San Yu Adventist School

San Yu Adventist School
三育中小学
Sānyù Zhōngxiǎoxué
Address
299 Thomson Road
307652
Singapore
Information
School type Private
Motto Thy Word is Truth
Denomination Seventh-day Adventist Church
Established 1907 (Seventh-Day Adventist School)
1958 (San Yu High School)
Opened 1999 (merger)
Principal Shee Soon Chiew, EdD
Faculty 24 full-time
1 part-time
Grades P1-S4
Gender Coeducational
Age 7 (P1) to 16/17 (S4/5)
Enrolment 400+
Campus Urban
Accreditation AAA
EduTrust
CPE
Yearbook Morning Glory
Website www.syas.edu.sg

San Yu Adventist School (SYAS) is a private Christian school in Singapore which caters to students from ages 7 (Primary 1) to 16 (Secondary 4, GCE 'O' Levels) and 17 (Secondary 5, GCE 'N' Levels).[1][2] It follows the local education system and is fully owned and operated by the Singapore Adventist Conference. The current school was a result of the merger of two Adventist schools: the English-medium Seventh-day Adventist School previously located in Upper Serangoon Road and the Chinese-medium San Yu High School

It is a part of the Seventh-day Adventist education system, the world's second largest Christian school system.[3][4][5] [6]

History

Seventh-day Adventist School (SDAS) was founded in 1907 as the "Eastern Training School" by the former Malaya Mission (which encompassed the former British Malaya). It was originally located on Mount Pleasant Road near Dhoby Ghaut. It moved to Serangoon and then renamed Singapore Training School not long after. In 1916, it moved to 273 Upper Serangoon Road not far from the current Woodleigh MRT Station. During the Japanese Occupation the school was closed as were many other fellow Christian schools and institutions and reopened after the Japanese surrendered and left the island. After the war the primary and secondary section opened to its first students. In 1952 the school was renamed "Southeast Asia Union College" (SAUC). Due to government regulations, the primary and secondary section was split from the college and named "Seventh-day Adventist School" but remained on the same campus as the college. SDAS mainly catered to local students or children of college faculty and staff as missionary children often attended Far Eastern Academy (founded in 1926 in Shanghai and moved to Singapore during the 1940s) at 800 Thomson Road.

San Yu High School (三育中学) was founded at the current Thomson Road premises by the West Malaysia-Singapore Mission in 1958. In 1962 the Seventh-day Adventist Chinese Church located next to the school took over operations. For a period it offered both "O" and "A" Levels. Pre-university courses (A Levels) were discontinued in 1995 in line with the government's policy of centralising A Level education at junior colleges.

In 1996, backed by the MOE, the church voted for a merger of SDAS and San Yu High. The government had notified the church that SAUC campus along Upper Serangoon Road was to be acquired for the building of the North East MRT Line. San Yu High's existing buildings were renovated to prepare for incoming SDAS students. In 1997 the schools were legally "merged" and renamed "San Yu Adventist School" but remained on their respective premises. By 1999 SAUC graduated its last batch of students and SDAS ceased operations at Upper Serangoon Road and SDAS and San Yu High were physically merged.[7] The former site at Upper Serangoon Road is now occupied by condominiums and Stamford American International School while SAUC's assets were transferred to Mission College (now Asia-Pacific International University) in Thailand and SDAS's to the Thomson Road campus.

SYAS has a history of welcoming students from other countries and has a diverse student population. In the past students were mainly from ASEAN countries. Since the merger, non-ASEAN countries represented over the years include China, South Korea, Trinidad and Tobago, Portugal and Australia.[8]

Academics

SYAS is opened to students from Primary 1 to Secondary 4 and 5 and follows the national curriculum. All Primary 6 students take the PSLE near the end of the school year. Students entering secondary school who speak English but not fluent enough to enter the main stream classes will join the "Special 6" class to assimilate them into the Singapore education system. Most students enter the regular four-year Express stream leading up the O Levels. The five-year Normal stream (academic) leading up the N Levels is also available. After completing their secondary education nearly all students go on to polytechnics or junior college.

Students generally take a minimum of 7 O Level subjects. Bible Knowledge is required for all students except Muslims.[9]

Pastoral Care

As a Christian school, students are required to attend chapel services. A full-time chaplain is available and attends to the spiritual aspects of school life. The school ceases all operations on Saturdays in conjunction with church practices.


See also

References

  1. ↑ "Private Education - Admission into Private Schools". MOE.
  2. ↑ "Singapore Education System - Private Schools". MOE.
  3. ↑ http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Opinion/2010/1115/For-real-education-reform-take-a-cue-from-the-Adventists"the second largest Christian school system in the world has been steadily outperforming the national average – across all demographics."
  4. ↑ http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/denominations/seventh_day_adventist.htm
  5. ↑ "Department of Education, Seventh-day Adventist Church". Retrieved 2010-06-18.
  6. ↑ Rogers, Wendi; Kellner, Mark A. (April 1, 2003). "World Church: A Closer Look at Higher Education". Adventist News Network. Retrieved 2010-06-19.
  7. ↑ History
  8. ↑ "Edvantage - Going native for a good cause". AsiaOne. 11 August 2010.
  9. ↑ Courses

External links

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