Ever since Mr K started preparing for his A-Level examinations, and after watching the Korean drama Teach You a Lesson on Netflix, I suddenly found myself thinking about my childhood schools. That led me to do some research on my primary school, Chong Li Primary School. I would not say my time there holds my best memories, but neither was it the worst.
Chong Li Primary School was established in 1981. In January 1982, it moved into its own building on Ang Mo Kio Street 44 and was officially opened in September 1983.
I still remember that Chong Boon Primary School (崇文小学) stood on our right, while Anderson Secondary School (安德逊中学) was on our left. Today, Chong Boon Primary School has closed, and Anderson Secondary School has relocated to a different site.
In December 2002, Chong Li Primary School merged with Teck Ghee Primary School, and the Chong Li name ceased to exist.
The school’s principals were (according to MOE Heritage Centre):
- Mr Lee Chiow Beng (1982–1985)
- Mr Lee Keng Gnan (1986–1998)
- Mr Ng Cher Song (1998–2002)
However, when I look through my report books from 1986 and 1987, the principal’s signature appears to resemble Mr Lee Chiow Beng’s. From 1988 onwards, the signature looks different and remains consistent for the following four years. Perhaps my memory is mistaken—it was a long time ago.
These are my report books from 1986 to 1991. When opened, they contained all of a student’s personal information, as well as their parents’ details. Parents were also required to sign them regularly, presumably to prevent students from forging signatures.
Primary One – 1986
In 1986, I was in Class 1B, a morning-session class taught by Mrs Saw. According to my report book, I was ranked 205th out of 369 students. Looking back, I cannot believe schools publicly reported rankings in that way.
At that time, Singapore schools commonly operated morning and afternoon sessions. This system was introduced during the 1950s and 1960s to accommodate a rapidly growing student population despite limited school infrastructure.
Today, with lower birth rates and changing demographics, many schools have merged or closed. The Ministry of Education (MOE) gradually phased out afternoon sessions to provide more learning space, reduce strain on teachers, and allow students greater participation in Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs).
Primary Two – 1987
In 1987, I moved to Class 2C instead of 2BB, which was an afternoon-session class. My mother insisted that I remain in the morning session so that I would have time after school to exercise and stay healthy.
My class teacher was Mrs Aw L. C.
Primary Three – 1988
In 1988, I was promoted to Class 3A. My class teacher was Madam Fauziah, and this was the year we began studying Science.
Primary Four – 1989
In 1989, I progressed to Class 4AA (Afternoon class). My class teacher was Ms Dev.
This was also the year Social Studies was introduced. The subject taught us about society, citizenship, and how to become responsible and considerate members of the community.
Primary Five and Six – 1990 to 1991
In 1990, I was in Class 5CC (Afternoon class), and my class teacher was Mr Chua C. C. He remained my teacher the following year as well.
The class photograph shown here was taken in 1991 when I was in Class 6C (Morning class).
At that time, Singapore still had Primary 7 and Primary 8 classes for students who required additional years before moving on. Around 1991, the Ministry of Education phased out this system to reduce the social stigma associated with separating slower learners from their peers. It was eventually replaced by more standardised educational streams such as EM1, EM2, and EM3.
The Final Pages
The final pages of the report book recorded examination results and indicated which secondary school a student would attend after graduation.
By 1990, many aspects of school administration were becoming computerised. Even our physical fitness reports were computer-generated. Physical fitness testing began from Primary 3 onwards.
The very last page recorded our Extra Co-Curricular Activities (ECAs), which are now known as CCAs.
That was my childhood at Chong Li Primary School. The school may be gone, but the memories remain. Looking through those old report books feels like opening a time capsule—one that reminds me not only of who I was, but also of how far I have come.
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