Dunman High School#Dunman High Programme

On 14 October 1956, during the Chinese middle school riots, the Ministry of Education established the predecessor of Dunman High School, Kallang West Government Chinese Middle School, along with other schools like River Valley High School and Hua Yi Secondary School. It was renamed Dunman High School after Thomas Dunman.

In the 1956 riots, Chinese middle-school students who subscribed to the communist ideology staged sit-ins and demonstrations, disrupted classes, and in effect shut their schools down. The function of the newly established Kallang West Government Chinese Middle School was to allow students who had no wish to be embroiled in communism to have a place to study.{{cite web | url = http://app.sprinter.gov.sg/data/pr/2006101401.htm | title = Speech by Mr Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister, at Dunman High School 50th anniversary dinner, 14 October 2006. | access-date = 14 October 2006 }}{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web |url=https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/data/pdfdoc/2006101401.htm |title= SPEECH BY MR LEE HSIEN LOONG, PRIME MINISTER, AT DUNMAN HIGH SCHOOL 50TH ANNIVERSARY DINNER, 14 OCTOBER 2006, 7.45 PM AT SUNTEC CITY BALLROOM, SINGAPORE |publisher= National Archives Singapore |access-date= 4 April 2025 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20241127214933/https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/data/pdfdoc/2006101401.htm |archive-date= 27 November 2024 |url-status= live }} The premises of a newly built primary school at Mountbatten Road were loaned, and the initial enrolment included about 100 boys from The Chinese High School,{{cite book | title = Dunman High School 40th Anniversary memento magazine | year = 1995 | page = i}} with 10 teachers. In December 1957, the school moved to Dunman Road and was renamed "Dunman Government Chinese Middle School".{{cite web|url=http://www.dunmanhigh.moe.edu.sg/milestone.htm |title=Dunman High School milestones |access-date=15 April 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060114224051/http://www.dunmanhigh.moe.edu.sg/milestone.htm |archive-date=14 January 2006 |url-status=dead }}

In 1979, the school was selected to be one of the nine Special Assistance Plan (SAP) secondary schools. It was renamed "Dunman High School" and began to offer both English and Chinese languages at the first-language level.{{Cite press release |url= http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/data/pdfdoc/20080211995.pdf |title= Enhanced Programmes by Special Assistance Plan Schools to Enrich Students' Learning of Chinese Language and Values |date=11 February 2008 |publisher=Ministry of Education |access-date=1 July 2016}} When the Music Elective Programme (MEP) was introduced by the MOE in 1982, DHS was selected to implement the programme for musically gifted students.{{Cite web |url= https://www.moe.gov.sg/docs/default-source/document/education/programmes/elective-programmes/files/music-elective-programme.pdf |title= Music Elective Programme |date= 1 January 2013 |publisher= Ministry of Education |access-date= 1 July 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160822005200/https://www.moe.gov.sg/docs/default-source/document/education/programmes/elective-programmes/files/music-elective-programme.pdf |archive-date= 22 August 2016 |url-status= dead }}

In 1990, the school expanded by taking over the neighbouring former premises of Dunman Secondary School at Dunman Road.{{Cite web |url=http://www.dunmansec.moe.edu.sg/our_school/school_history.html |title=Our History |date=1 January 2016 |publisher=Dunman Secondary School |access-date=1 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160112235252/http://www.dunmansec.moe.edu.sg/our_school/school_history.html |archive-date=12 January 2016 |url-status=dead }} It then became a single-session school (previously the school was divided into the "morning session" and "afternoon session" so that two classes of students could share a classroom). It was one of six schools to go autonomous in 1994.{{Cite press release |url= https://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2001/pr18072001_print.htm |title= Two New Autonomous Schools |publisher= Ministry of Education |date= 18 July 2001 |access-date= 1 July 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160822003317/https://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2001/pr18072001_print.htm |archive-date= 22 August 2016 |url-status= dead |df= dmy-all }} The school moved to its current location in Tanjong Rhu on 27 May 1995.{{Cite web |url= http://www.dunmanhigh.moe.edu.sg/campus-life/campus-life-2012/recognition-for-dunman-high-school-2012/ |title= Recognition for Dunman High School {{!}} DHS |publisher= Dunman High School |access-date= 1 July 2016 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} It was made the 7th Gifted Education Programme centre in Singapore in 1997.{{Cite web |url= https://www.moe.gov.sg/education/programmes/gifted-education-programme/gifted-education-programme-schools |date= 27 April 2015 |title= Gifted Education Programme Schools |publisher= Ministry of Education |access-date= 1 July 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160730233013/https://www.moe.gov.sg/education/programmes/gifted-education-programme/gifted-education-programme-schools |archive-date= 30 July 2016 |url-status= dead |df= dmy-all }}

A time capsule was launched on the opening ceremony of DHS's 50th anniversary celebrations on 31 March 2006. It is meant to be opened in 2031, on the school's 75th anniversary. Items such as the DHS uniform and the 2006 student handbook were placed in it. A letter by the current principal of the school was also included.{{cite web

|url=http://www.dunmanhigh.moe.edu.sg/Article06_FutureDunmanian.htm

|title=A Letter to Future Dunmanian

|access-date=15 April 2006

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060529204201/http://www.dunmanhigh.moe.edu.sg/Article06_FutureDunmanian.htm

|archive-date=29 May 2006

|url-status=dead

}}{{cite web

|url=http://www.dunmanhigh.moe.edu.sg/Article06_OpenCeremony31Mar.htm

|title=半个世纪，德明情

|access-date=15 April 2006

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060529204231/http://www.dunmanhigh.moe.edu.sg/Article06_OpenCeremony31Mar.htm

|archive-date=29 May 2006

|url-status=dead

}} In addition, a Heritage Run was organised that day. There were also performances, including a dance by the school's Chinese Society, and a drumming performance by the percussionists from Chinese Orchestra and Symphonic Band. A 50th anniversary song, written by Kelvin Ang Chin Yuan, was played by Clara Ng Yi Wen and sung by the school.

From 2005, the school offered implemented a customised version of the six-year Integrated Programme called the Dunman High Programme (DHP), which allows all students to bypass the O-Level examinations and directly take the A-Level examinations.{{Cite web |url= https://www.moe.gov.sg/education/secondary/other/integrated-programme |title= Integrated Programmes (IP) |publisher= Ministry of Education |access-date= 1 July 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171201182052/https://www.moe.gov.sg/education/secondary/other/integrated-programme |archive-date= 1 December 2017 |url-status= dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.dunmanhigh.moe.edu.sg/about-dhs/dunman-high-programme/ |title=Dunman High Programme {{!}} DHS |publisher=Dunman High School |access-date=1 July 2016 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} To meet the needs of the Integrated Programme, the school moved to a holding school in the former Raffles Junior College campus at Mount Sinai in December 2006 to allow for upgrading of the current site at Tanjong Rhu.{{Cite news |url=http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/mount-sinai-holding-site/1981824.html |title=Mount Sinai holding site for new JC is most suitable: Heng Swee Keat |work=Channel NewsAsia |date=13 July 2015 |access-date=1 July 2016 |archive-date=15 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170115172908/http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/mount-sinai-holding-site/1981824.html |url-status=dead }}

The land area of the expanded campus increased from four hectares to seven hectares, making Dunman High School one of the biggest government-aided schools in Singapore.{{cite web|url=http://www.dhs.moe.edu.sg/Article06_PRIMENewSch.htm |title=A New School for Dunman High |access-date=29 December 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010060329/http://www.dhs.moe.edu.sg/Article06_PRIMENewSch.htm |archive-date=10 October 2007 |url-status=dead }} In December 2008 the classrooms, general office and staff rooms of the Tanjong Rhu campus were completed, and the school moved back to the Tanjong Rhu campus. On 2 January 2009 the school opened to a new year with an opening ceremony named "Homecoming" (回家) to welcome students and staff to the upgraded campus.{{Cite web|url=http://dunmanhigh.moe.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/website/about-dhs/school-history/index.html|title=School History|website=dunmanhigh.moe.edu.sg|access-date=20 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161021001942/http://dunmanhigh.moe.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/website/about-dhs/school-history/index.html|archive-date=21 October 2016|url-status=dead}}

On 5 September 2017, Dunman High was featured in an episode of Channel 8's "When The Bell Rings" documentary series. This eight episode documentary series featured eight Special Assistance Plan (SAP) Schools in Singapore, and told stories of their transformation through the times. The episode on Dunman High was the last episode to be aired.{{Cite web|url=http://tv.toggle.sg/en/channel8/shows/tuesday-report-when-the-bell-rings/info|title=Tuesday Report : When The Bell Rings Show Info 节目简介 - Toggle|website=Toggle|access-date=17 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170919043022/http://tv.toggle.sg/en/channel8/shows/tuesday-report-when-the-bell-rings/info|archive-date=19 September 2017|url-status=dead}}

On 21 September 2018, the Ministry of Education announced that the final two remaining schools offering the IP - Dunman High School and River Valley High School - would be participating in the Joint Admissions Exercise in future.{{cite news |url= https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/dunman-high-and-river-valley-high-to-admit-o-level-students-from-other-schools |title=Dunman High and River Valley High to admit O-level students from other schools from next year: MOE |author=Tee Zhuo |date=21 September 2018 |newspaper=The Straits Times |location= Singapore |access-date=14 February 2019}} The following year in 2019, Dunman High School took in its first batch of O-level JAE students.

Dunman High School's Chinese name Démíng ({{lang|zh-SG|德明}}) is a transliteration of "Dunman". The meaning of its name in Chinese is derived from a line in the Book of Rites ({{lang|zh-SG|大学之道，在明明德}}) which is a statement that has influenced the Emperors of the Han, Tang and Song dynasties in Imperial China. It can be roughly translated as "the Dao (path) to the greatest learning lies in understanding the brightest virtues".

The school crest of Dunman High School was designed by Chen Jen Hao, its second principal, and Liu Kang, a pioneer in local fine art and former art teacher of the school.DHS Handbook 2009. The two Chinese characters read, from right to left, "Dé míng", the Chinese name of the school. The characters are written in seal script.

The red colour symbolises passion and the drive for success. The blue colour signifies peace and dignity, while the circular border represents wholeness and unity, as well as the pursuit of universality, as defined in the Confucian classic Book of Rites.

Dunman High School preserved its school song in Mandarin Chinese.{{cite web | url = http://www.dhs.sg | title = Dunman High School Website | access-date = 31 January 2010}} The lyrics were originally written as prose by a chemistry teacher of the school in 1953.{{Citation|last=dunmanian|title=Dunman High School 德明政府中学 School Song 校歌 (Original, Pre-2011)|date=23 January 2010|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzAhqGwGMBs |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/KzAhqGwGMBs |archive-date=2021-12-13 |url-status=live|access-date=29 January 2017}}{{cbignore}}

Year 5 and 6 students of Dunman High School are sorted into 4 houses, namely:

1. Drakon, represented by the colour blue and the house mascot of a dragon.{{Cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/?next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fsha.buya%2F |access-date=2024-03-17 |website=www.instagram.com}}
2. Kirin, represented by the colour green and the house mascot of a pegasus.{{Cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/?next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fkirin.stagram%2F |access-date=2024-03-17 |website=www.instagram.com}}
3. Homa, represented by the colour orange and the house mascot of a griffin.{{Cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/?next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fhomahotties%2F%3Fhl%3Den |access-date=2024-03-17 |website=www.instagram.com}}
4. Bennu, represented by the colour red and the house mascot of a phoenix.{{Cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/?next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Ffeelthyflame%2F |access-date=2024-03-17 |website=www.instagram.com}}

Together, the houses collectively form the portmanteau Drakihonnu, a moniker for the house system in Dunman High.{{Cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/?next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fdrakihonnu%2F |access-date=2024-03-17 |website=www.instagram.com}}

Dunman High School is currently one of the largest government schools in Singapore in terms of physical area.{{Panorama

|image = File:DunmanHighSchool-panorama-200812.jpg

|fullwidth = 3000

|fullheight = 683

|height = 300

|caption = {{center|Dunman High School's upgraded campus along Tanjong Rhu Rd.}}

}}

Incorporated within the six-year Dunman High Programme (DHP) are the Junior High (JH) and Senior High (SH) sections, which leads to the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Advanced Level examination. The school-wide Integrated Programme offered enables students to bypass the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level examination that is taken in the Special/Express course. Dunman High Junior High uses a Grade Point Average scoring system, with the following scoring system. As of 2019, the scoring system for Junior High students has been updated to include B+ and C+ grades.

DHS also organises academic competitions and conferences, both for its students and external participants. A variety of academic programmes, hosted by both the school as well as the Ministry of Education, are offered to students with the potential to excel.{{Citation needed|date=October 2016}}

Various special programmes are offered in the school, such as the Bicultural Studies Programme (BSP), the Art Special Programme (ASP) and the Music Elective Programme (MEP). These programmes offer a degree of specialisation that is generally not attainable in the standard curriculum, enabling students in the school to explore respective fields to a greater degree. On top of these programmes, Dunman High also offers a wider variety of GCE 'A' Level Examination subjects, including the newly included subject H2 Translation, as well as courses like H2 China Studies in Chinese. Extensive support and guidance is available for students who are interested in furthering their interests with H3 subjects.{{Citation needed|date=October 2016}}

Special programmes offered in school are listed below:

• Bicultural Studies Programme (BSP) (C)
• Chinese Language Elective Programme (CLEP) (C)
• School-Based Gifted Education (SBGE)
• Thinking Research Programme (TRP)
• Malay Special Programme (MSP)
• Music Elective Programme (MEP)
• Art Special Programme (ASP)
• Dunman High Leadership Programme (DHLP)
• Future Problem Solving Programme (FPSP)
• Young Writers' Programme (YWP)

Dunman High School offers Co-curricular Activities (CCAs), including competitive sports, uniformed groups, musical groups and clubs and societies. The school's traditional forte has been Chinese orchestral music.{{cite web

|url=http://www.dunmanhigh.moe.edu.sg/Achieve_Music.htm

|title=Dunman High School CCA achievements: music

|access-date=15 April 2006

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060114233822/http://www.dunmanhigh.moe.edu.sg/Achieve_Music.htm

|archive-date=14 January 2006

|url-status=dead

}} The Uniformed Groups have a strong presence in Dunman High School, with Saint John Ambulance Brigade, Scouts, Girl Guides and National Police Cadet Corps achieving honours.{{cite web|url=http://www.dhs.moe.edu.sg/Achieve_UG.htm |title=Dunman High School CCA achievements: UG |access-date=17 November 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010081453/http://www.dhs.moe.edu.sg/Achieve_UG.htm |archive-date=10 October 2007 |url-status=dead }}

The Co-curricular Activities (CCAs) offered by Dunman High School is listed below:

Sports and Games

{{div col|colwidth=20em}}

• Air Weapons Club
• Badminton
• Basketball
• Softball
• Table Tennis
• Track & Field
• Volleyball
• Wushu
• Sailing Club (Senior High)
• Bowling (Senior High)
• Golf (Senior High)
• Netball (Senior High)
• Outdoor Activities Club (Senior High)
• Singapore Youth Flying Club (SYFC) (Senior High)
• Soccer (Senior High)
• Taekwondo (Senior High)

{{Div col end}}

Performing Arts

{{div col|colwidth=20em}}

• Chinese Society
• Beijing Opera
• Dance
• Drama
• Chinese Orchestra
• Guzheng Ensemble
• Choir
• English Drama Society
• Dance
• Drama
• String Ensemble (Junior High)
• Symphonic Band

{{Div col end}}

Uniformed Groups (Junior High)

{{div col|colwidth=20em}}

• Girl Guides
• National Police Cadet Corps
• Scouts
• St John's Brigade

{{Div col end}}

Clubs and Societies

{{div col|colwidth=20em}}

• Art Club
• Chinese Society
• Literary
• Calligraphy
• Community Service Club
• STEAM Collective (Junior High)
• Infocomm Club (Senior High)
• Library Society
• Lion Dance (Scout) (Junior High)
• Mathematics Society
• Mind Sports Club
• Oratorical Society
• Photographic Society
• Robotics Club (Senior High)
• Science Society
• Anime, Comics and Gaming (Senior High)
• Culinary Club (Senior High)
• Environmental Club (Senior High)
• International Strategic Affairs Council (ISAC) (Senior High)
• Publications (Senior High)
• Mass Communications Society (Senior High)

{{Div col end}}

Student Interest Groups (Senior High)

{{div col|colwidth=20em}}

• Beijing Opera
• Japanese Cultural Club
• Malay Society
• Medical Society
• Music Society
• The Crew (AV Support for Events)
• Touch Rugby
• Uniformed Group (UG) Council

{{Div col end}}

The student council is the student welfare body that work closely with the school committee to bring forth initiatives and changes for the school. They are also responsible for the daily functions of the school.

It is not officially affiliated with any other school. However, it holds an annual sports meet with Chung Cheng High School (Main), Ngee Ann Secondary School and Temasek Secondary School called the Four-School Combined Athletics Meet since 1980, in which students aged 13 to 16 from the four schools compete in Track & Field events.{{cite web |url= http://www.dhs.moe.edu.sg/CCA_Sports.htm |title=DHS Sports CCA |access-date=29 December 2007 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071010081339/http://www.dhs.moe.edu.sg/CCA_Sports.htm |archive-date=10 October 2007 |url-status=dead }} The original four schools were Dunman, Chung Cheng High School (Main), Chung Cheng High School (Branch) (now Chung Cheng High School (Yishun)) and Yuying Secondary School.

{{alumni|date=December 2016}}

{{see also|Category:Dunman High School alumni}}

• Josephine Teo, Cabinet minister and Member of Parliament for Jalan Besar GRC
• Low Yen Ling, Senior Minister of State, Mayor of South West CDC and Member of Parliament for Bukit Gombak SMC
• Goh Pei Ming, Minister of State for Home Affairs, and Social and Family development and Member of Parliament for Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC {{cite news |date=2025-04-20 |title=Former BG and PAP new face Goh Pei Ming hopes to bring community and military experiences together |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/former-bg-and-pap-new-face-goh-pei-ming-hopes-to-bring-community-and-military-experiences-together |access-date=2025-05-27 |work=The Straits Times}}
• Poh Li San, Member of Parliament for Sembawang West SMC{{Cite web |date=2001 |title=Life cannot be examined in a routine office job. |url=http://core.com.sg/collaterals/imgs/saf.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200415114932/http://core.com.sg/collaterals/imgs/saf.pdf |archive-date=15 April 2020}}
• Alex Yam, Member of Parliament for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC and Mayor of North West CDC{{Cite web|title=SPEECH BY PRIME MINISTER LEE HSIEN LOONG, AT DUNMAN HIGH SCHOOL 50TH ANNIVERSARY DINNER, 14 OCTOBER 2006, 7.45 PM|url=https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/data/pdfdoc/2006101401.htm|access-date=2021-12-13|website=www.nas.gov.sg}}
• [https://www.teckwah.com.sg/ExecutiveManagement Thomas Chua], former Nominated Member of Parliament,{{Cite web|title=SPEECH BY PRIME MINISTER LEE HSIEN LOONG, AT DUNMAN HIGH SCHOOL 50TH ANNIVERSARY DINNER, 14 OCTOBER 2006, 7.45 PM|url=https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/data/pdfdoc/2006101401.htm|access-date=2021-12-13|website=www.nas.gov.sg}} former President, Singapore Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Douglas Foo, former Nominated Member of Parliament; founder, Sakae Holdings

• [https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/data/pdfdoc/2006101401.htm Chua Thian Poh], Chairman & CEO, Ho Bee Land{{Cite web|title=Ho Bee Land|url=https://hobee.com/director/mr-chua-thian-poh/|access-date=2021-12-13|website=hobee.com}}
• Sam Goi, Executive Chairman, Tee Yih Jia

• Ng Ser Miang, former Vice President, International Olympic Committee; founder, Trans-Island Bus Services

• Vincy Chan, Hong Kong singer and artiste
• Michelle Chong, actress, comedienne, host and businesswomanKuo, Pao Kun. Images at the Margins: A Collection of Kuo Pao Kun's Plays. Singapore: Times Books International, 2000.
• Curley G, Chinese singer-songwriter and member of BonBon Girls 303
• Kuo Pao Kun, playwright, theatre director and arts activistKuo, Pao Kun. Images at the Margins: A Collection of Kuo Pao Kun's Plays. Singapore: Times Books International, 2000.
• Kirsten Tan, film director and screenwriter

• Education in Singapore

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Dunman High School}}

• [http://dunmanhigh.moe.edu.sg// School website]
• [http://dunmanhighalumni.org/index.html Dunman High School Alumni Association]

{{Special Assistance Plan}}

{{Pre-university centres and post-secondary institutes in Singapore}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Kallang

Category:Autonomous schools in Singapore

Category:Educational institutions established in 1956

Category:Schools in Central Region, Singapore

Category:Secondary schools in Singapore

Category:Schools offering Integrated Programme in Singapore

Category:Boarding schools in Singapore

Category:Junior colleges in Singapore

Category:Dunman High School alumni

Category:1956 establishments in Malaya