- Dunman High School - Our History 回顾历史 (1956-2001)

1956 was a tumultuous year. Singapore was caught in the maelstrom of agitation for independence from the British colonial ruler, communist-instigated labour unrest and the frustrations of discrimination expressed by Chinese-stream students who went on strikes and riots during the 1950s. Many Chinese medium secondary schools were forced to stop their classes.

In an attempt to provide for other students affected by the disruption, the Ministry of Education opened several emergency Chinese secondary schools for students to continue their studies.

Dunman High was thus founded on 14th October 1956, amidst such a state of political unrest. The campus of a newly built primary school at Mountbatten Road was borrowed and the school was named Kallang West Government Chinese Middle School (加冷西政府华文中学).

Mr Sun Huan Syn 孙煥新(1956-1959) was appointed the first principal of the school. The initial enrollment was about one hundred and eleven boys and its first batch of graduates was merely four students. In its second year, girls were enrolled and the school became co-educational.

In December 1957, the school moved to Dunman Road and was renamed Dunman Government Chinese Middle School (德明政府华文中学). The then Minister for Education Mr Chew Swee Kee was the guest-of-honour of the inauguration ceremony of the 3-storey new school building.

Mr Sun Hwan Sin was succeeded by the second principal Mr Chen Jen Hao 陈人浩 (1959-1969). In the 1960s, the school’s population grew and students performed very well in many areas.

In 1966 the school witnessed the completion of a new four-storey building by the Ministry of Education, 集思楼 which added sixteen new classrooms to the school. Shortly a two-storey building named ‘格致馆’ which consisted of 4 science laboratories, 3 Home Economics rooms and 1 AVA room.

The student population increased to about 2,000 and the number of teaching staff increased to about 100.

The school under the principalship of Mdm Shu June Mai 许锦美 (1969-78) achieved the best GCE O-level Examination results each year among Chinese secondary schools nationwide.

In 1976 Mr Poh Hean Lee who graduated in 1975 was awarded the President’s Scholarship. Three years later, Mr Cheng Shoong Tatt became Duman High’s second recipient.

This excellent academic performance was recognized and in 1979, the school was selected as one of the nine Special Assistance Plan (SAP) Secondary School in Singapore. The school was renamed Dunman High School and offered both Chinese and English as the first language.

The fourth principal Mr Lim Nai Yan (1978-1993) continued to work towards providing quality holistic education to Dunman High students.

The enrollment increased substantially and the school faced constraints in facilities and space. That year, the building of the neighbouring Dunman Primary School was taken over by Dunman High School to meet its need for more space.

When the Music Elective Programme (MEP) was introduced by the Ministry in 1981, Dunman High was selected to provide this special programme for musically talented students. Upon acquiring the premises of Dunman Secondary School in June 1990, the school was able to function as a single-session school.

1n 1990 Mr Sng Chern Wei became the third student who was awarded the President’s Scholarship.

Dunman High led by the 5th principal Mr Cheah Chak Mun 谢泽文 (1994-98) was one of six school selected to go autonomous. With that, we now have more funds and greater flexibility to plan our school programmes to meet the needs of our students.

We are working towards the objective of scaling heights in our strive for excellence and providing high quality education for our students.

In June 1995, the school moved to the new premises in Tanjong Rhu Road. The Gifted Education Programme was implemented in January the next year.

Gifted Education Programme was started in Dunman High School.

The school welcomed it's sixth principal Mr. Tan Thiam Hock.

Dunman High School Hostel was opened on September 2001. It was the first government school to have a hostel.