‘For RI, I will do anything’, proudly declared Mr Hector Chee, who taught Math in RI back in the 60s till the 80s, summing up the sentiment among most of the pioneer generation staff being honoured at the SG50 Pioneer Generation Staff Tribute Tea.
As part of an MOE initiative, we hosted 23 members of our pioneer generation staff at a tea session in the Raffles Archives & Museum (RAM) on 13 November 2015, and honoured each of them with a ‘Key to RI’, which symbolises how they have unlocked the potential of generations of past and present Rafflesians.
The 23 staff honoured were:
Ms Aggie Aik
Mdm Elizabeth Chan
Ms Cherry Chen
Mdm Chew Terk Yuk
Mr David Anthony Sowden
Miss Doreen Thambiyah
Mr Han Chin Juan
Mr J P David
Mr Lee Tiong Beng
Mr Lim Bah Hock
Mr Lim Tee Tee @ Lim Hung Chang
Miss Lim Yew Huay
Mr Muhd Amin bin Shafawi
Mr Ng Moh Chye @ Ng Moh Hoon
Mrs Pauline Lim
Mr Sathiavan Singh Dhillon
Mr Shioya Akihisa
Mdm Tan Gan Yoong
Mr Tan Hwee Hock
Mdm Tan Poh Lan
Mdm Tay Siok Huay
Mr Tng Kim Guan
Mdm Yap Sook Lan
Prior to the commencement of the tea session, the Pioneer Generation Staff were invited to tour the RAM, ushered by student docents. A number of our current staff such as Mrs Reavley Munn Ye (DP/ Curriculum Year 5-6) Mr Edward Ng (DP/ Stakeholder Engagement), Mr Leong Yew Wah (Master Teacher), Mr Michael Jeyaseelan (Dean/ Leadership And Community Education), Mr Gary Ortega (Y5-6 HOD PE/CCA), Mr Ong Chiau Jin (Senior Teacher) and Mr Jai Singh (Teacher-Mentor), who were former colleagues with the Pioneer Generation Staff, warmly welcomed them back to the school.
Mr Edward Ng (DPM Stakeholder Engagement), together with Mr Tan Hwee Hock, Mr Tng Kim Guan, Mr Lim Hung Chang and Mr Gary Ortega (Y5-6 HOD PE/CCA)
PRI Mr Chan Poh Meng kicked off the ceremony by sharing stories of RI through the years, beginning with RI in Bras Basah to its Grange Road days, the separation of RJC, which was originally located on Paterson Road and later shifted to Mt Sinai, to the eventual reintegration of RI and RJC and the relocation of RI to its current Bishan campus. As an alumnus himself, Mr Chan is one of the Rafflesians to have been taught by some of the Pioneer Generation Staff present. Miss Doreen Thambiyah, in particular, was Mr Chan’s form teacher and one could sense the respect and a tinge of trepidation from Mr Chan as he caught up with Miss Thambiyah during the tea session.
PRI Mr Chan Poh Meng with Miss Doreen Thambiyah, his form teacher when he was in school.
While Miss Thambiyah was known for her liberal use of perfume, rumoured by her students to have been Christian Dior's Poison, she was equally well known for her attention to cleanliness and tidiness, traits she felt were important in order to impart the value of discipline to Rafflesians during her 23 years with RI. Students of hers would clear the aisles of stray bags before she arrived for classes. ‘Oh, it's Miss Thambiyah’s lesson next’, came the response when teachers quizzed students on the clearing of bags, even before class ended.
Mr Muhd Amin B Shafawi sharing some of his experiences with some Year 3 Rafflesians. Mr Amin was an internal Subject Co-Ordinator who taught RJC students Malay at the Mt Sinai Campus . Upon leaving RJC, he went on to teach Malay to nurses at the Changi General Hospital before retiring a couple of years ago.
Mrs Pauline Lim, a Senior Administrative Officer, also had the unique privilege of having seen RI in its three campuses–Bras Basah, Grange Road and finally Bishan–during her 45 years of service to the school. She proudly acknowledged that she has seen generations of Rafflesian brothers, fathers and sons go from geeky, adolescent students, to mature individuals making their mark on the world.
Mr Edward Ng introduces the RAM to Mr S.S. Dhillon and Mr Hector Chee. Mr S.S. Dhillon was a teacher in RI who was often found counselling students in the canteen instead.
The ceremony concluded with a rousing rendition of the Institution Anthem from everyone in attendance, Rafflesians as well as former and current staff. The Pioneer Generation Staff were then invited to a small tea session in the school Atrium to continue catching up with old friends once again.