New principal for the Singapore Sports School

1. Mr Tan Teck Hock will be appointed as Principal of Singapore Sports School (SSP) from 15 December 2013. Mr Tan succeeds Mrs Deborah Tan, who will relinquish her appointment and assume a senior appointment at the Ministry of Education (MOE) HQ. 

Mrs Deborah Tan 

2. Mrs Deborah Tan, 54, joined Singapore Sports School as the Principal on 15 December 2007. She has been instrumental in making the Sports School a premier sports school with an international reputation for excellence in student-athlete development, grooming “Learned Champions With Character”.

3. Under her stewardship, Mrs Tan spearheaded the development of the “School-Within-A-School” programme for select student-athletes who have both the performance and potential to be on the elite sport development pathway in badminton, golf and table tennis. SportSmart Skills, another innovation under her watch, was developed to give student-athletes fundamental motor and movement skills as well as a strong grounding in sports science education, for well-rounded athleticism. 

4. During her tenure, Mrs Tan led the Sports School Team in developing two extended education pathways for student-athletes by-passing the GCE “O” Level Examinations – a six-year pathway leading to the award of the International Baccalaureate Diploma and a seven-year pathway leading to a customised Diploma in Sports and Leisure Management in partnership with Republic Polytechnic. Both programmes are designed to allow student-athletes to attain broad-based and rigorous pre-tertiary qualifications widely accepted for entry into both local and overseas universities. These education pathways provide greater flexibility for student-athletes to pursue sporting and academic excellence concurrently, and offer a total curriculum anchored upon principles of Long-Term Athlete Development and rigorous teaching and learning.

Mr Tan Teck Hock 

5. Mr Tan Teck Hock, 49, has been the pioneering Principal of the Physical Education and Sports Teacher Academy (PESTA) since its establishment in December 2010. As the first Principal of PESTA, Mr Tan has played an instrumental role in introducing a comprehensive suite of programmes for PE and Sports teachers to enhance their professional development and capacity for delivery of a holistic education. 

6. A dynamic leader, Mr Tan has been in the Education Service since 1992. He has led schools at both the secondary and junior college levels, serving as Principal of Yishun Town Secondary School from December 1999 to December 2005, and Principal of Serangoon Junior College from December 2006 to December 2010. He is credited with raising the quality of education in both schools. 

7. Mr Tan has been actively involved in the school sports scene throughout his career in the Education Service. He qualified for a Level 3 certification in the National Coaching Accreditation Programme (NCAP, Theory) while serving as the Head of Department of PE/CCA and coach of the Cross Country and Track and Field teams at Jurong Secondary School. Driven by his passion for sports, Mr Tan also volunteered his services to help promote physical education and sports by serving on the North Zone Schools Sports Council as Secretary and later as Chairman between 2002 and 2010.

8. Singapore Sports School and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) thank Mrs Tan for her dedicated service to the School. Ms Yeoh Chee Yan, Permanent Secretary, MCCY, said, “Mrs Deborah Tan has led the School through exciting times – the School was one of the competition venues at the inaugural Youth Olympics Games in 2010, where 22 Sports School student-athletes participated in the Games, contributing two individual medals and a team bronze medal to Singapore’s total medal tally. Under her watch, Scott Ang, an alumnus of the School, was awarded the President’s Scholarship. Indeed, the Singapore Sports School has achieved much under her leadership. I want to thank Mrs Tan for her dedication in developing each young student athlete to be a learned champion with character. We wish her all the best as she takes up her new appointment in the Ministry of Education.”

9. Both SSP and MCCY warmly welcome Mr Tan to the Sports School family and look forward to his leadership in furthering SSP’s vision of being the premier sports school with an international reputation for excellence in student-athlete development.

11 October 2013