the limit to one’s abilities varies from one person to another and we do not demand impossible or unreachable limits.
We only ask that you be willing to offer whatever you can, not only in the academic or intellectual fields but also in the social, intellectual and public fields as well!
You have pledged and promised to do your best to honour D.S.T.S. , to strive for the school’s name and pride, to ensure glory for posterity and to be loyal, kind and true in all the things you do.
Let us hope that from today, if you have not done so in the past, you would stand up and practise what you have so solemnly pledged!
You have pledged yourself to the school, but what about the society and the world at large? It is necessary that you develop a sense of willingness and commitment as a member of the public!
Therefore, D.S.T.S. live up to your pledge!
Taken form school magazines in 1979
My brother had never completed his studies. He left the school when he was Secondary Three… Though he did not have high qualification, he showed great responsibilities and care over the family and his family…
Topics: Internet, Singapore, View All, school |
