2016 STUDENTS’ HANDBOOK HWA CHONG INSTITUTION (COLLEGE SECTION) 2016 STUDENTS’ HANDBOOK HWA CHONG INSTITUTION (COLLEGE SECTION) CONTENTS MESSAGES PE & CCA Principal 2 Physical Education 71 Students’ Council President/Vice-President 3 CCAs 72 ABOUT HWA CHONG HWA CHONG DIPLOMA 74 National Flag, Pledge and Anthem 5 Introduction to Hwa Chong Institution 6 ADMIN INFORMATION 77 School Vision, Mission, Logo 8 School Core Values, Strategic Values & School 8 FINANCE MATTERS Songs 9 School Fee Information 79 Financial Assistance 80 STAFF PHOTOS 10 Scholarships 82 CODE OF CONDUCT AND SCHOOL RULES 33 IT & MEDIA SERVICES Code of Conduct 34 Library Services 84 Guidelines on Conduct Grade 43 Media Resource 86 Intelligent School Portal (ISP) 87 ACADEMIC MATTERS 44 ICT Information 87 General Information 45 Assessment Structure and Promotional Criteria 46 STUDENTS’ COUNCIL Guidelines for Absence from Block Tests and Exams 48 Organisational Chart 91 Committee Photographs 92 STUDENT DEVELOPMENT Welfare Services 98 Student Development Organisational Structure 50 Student Development Overview 51 COLLEGE SONGS, DANCES & CHEERS 101 FACULTIES APPENDIX Message from SnR Chairperson 61 Campus Map 122 Faculty Pages 62 STUDENTS’ HANDBOOK 2016 (COLLEGE SECTION) MESSAGES 1 STUDENTS’ HANDBOOK 2016 (COLLEGE SECTION) FOREWORD BY PRINCIPAL DR HON CHIEW WENG A very warm welcome to the Hwa Chong family! Some of you will also be involved in organising In the next two years, you will experience the high profile events like the International Science excitement of College life. Time will pass you by Youth Forum and Hwa Chong-Asia Pacific Young quickly, so do think about your vision and goals Leaders Summit (APYLS). Notably, APYLS will for the future, and live the present with your mind be celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2016. Hwa focused on being the best that you can be. Chong will also be hosting the next edition of the annual Pre-University Seminar. In your short time here, you will have opportunities to develop yourself in many areas. Enjoy forging new friendships and treasure Programmes that develop you in critical thinking, the time spent with your teachers and peers. entrepreneurship and leadership will equip you Support one another when the going gets tough, with skills you need to navigate this changing and enjoy this journey with your fellow Hwa landscape. Chongians. Hwa Chongians are known to be individuals I wish you a rewarding and enriching time at who possess a strong sense of service to the Hwa Chong! community. Many of your seniors are currently pursuing their passions serving the community Dr Hon Chiew Weng in various capacities. It is this culture of care and excellence that sets the Hwa Chongian apart. Principal Hwa Chong Institution Through your time at Hwa Chong, we want you to embrace the values of hard work, integrity, passion, and compassion. As a Hwa Chongian, you will receive a sustained character education which encourages you to work with the community through local and global service-learning initiatives. I am glad to see that Hwa Chongians regularly take the initiative to contribute back to society through various community-based projects they commit themselves to both locally and overseas. Importantly, do take time to fully experience and enjoy every aspect of college life. Cherish your time bonding with your friends over Orientation, Chinese New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival (MAF) celebrations, as well as the activities your Faculty has in store for you. Avail yourself of opportunities to serve the community through local and overseas Community Involvement Programmes and the Grassroots Attachment Programme. MESSAGES 2 STUDENTS’ HANDBOOK 2016 (COLLEGE SECTION) MESSAGE FROM THE STUDENTS’ COUNCIL PRESIDENTS DR HON CHIEW WENG Hi Juniors! Welcome to Hwa Chong! :) JC will be a lot to take in – a new environment, masses of unfamiliar faces, and not knowing what is to come. But don't worry! Having been through it ourselves, we know how it feels like, and you are never alone in all this. Some of you might feel apprehensive about the two years worth of lectures, tutorials, tests and finally the 'A' level examinations at the end of JC2. Yes, these are coming your way, but there's so much more that you will have the opportunity This is just the beginning of your journey, one to experience! Let's see: the vast range of CCAs, that you cannot possibly make without the sup- the fun-filled faculty events, overseas CIP and port of the Hwa Chong family – your peers, your outdoor education trips, exchange programmes seniors and your teachers. Keep them close to and not forgetting the amazing teachers and your heart, and always look out for them, for they friends you'll meet along your journey. All you will be doing the same for you too! Seize the op- need to do to make your JC life much more portunities to build your network of friends. Catch meaningful is to be brave and work hard, so up with old ones and meet new ones whenever don't let your worries drag you down - allow your you can. Give more than you receive, and there excitement and passion to lift you up! will always be someone to catch you when you fall. With such a strong culture of support (that By now, you would have experienced Orientation you contribute towards!), you will have a very – the wonderful two weeks of tremendously fun meaningful journey ahead. :) games and meeting new friends! As long as you put in the effort, these friends will be with you for Our Hwa Chong family is here to support you; a long time to come. :) You will also remember now go, explore the wonders your JC life has to SODACHE – Hwa Chong's very own traditional offer, develop your passion and sail further than SOngs, DAnces and CHEers. You certainly don't you ever imagined you could. need to worry about not being a good singer, dancer or cheerleader because during these With that, we wish you all the very best in your sessions, we sing, dance and cheer as one! You journey! might not be able to visualise it now, but during the Mid-Autumn Festival (MAF) in September, Best regards, more than 3,000 students and alumni will gather Benjamin Tan and Elaine Yeo in Hwa Chong. Just imagine that many people singing, dancing and cheering in unison. It is President and Vice-President indeed our school spirit at its finest. 42nd Students' Council MESSAGES 3 STUDENTS’ HANDBOOK 2016 (COLLEGE SECTION) ABOUT HWA CHONG 4 STUDENTS’ HANDBOOK 2016 (COLLEGE SECTION) ABOUT SINGAPORE NATIONAL FLAG overcome if Singaporeans cared enough about Symbolises the Nation’s sovereignty, pride & their country. honour NATIONAL ANTHEM The National Flag consists of two equal horizontal Echoes the enduring spirit and aspiration of sections, of red above white. The upper left Singaporeans section contains a white crescent moon, and five white stars which form a circle. About the Anthem: The anthem was written in the wake of nationalism from 1956-57. Its composer, About the Flag: Red symbolises universal the late Encik Zubir Said, anchored it with two brotherhood and the equality of man, while words, “Majulah Singapura” (Malay for “Onward white signifies pervading and everlasting purity Singapore”). and virtue. The crescent moon represents a rising young nation. The five stars stand for the nation’s ideals of democracy, peace, progress, MAJULAH ONWARD justice and equality. SINGAPURA SINGAPORE (English Translation) Mari Kita rakyat Come, fellow Singapura Singaporeans Sama-Sama menuju, Let us progress Bahagia towards happiness Cita-cita kita yang together mulia May our noble Berjaya Singapura! aspiration bring Singapore success Mari-lah kita bersatu Dengan semangat Come, let us unite yang baru In a new spirit Semua kita berseru Let our voices soar NATIONAL PLEDGE Majulah Singapura! as one Reflects the ideals for shaping a united nation Majulah Singapura! Onward Singapore Onward Singapore We, the citizens of Singapore, pledge ourselves as one united people, regardless of race, language or religion, to build a democratic society based on justice and About the Anthem: The anthem was written in the equality so as to achieve happiness, prosperity wake of nationalism from 1956-57. Its composer, and progress for our nation the late Encik Zubir Said, anchored it with two words, “Majulah Singapura” (Malay for “Onward About the Pledge: Singapore’s national pledge Singapore”). was written by Singapore’s first Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr S. Rajaratnam, in 1966, against the backdrop of racial riots in the 1950s and 1960s. Mr Rajaratnam’s inspiration was to build “a Singapore we are proud of”, while emphasising unity and multi-racial harmony. He believed that language, race and religion were potentially divisive factors, which could be ABOUT SINGAPORE 5 STUDENTS’ HANDBOOK 2016 (COLLEGE SECTION) SCHOOL INFORMATION The Chinese High School was among the first three schools to turn independent in 1988.With INTRODUCTION the new found autonomy; the school launched a series of innovations and set new trends in education. On the other hand, the former Hwa Hwa Chong Institution is the culmination of Chong Junior College (HCJC) was Singapore’s the watershed merger between the former first government-aided junior college (JC) Chinese High School (founded 1919) and established in 1974. More than three decades Hwa Chong Junior College (founded 1974) in later, the College remains committed to offering 2005. Following the merger, the mega-school students an unrivalled holistic education. In 2004, pioneered a range of groundbreaking initiatives HCJC became the country’s first independent and attained the Singapore Quality Award (SQA) Junior College. status in 2010, which marks the school as a world-class institution. With the merger in 2005, the Chinese High School now forms the High School Section, and Offering a seamless and broad-based 6-year Hwa Chong Junior College forms the College Integrated Programme (IP), Hwa Chong caters Section of Hwa Chong respectively.