22 September 1999

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1. The Ministry of Education views with concern the recent events at The Chinese High School over the impending retirement of the principal, Mr Tooh Fee San, and the requests for early retirement of the school’s two deputy principals.

2. Mr Tooh Fee San will turn 60 in November this year. On 10 August, he wrote to inform the Committee of Management that he would wish to retire when he reaches his retirement age of 60. The Committee of Management suggested that he should extend his service till the end of the year in order not to affect the pupils who would be taking their end-of-the-year examinations during this period. However, he declined to do so. The Committee of Management acceded to Mr Tooh’s strong personal request to retire, acknowledging the sterling contribution Mr Tooh has made in developing The Chinese High School to its current premier status. At a meeting between Mr Tooh, the Director-General of Education, Mr Wee Heng Tin, and the Chairman of the Committee of Management, Mrs Lim Soon Tze, at 3.00pm this afternoon, Mr Tooh reiterated his desire to retire.

3. The Committee of Management has sought the Ministry’s assistance for a good principal to be seconded to The Chinese High School. The Ministry is at present finalising the selection of a suitable principal. This will be announced by the Committee of Management at an appropriate time.

4. The Committee of Management received requests for early retirement from the two deputy principals a few days ago. It is unfortunate that the two deputy principals have also chosen to announce their request for early retirement at this busy time of the school year. The Committee of Management will meet to consider their requests, taking into account that they have not yet reached retirement age.

5. The Ministry would like to point out that The Chinese High School is at present under the management of a Committee of Management. The Committee was appointed by the Director-General of Education under Section 27(2) of the Education Act to ensure the smooth running of the school, after disputes at the Board of Directors of the Chinese High School Association threatened to affect the proper running of the School in July this year. The Board of Directors of the Chinese High School Association therefore has no authority over school matters. It is unfortunate that members of the Board of Directors of the Chinese High School Association have now decided to get involved in the matter of the retirement of the principal. It is also unfortunate that students have been brought into this matter. MOE has written to Mr Goh Teng Kee to make it clear that his involvement in the management of the School is inappropriate. The principal, Mr Tooh Fee San, has also been told that it is not appropriate to allow students to be involved in staff matters of the school.