More ways to learn about Singapore's heritage

Madam Haslinda Zamani, Principal of Tanjong Katong Secondary School

Chairman and members of the School Advisory Committee

Ladies and Gentlemen

School Alumni

Students of TKSS

Good morning.

1. It is wonderful to be back at my alma mater here today, and to see so many old friends as well as former teachers. I am a proud graduate of TK, then known as “TK Tech”. Now we know it as TKSS or simply “TK”. 
   

2. It is very good to see such a strong TK spirit, and the alumni from all the years are present. Some in their own t-shirts like the 1979 batch, same came here as a whole class like the 1973 batch. My seniors, juniors and peers are all here and it is wonderful to come together and celebrate as on TK family. This is what makes me especially proud to be a TK alumnus - the spirit of the people that make up the school: the staff, the students and the alumni.  
   

3. Today’s “TK Gives Back Day” is an excellent example of how the school has made it a priority to give back to the community. Earlier on, we took part in the “Walk for Rice” trail. For every 100 metre covered, a bowl of rice will be donated to those in need in the South-East District. 
   

4. I also want to thank the partners of today’s event, Southeast CDC and NTUC Fairprice, and everybody who participated today and gave it their best effort. I think we are still tallying the numbers and the results will be known shortly. In the meantime, please join me in giving a round of applause to everyone involved!

Launch of TKSS Heritage Lab

5. Today marks a milestone in the school’s history as we gather for the launch of the new TKSS Heritage Lab. 

6. This is a new programme under the National Heritage Board (NHB) to document the history and heritage of our schools. TKSS is the first secondary school to take part in this programme. I’m not sure why NHB chose TKSS as the first, maybe it has something to do with the fact that it is my alma mater. But I can assure you that NHB is very objective and they also saw the fact that the Tanjong Katong (TK) area has a very rich community and rich heritage and there is a lot to be proud of in TK and TKSS. So they decided this will be the first school to pilot, but there will be many more all over Singapore.

7. Earlier, as we walked around the Tanjong Katong area, I’m sure memories of our time spent here would have come back to all of us.  I remember the Katong News Agency, where we all used to get all our books, stationary, and also our 10-year series papers! I’m glad that the store is still there. The 7-11 outlet is still there – it opened when I was in Secondary 2 and  it was a novelty in Singapore then since it was one of the first few 7-11s in the east.  So there were long queues for the Slurpee and Big Gulp. 

8. Across the road, there is the Katong Post Office – I had walked past it countless times as a student. There is also the old school compound, which looks very different now. The tuckshop is now a food court but our school buildings are still there. I can still see my classroom on the fourth floor. Of course, there is the field between TKGS and TK, where we used to play football, and sometimes to meet the TKGS girls.

9. If you walk further from the field, you will reach Katong Shopping Centre.  It was opened in 1973, and was one of the first air-conditioned malls in Singapore. When I was growing up in the 70s, Katong Shopping Centre was the place to hang out. I remember going there frequently with my family on weekends, for meals and shopping trips. Later in the 80s, we had newer shopping malls like Parkway Parade, which diverted the traffic. But Katong Shopping Centre was still the place to go to for all your photocopying needs, and good bargains.   

10. These are some of my memories of this place. I’m sure all of you will have your own recollection of things here that are dear and precious to you. There is a very special charm in Tanjong Katong – you can’t find it anywhere else in Singapore, and it’s a place which will always endear itself to all of us.

11. I hope this will also be the case for all the TK students who are here, as you are now building your own memory of this place. With this new heritage lab, I hope that you can learn why the Tanjong Katong community is special. You can learn about how the school contributes to the community. You can preserve the memories from the past, and more importantly to create your own memories of the present, and pass it on to the generations of students who come after you.   

Pathways for heritage education

12. We want to do more to help our young get in touch with our history and heritage, because this helps to strengthening our identity as Singaporeans.  That‘s why we are always looking out for creative ways to nurture this passion and love for heritage. 

13. We are doing this at all levels, starting right from pre-school. For example earlier this year, we ran a pilot programme with 10 pre-schools to help our children discover our multi-cultural heritage through creative activities. The pilot was a success, and we will be rolling out this programme all to more pre-schools from next year!

14. In primary and secondary schools, we are setting up heritage corners such as the one we are launching here at TKSS today. So far 10 other schools have received funding to establish their own heritage galleries. I hope more will apply and set-up their own heritage galleries in their schools.

15. We are also doing more field-based learning in Social Studies and History. Many of you here from Secondary One and Two would have visited our national museums as part of your history lessons. I hope you enjoyed the visits, and I encourage you to go back to the museums again whenever you’re free. There are always new things to see, and more importantly, I’ve made museum entry free for all Singaporeans! 

16. Now, we’re also extending heritage education to the tertiary level. In January this year, NHB partnered the Singapore Management University to introduce Singapore’s first ever museum studies course. Taught by heritage industry professionals, the course better prepares our graduates to enter the growing job market in the cultural and creative industries. With more than 50 museums in Singapore, there will be ample opportunities for our graduates to work in newer areas such as community engagement and heritage tourism. 

Conclusion

17. This morning marks many exciting new developments in heritage education. Both MCCY and MOE will continue to work closely together to help our schools document their own heritage, and to give our students more opportunities to engage with our shared past. I am confident that with the support of all our schools, institutions and community partners, our young people in Singapore will grow up with a stronger sense of their identity, their community, and their place in the world. To all our students here today: may be inspired by today’s events and continue to carry the torch of our history, and together, make history of your own. Thank you.