Raffles Institution (Secondary)
| Raffles Institution (Secondary) 莱佛士书院 (Láifóshì Shūyuàn) （初中部） Institusi Raffles ராப்பிள்ஸ் கல்வி நிலையம |
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Auspicium Melioris Ævi
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| Location | |
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Bishan,  Singapore |
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| Information | |
| Session | Single-Session |
| Principal | Lim Lai Cheng |
| Enrollment |
approx. 2000 |
| Ministry of Education Institution no. | 3009 |
| MOE Code | 3009 |
| Type | Independent |
| Colour(s) | Green, White, Black |
| Established | June 5, 1823 |
| [Link Raffles Institution (Secondary)'s Website] | |
Raffles Institution is a highly-regarded secondary school in Singapore. Only boys can go to this school. It has been performing well in studies and sports. It was founded in 1823 as Singapore Institution by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore. It is the school with the longest history in Singapore. Its name was changed to "Raffles Institution" in 1868. It has two sections, Raffles Institution and Raffles Institution Junior College. The current principal of Raffles Institution is Lim Lai Cheng. Koh Chin Nguang was the Headmaster before her and left the school at the end of 2008.
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[change] History
Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles founded Raffles Institution on 5 June 1823, making it the school with the longest history in Singapore. Raffles Institution was along Bras Basah Road at first, where Raffles City is now. The school moved to Grange Road in 1973, and then moved to its current location at Bishan in 1990. The Grange Road campus is now the MOE Teacher's Network.
[change] Symbols
[change] Institution Anthem
RI's school song was written in by E W Jesudason, RI's headmaster from 1963 to 1966. These are its lyrics:
When Stamford Raffles held the torch
That cast Promethean Flame
We faced the challenge of the day
To give our school a name
The eagle eye and gryphon strength
They led us to the fore
To reign supreme in ev'ry sphere
The sons of Singapore
Come heed the call Rafflesians all
And let our hearts be stirring
We'll do our best whate’er the test
And keep our colours flying
Let comradeship and fervent hope
With one voice make us pray
Auspicium Melioris Aevi
With God to guide the way.
Although the anthem refers to Prometheus and God, the school is secular. The inclusion of Prometheus is due to the literary allusion to passing the torch, signifying the importance of education while 'God' in this context is a historical legacy of the school's British roots. The current recording of the anthem is in the key of G Major.
[change] Crest
RI's crest came from Sir Stamford Raffles' family's crest.
The gryphon - the purple-headed animal at the top of the crest - means stability and success. The lower half of the gryphon that looks like a lion means that RI is in Singapore, since Singapore also has a Lion symbol.[source?] The eagle on the shield has two heads. One looks at the past, and one looks at the future. It can also be said that one looks at the East and one looks at the West.
The school's motto, on the banner below the shield - Auspicium Melioris Aevi - is Latin, and mistranslated by the school as "Hope for a Better Age".
[change] Awards
RI has won many awards from the Ministry of Education (MOE). RI has also won the School Excellence Award, the best award from MOE.
[change] Culture
[change] Uniform
All students wear white short-sleeved shirts. Secondary 1 and 2 students wear short pants. Secondary 3 and 4 students can wear long pants or short pants if they want. On Monday and during important events, everyone must wear a tie. Secondary 3 and 4 prefects wear black leather shoes. Everyone else wear white track shoes.
[change] Camps
Secondary 1 students attend a camp in January when they come into RI. The camp is 3 days long. Some Secondary 4 students accompany them. There is an activity during the camp, when Secondary 1 students have to take off their shirts and blindfold themselves. They form a line and walk up and down staircases in the school. After the camp, the Secondary 1 students are given the RI badge. Then, they are RI students.
Secondary 3 students attend a camp in January too. They go to Pulau Ubin for 5 days. When they come back, they can wear long pants.
[change] Campus
RI is 12 hectares big. There are six blocks in RI.
[change] Administrative Block
The Administrative Block was the most important building in RI. People divide it into two - Administrative Block One and Administrative Block Two. In between the two parts, there are Lecture Theatres.
There is the General Office and Staff Rooms. There are also circular areas for people to study, and a big circular area called the Main Atrium for people to assemble at. There is also the ORA (Old Rafflesians' Association) Office and Heritage Center. There are also lecture theaters.
The Administrative Block is next to the Senior Block (where there are classrooms), the Science Block (where there are Science labs - we will talk about them later), the Junior Block (where there are also classrooms), the CCA Block (where there is the school hall, the auditorium and the canteen) and a bus stop. The Administrative Block was renovated in 2007.
[change] Science Hub
The Science Hub has many Science labs. They are in Administrative Block One and also the Science Block.
There are normal labs for Science lessons and special labs for people to do researchTh. The HOD/Science office is also in the Science Hub.
The Science Hub was finished in October 2008. A ceremony was held to celebrate this.
[change] Humanities Hub
The Humanities Hub contains classrooms for History, Geography and Literature. There will also be two circular theaters for people to speak or perform. It was temporarily open to the public on 23 May 2009.
[change] Lecture Theaters
RI has three lectures theaters, an AV Theatrette and a Band Room. Sometimes, people have classes in the three lecture theaters and the AV Theatrette instead of their classroom, while sometimes, teachers meet in these theaters. The Military Band uses the Band Room for practice.
[change] Infocomm Facilities
RI has many infocomm facilities. Infocomm is about computers. There are four computer labs, one Internet Lab for people to see how the Internet works, one Robotics Lab and one Macintosh Lab, which has special computers.
[change] Junior Block
The Junior Block was built in 1997. There are four floors. There are:
- 15 classrooms. People use the classrooms for both lessons and CCA practice.
- 8 Seminar Rooms
- 2 computer labs
- English Studio. Raffles Players, RI (Secondary)'s drama group, uses it for practice.
- 2 Chinese language rooms. People use it for Chinese lessons.
- Automation laboratory
- Classroom for Regional Studies Programme
The Junior Block has a retractable roof, which means the roof can be opened.
[change] ArtSpace
The ArtSpace was formerly called the Design Centre. It comprises various facilities. The first floor houses the art galleries, classrooms, jamming studio, music keyboard laboratory, a Macintosh Lab, a drawing studio and a ceramics studio. The gymnasium, comprising training areas for gymnastics, table-tennis and judo, occupies the second floor, while lock-ups for the Uniformed Groups and the Guitar Ensemble are located on third level. The roof of the ArtSpace houses the school's mini-weather station.
