Beige, brown, and white buildings stand before us. This is Dunman Secondary School. Founded in 1963, Dunman Secondary School has a rich history. It stands as a co-educational government autonomous secondary school in Tampines. The school’s story is one of integration, academic excellence, and character development.
Dunman Secondary School began as Dunman Integrated Secondary School. Au Keng Chu was its first principal. The school got its name from Thomas Dunman. He was Singapore’s first police commissioner serving from 1856 to 1871. Dunman Secondary School was Singapore’s first integrated school. It aimed to unite children of different races and languages.
Initially, Dunman Secondary Integrated School was at Haig Road. It shared a field with Dunman High School and Dunman Primary School. Classes started while the building was still being built. Nine English-stream classes met at Matter West Vocational Institute. Three Malay-stream classes were at Tun Seri Lanang school.
The completed Dunman Secondary School had three buildings. The main building featured four floors of classrooms and staff rooms. Science labs stood in a shorter building across from the main building. Next to the labs was a garden. Science teachers grew plants for botany class there. The school hall sat one floor above the canteen.
In 2001, Dunman Secondary School became an autonomous school. This recognized its strong academics and co-curricular activities. That same year, it won the Thinking Culture Award and Best School East Zone. It also received a value-added award. Dunman Secondary School was among the first five schools to receive the Singapore Quality Class Award.
The Dunman Life Sciences Training and Research Centre opened in 2002. National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan launched it. In 2006, Dunman Secondary School received the Public Service Award for Organisation Excellence. SPRING Singapore presented it. The school also earned the Singapore Innovation Class and the Partner’s Award.
Dunman Secondary School continued to excel. In 2007, it received the School Distinction Award. It also won the Sustained Achievement Award for Academic Excellence, Character Development Award, and National Education Award. The school earned the East Zone and National Thinking Culture Award. These were valid for two years. Upgrading works occurred from 2007 to 2009 under the Ministry of Education’s PRIME program. The school hall doubled in size with air-conditioning. A new indoor sports hall was added.
Dunman Secondary School celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2013. The school motto is “Pengetahuan Suloh Hidup”. This Malay phrase means “Knowledge: The Torch of Life”. The motto briefly changed to “Dare to achieve your dreams.” Alumni protested and the original motto returned.
The original school crest featured a white lion. It held an open book bearing the school motto. A simplified crest appeared in 2007 after a review. The school song composed by John de Souza debuted in 1968. It expresses the school’s purpose.
The Tan Ean Kiam Hall serves as Dunman Secondary School’s main hall. It hosts sports, assemblies, and major exams. Graduating classes study in air-conditioned rooms. Other classrooms have fans. Students use locker-style tables for their books. The school provides over 20 benches for study. The library allows printing, photocopying, and computer use. Dunman Secondary School has fifteen computer, science, and animation labs.
Dunman Secondary School offers three academic streams. These include the four-year Express course. The Normal Course includes Normal Academic and Normal Technical tracks. Dunman’s ELIXIR program explores life and innovation. The MEDAL curriculum integrates English, drama, and literature. Dunman Secondary School participates in the AWS Academy. It features 20 AWS DeepRacer robotic cars for student programming.
Dunman Secondary School stands as a beacon of integrated education. It is a place where students are prepared for the future. The school’s commitment to excellence shines brightly.