Our Pioneering Years

1970 - 1979

Since the beginning, Hai Sing focused on developing the whole child through moral and faith education, providing every opportunity for each to develop her fullest potential as a compassionate and integrated person rooted in “Truth and Charity”, the motto of the school. This could be attributed to the continued presence of the FMM Sisters in the school.

With highly motivated Principals and the enthusiastic teaching and administrative staff, their efforts to nurture and groom the students bore fruit. And through the encouragement and guidance of the school, HAIsians continued to embrace and foster the culture of innovation to help them achieve their fullest potential so that they will be prepared to face the evolving global landscape and challenges of the future. This is something Hai Sing is to be proud of back then, today and in the future. Photo archives from this period of the school’s history depicted students enjoying themselves participating in vibrant activities together, set against the backdrop of simple surroundings and facilities associated with schools of that era.

In the decade from 1970 to 1979, Hai Sing made a great progress in achieving excellent results in the academic domain, sports and extracurricular activities. In 1978, the school was one of the best 10 Chinese schools in Singapore. Hai Sing alumni are much appreciated for their lively, enthusiastic, honest, sincere and diligent character besides their bi-lingual abilities.

Our Transformative Years

1980 - 1989

By the start of the 1980s, Hai Sing Girls’ High School had established itself as a Chinese medium school that provided a high quality education with achievements in extra-curricular activities and sports. Another momentous change was on the horizon when Hai Sing received her first batch of English Stream students in 1981, during the period when Singapore moved towards English being the medium of education in all mainstream schools.

One Maria Sylvia Ng, who later became Sister Maria Sylvia Ng FMM, was in this batch of students who hardly spoke Mandarin, and she recalled how teachers strived to help them out making a point to use English to translate for them even in Chinese language class. In addition to this, this is the period where many former students have vivid recollections of sturdy old trees in the school compound, especially around the old basketball court and physical exercise area located below ground level away from the classrooms and the hall.

During this decade, the school thus transited into an English medium school, continuing its rich tradition of inculcating values, forming minds and hearts. Deeply embedded was also the culture of contributing to the community and giving back what one had received in plenty.

Inspired by her time at Hai Sing Girls’ High School, Sister Sylvia later entered the FMM and returned to minister to Hai Sing students. To this day, she continues to minister to migrants, especially transnational families who face crisis, journeying with the families and their children towards stability and hope for the future.

Towards the end of the 1980s, the school also began to contemplate its future. Due to the excellent results achieved by its students, the school was earmarked by the Ministry of Education as a potential Special Assistance Plan (SAP) school. However, due to its limited space and facilities at the old campus, this proposal was shelved. In consideration of the school’s future, the School Management Committee also realised that the type of education that the school was providing needed to be revamped in line with the increasing emphasis on IT. Aware that the space constraints were a major stumbling block in this direction, the school held discussions with Montfort Secondary and Holy Innocents High School to consider merging the schools. In the end, the decision was taken for each school to forge its own path separately in the future. Eventually, Sister Maria, together with the School Management Committee, decided to accept the government’s offer to relocate and Sister Maria chose the present site in Pasir Ris, and together with then Principal Mrs Lydia Wan, began the efforts to build the new school in Pasir Ris.

THE GREAT MOVE

1990 – 1999

In 1990, Hai Sing Girls’ High moved to Pasir Ris, which heralded two other significant changes in the school. The school became co-educational and its name shortened to “Hai Sing High School”. At the same time, the school became multi-racial, accepting students of other races. The last batch comprising only girls completed their secondary education at the new school in Pasir Ris in 1992.

Leading the school through these momentous changes was the Principal, Mrs Lydia Wan. Significantly, Mrs Wan was a much loved Principal who was taken ill during her tenure. Shortly after the school’s official opening, Mrs Wan passed away due to illness and was succeeded by Mr Sydney Tan, the first male Principal of the school in 1992. Subsequently in 1995, Mr Adrian Cordeiro took over as Principal.

When the school first relocated to Pasir Ris, it was still a new town, with new flats sprouting up from the landscape. The school grew together with the new town and went from strength to strength. By 1997, our Express stream (‘O’ Level) was ranked 38th among the top 50 schools and our Normal stream (‘4NA’) was ranked 28th out of the top 40 schools in Singapore. Pupil and staff enrolment increased and as a result, a new teaching block named “St Mark’s Block” was built and completed in 1999.

Our Journey with a Changing World 

2000 - 2009

In 1999, the school changed its name to Hai Sing Catholic School to emphasize its Catholic status. Consequently, the school’s emblem was modified as well.

Mrs Mary Koh took over as principal in January 2000. The school went on to achieve several accolades, including national awards like the Academic Value-added Award for a number of years. The Co-Curricular Activity (CCA) groups also began to flourish, earning recognition from the central governing organisations of the respective CCA groups. The school also produced a student who received the prestigious Lee Kuan Yew (LKY) award for Normal Stream in 2004 and the top ‘N’ Level student for the years 2005 and 2006. The school celebrated its 45th anniversary in 2004.

In 2006, Mr Charles L. Surin assumed the leadership role of the school as the principal on 15 December. The school continued to excel and grow, with the new tenet of innovation that worked hand-in- hand with its core values of graciousness and compassion. For the first time in its history, the school went on to achieve the Singapore Innovation Class (2008 – 2010), the Green Audit Lotus Award (2007 – 2009) and the People Developer Certification (2007 – 2009). The school continued to produce top students, one of whom received the LKY award for Normal Stream in 2007 and another was the top ‘N’ Level student in 2008.

In 2009 the school celebrated its 50th anniversary at the Suntec Convention Centre.

The Present

2010 - Present

The school has gained fame when our Robotics Team won the Robotics World Championship in 2013 and in 2015. This was achieved under the leadership of Mrs Judina Cheong, who succeeded Mr Charles Surin as Principal in June 2010.

Mr Daniel Ang Teck Siang took over the helm from Mrs Cheong in December 2016 and the school has been become the centre for robotics after it won the Vex Robotics World Championship in 2017. The school has grown from strength to strength with Mr Ang’s focus on staff development and student well-being.

A school is more than just its achievements. There may be a myriad of reasons why Hai Sing Catholic School is so special to the students. The voices of the students were aptly captured by Mrs Wong Shu Xian, when she asked the students, “What makes Hai Sing special to you?” during an assembly programme. The replies were candid but sincere and heartwarming.

“Our hardworking cleaners! One of them wiped up a mess when I needed help,” said one.

“Auntie Alice! When I was hungry and looking for food after my CCA one day, she immediately prepared some fried rice for me. The other canteen stalls had all closed for the day,” said another.

“Our teachers! No one else praised me,” said another student.

For a moment, silence lingered in the school hall. The silence spoke volumes. It told everyone present what has made Hai Sing special to so many of the students, teachers and workers alike.

Hai Sing is a home to many because of the warmth it radiates. This is not from an air- conditioned hall or a brand-new indoor sports hall. This must be from the people who make Hai Sing more special than just the walls and the concrete building.

After graduating from the school, numerous ex-students will still come back to visit. There are always teachers or even canteen stalls that they miss. They actually miss the warmth of the interpersonal relationships that they have built in Hai Sing Catholic School.

Indeed, a school is nothing without its people and Hai Sing has given that special warmth of the interpersonal relationships. With a new school building, we hope that Hai Sing will be able to offer better facilities to our students. And of course, the warmth from the people in Hai Sing will not change. Upwards, onwards, Hai Sing!