Gan Eng Seng Secondary School
| Gan Eng Seng School 颜永成学校 Sekolah Gan Eng Seng |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Address | |
|
1 Henderson Road Bukit Merah 156561 Singapore |
|
| Coordinates | 1°17′21.8″N 103°49′25.8″E / 1.289389°N 103.823833°ECoordinates: 1°17′21.8″N 103°49′25.8″E / 1.289389°N 103.823833°E |
| Information | |
| Type | Government Co-educational |
| Motto | Onward |
| Established | 1885 |
| Session | Single session |
| School code | 3006 |
| Principal | Mdm Jenny Tan |
| Enrolment | 1,300 |
| Colour(s) | Red Green |
| Website | ganengsengsch.moe.edu.sg |
Gan Eng Seng School (Abbreviation: GESS) is a co-educational secondary school in Bukit Merah, Singapore. Founded in 1885 by philanthropist Gan Eng Seng, the school is the first school to be established by overseas Chinese in Singapore, as one of the oldest institutions of the nation-state.
Gan Eng Seng School held a rich heritage as an all-boys school for 102 years until it went co-educational in 1987. The school was also the first in the country to form a parent-teachers' association in 1950. Currently, Gan Eng Seng School is recognised among to top 50 schools in Singapore by Ministry of Education. The school's founding site at Telok Ayer Street was designated as a national historical site by the National Heritage Board in 1997.
Gan Eng Seng School was founded in some shophouses in Telok Ayer Street in 1885 by the philanthropist, Gan Eng Seng and was known as Anglo Chinese Free School. Born in 1844 into a poor family in Melaka, Gan came to Singapore at a young age to seek his fortune. Since he was unable to have much of an education in his youth, it was his ambition in life to build a school and help those who are poor as he prospered and became wealthy. Gan was far-sighted in placing emphasis on bilingualism in English and Chinese from the start. The school proved to be a success - the enrolment figure reached a record of 167 by 1890, and rose to an all-time high of 94% in 1892.
In 1888, GESS became an aided school which meant government recognition as an education institution. In 1889, the British colonial government offered a site at No. 106 Telok Ayer Street. Gan accepted the site and wholly financed the construction and furbishment of the building which could accommodate up to 300 primary students.
...
Wikipedia