Hello Everyone from Bukit Panjang English School

L-R : Juan Ngoh, Ai Lay, Kok Phang. Yan Huay, Poh Gek

Hello chums,

Maybe we didn't realized then, we started school on Jan 2nd 1965 before Singapore became an independent nation. on 9 August that same year. Perhaps that is why ours was called Bukit Panjang English School (BPES), instead of the reinvented Bukit Panjang Primary School as it is known now.

I don't know if anyone had any pictures of the old school building at the start of Woodlands Road between the then Bukit Panjang Police Station and Lorong Malai moonsoon canal. The stately 2 storey white washed British architecture with flipping louvre windows was said to be built before 1942 and rumoured to be the offices of the Japanese Army during their occupation of Singapore, and some said tortures were carried out there too. Anyone with surviving parents, siblings, who are old enough to have lived through that era and know some history of the school, please post them and update us.

Kim Chuan's email has been bouncing, and Ai Lay just arrowed me to start this blog so that we can all access it to add our pictures, memories, and whatever secrets we want to share from our 6 years together in primary school. We all agree that those were the purest form of friendship we have experienced.

We had school mates from our kampong days from all walks of life, regardless of race, or religion, and remembered those times fondly as we all turn 50 this year.

The ladies just met up last week at Bukit Batok West Mall Swensens and Yan Huay ( Lim Kian Seng's sister) is already a grandmother! We also want to remember some classmates, like late Seah Ah Foo who tragically died in early 1980s in a motorbike accident and now in heaven. I am sure with some efforts, we will be able trace down all the remaining classmates and teachers for a big bash in year, including some teachers like Ms Goh Kwan Gek , and emigrants like our champion runner VijayaKumar who left us for India in Pri 3.

So, boys and girls, uncles and aunties, here is my first entry and welcome to our very own BPES blog!


Sien Chi