July 03, 2020, 04:59 PM
A petition has been launched calling on Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) to withdraw a message — originally meant for students — which has found its way onto social media.
In the message, the school advised its JC1 and JC2 students from posting anything relating to the general elections on social media.
The petition is titled "Hwa Chong Institution to Withdraw Advice Election Commentary" and called HCI's email "damaging to both the students' development as politically involved citizens and the purpose of fostering ecosystem of critical thinking within educational institutions."
Hwa Chong's political history
Ironically, while HCI's message was motivated by an intention to avoid the kind of attention the school is currently receiving, the petition along with an accompanying meme has found some virality on Facebook.
Posted by Facebook user Goh Jing Heng Alfred, the meme contrasts the difference between HCI's past and present stance on getting political.It references HCI's antecedent Chinese High School, which has students who were involved in political protests, sit-ins, and even clashed with police.
One particular incident in 1956 saw a protest by students over the forced dissolution of the Singapore Chinese Middle Schools Students’ Union for its alleged communist sympathies.
After these students were subject to disciplinary action from Chinese High School's principal and the Ministry of Education, students responded by camping out in front of the school.
The protests came to a climax when over 2,000 demonstrators and police clashed in the Bukit Timah area near Chinese High School.
Chinese High School eventually merged with Hwa Chong Junior College to form HCI.
"Bedrock to the political landscape of Singapore"
The petition addressed to HCI and its alumni also alluded to the school's history of political activism.
"Hwa Chong has had a pivotal role in Singapore's political history continues to be a bedrock to the political landscape of Singapore," wrote its organisers.
"Like many schools, it is also a reservoir for talent and future leaders in industry and government - the school's misguided approach only serves to handicap these students and spread political apathy. Singapore's education institutions need to teach students to navigate the political landscape, and not handicap their ability to do so."
At the time of writing the petition had garnered over 300 signatures.
Top image from Goh Jing Heng Alfred's Facebook page and Twitter
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