Enrolment at SJI International keeps going up and up
18 May 2009, Straits Times

Dr Tony Tan unveiling a bust of the late billionaire Khoo Teck Puat, an SJI old boy, in the presence of Mr Khoo's daughter, Mrs Mavis Oei. SJI (International), which began accepting students two years ago, received a $5 million donation from the tycoon's estate.

THE newest 'local international' school here has seen enrolment boom since it first began accepting students two years ago.

In fact, St Joseph's Institution (International) now has about 40 expatriate children on the waiting list for its primary section, which has filled all its 320 places for the new academic year beginning in August, said principal Andrew Bennett at the school's official opening yesterday.

The success of SJI (International) mirrors that of two other similar schools here - ACS International and Hwa Chong International, both of which opened in 2005 and have seen enrolment grow by five or six times since then.

Yesterday, the chairman of the SJI (International) board, Mr Lawrence da Silva, retraced the school's successful arc since it first began accepting students in 2007.

Its pioneer batch had just 112 students. The number has grown to 725, all of whom are enrolled in the school's 12-year programme, which leads up to the International Baccalaureate.

Demand is so strong that the school, in Thomson Road, expects enrolment to grow to 1,000 by next January.

In his speech at the event yesterday, guest-of-honour Dr Tony Tan, a patron of the SJI International Leadership Council, a group of old boys who raised funds and helped set up the school, pointed to one factor in its success.

Dr Tan, an old boy of SJI himself, said the school's Lasallian mission provides for a unique learning environment.

This mission aims to provide students with the skills and knowledge to lead productive lives while inculcating sound moral values within the context of Singapore's multiracial, multi-religious and multicultural society.

Tolerance of other people's viewpoints and beliefs, while remaining rooted in a foundation of sound moral values, added Dr Tan, has always been the hallmark of the Lasallian schools in Singapore.

Dr Tan, who is also chairman of Singapore Press Holdings, gave credit to teachers and others who have kept to that goal over the years.

'Through their dedication and concern for their students, the teachers and administrators of the Lasallian schools, working in cooperation with parents and guardians, play a vital role in shaping young lives and their futures,' he said.

'With the continuing support of the community, I am confident that the Lasallian family of schools will make even greater contributions to education in Singapore in the years ahead.'

Yesterday, Dr Tan also launched Men For Others, a book written by SJI old boy and former Straits Times deputy editor Warren Fernandez.

The book aims to capture the essence of SJI by profiling 50 Josephians and how the years in the school shaped their lives.

He also presented a token of appreciation to former remisier Peter Lim - an old boy of Raffles Institution - who donated $1 million to the school.

The money will be used to fund scholarships.

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