Nanyang Junior College

History

Nanyang Junior College was founded in 1977 as Lorong Chuan Junior College, It was among the first government-aided junior colleges to be established in Singapore, settling at Serangoon Avenue 3. The first Principal was Mr Chia Khoon Hock. The first cohort of about six hundred Arts and Science students, was enrolled in January 1978. Academic lessons were temporarily conducted at the former Westlake Secondary School campus. Construction of the major buildings and facilities at the permanent site was completed in November 1978, and started adminislative and academic operations the following month.

The college was renamed as Nanyang Junior College in 1978. The name "Nanyang" refers to the "Southern Seas" in Mandrain Chinese. The term was widely used by the mainland Chinese people to refer the region encompassed by Singapore, Malaysia and the Southeast Asian region. The name is a reflection of the origins of Singapore having been built by immigrants predominantly from China, India, Malaysia, as well as other parts of the world.

As the campus of Nanyang Junior College was built on a small ridge, fog often covered part of the college in the 1980s and 1990s. Thus, the College was well known affectionately as “白云岗” (Chinese: Literal meaning "White Cloud Ridge"). This is also the inspiration for the brand-name of the college's Chinese Cultural Society's annual drama production, "我们的白云岗" (Chinese: Literal meaning "Our White Cloud Ridge").

In 1997, Nanyang Junior College was selected to be the second college in Singapore to offer the Art Elective Programme (AEP). From 15 January 1999, Nanyang Junior College became the third pre-university centre in Singapore to launch the Chinese Language Elective Programme (CLEP).

In 2006, the school's executive committee proposed a change to the school's name as: "Chung Cheng Junior College", to signify the affiliation of Nanyang Junior College with Chung Cheng High (Main) and Chung Cheng High (Yishun). This proposition is overwhelmingly rejected by the alumni and staff. A sign was also erected beside the quadrangle, engraving the dedications "Once an NYJCian, Always an NYJCian", as an affirmation to the school identity.

In recent years, Nanyang Junior College has witnessed tremendous raise in its admission requirements. This places the institution as one of the top five junior colleges based on entry points. The college has proved its consistent results in the GCE Advanced Level national examination, faring well above national average for many subjects.

Insignia and Motto

Nanyang Junior College's insignia is a red shield incorporating a blue base with four yellow crescents, which bears a head of a white lion. The white lion over the red background symbolise the courage and confidence to strive for excellence in the face of challenge, as portrayed by the waves in blue, which physically represents the literal meaning of the name "Nanyang (Southern Ocean) ". The white lion also portrays the quality to challenge convention as a leader, as a symbol of distinction. The colour of red is symbolic of the brotherhood the multi-cultural society as well as the developmental aspect of the nation, as portrayed by the four crescents.

The college motto, "Together We Build", highlighted the importance of each individual as a building block of a community, as well as the importance of a unified strength and resilience.

Uniform

Male students wear a plain beige-coloured shirt with beige pants. Female students wear a beige-coloured shirt with beige skirt. The former uniform, which was of a deeper brown, was completely phased out in 2008. The collar pin, which bears the college insignia, is worn on the left collar of shirt. Dark brown blazers and school ties are worn on special occasions. The attire for PE is a college T-shirt with blue and white shoulder stripes and black shorts which bear the school initials.

In 2012, two dress-down days were introduced (Wednesdays and Fridays). This was accompanied by the introduction of the college polo T-shirts. Apart from the class, CCA T-shirts, students could wear the college polo T-shirts and school event T-shirts as part of the official college uniform. The formerly popular college house T-shirts were later ruled out to boost college cohesiveness and prevent segregation. In 2013, the number of dress-down days was increased to 4 (except for Wednesdays)

Student Welfare

Nanyang Junior College is one of the few colleges in Singapore not allocating an 'S' to Science classes and 'A' to Arts classes since the new curriculum was introduced in 2006, opting instead to avoid such labels in order to foster a greater sense of college spirit. It is also one of the few junior colleges in Singapore that do not hold morning assemblies at the conventional 7.30 am or 7.40 am. Assembly is held at 8.30 am on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays for first year students, and on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for second year students. Students will report to school by 8.25 am on these days. On the remaining days, there are no assembly and students may go report at 8.50 am.

JC Experience Day

Nanyang Junior College is the only college in Singapore that offer secondary school students opportunity to fully experience the junior college curriculum. Activities offered under the annual event includes stimulated lessons for subjects of choice, as well as immersion in selected co-curricular activities and student interest groups of the school.

Admission and affiliation

Nanyang Junior College admits students annually through the Joint Admission Exercise (JAE), as well as through Direct School Admission (DSA). The College also admits international students through a qualifying test, as well as international scholarship holders applied through the Ministry of Education.

Nanyang Junior College is affiliated with Chung Cheng High School (Main) and Chung Cheng High School (Yishun), which share the same School Management Committee. Students from both affiliated institutions are entitled to two additional point reduction to their L1R5 raw scores for their GCE Ordinary Level examination results when applying for admission into NYJC (a maximum of 4 reduction points to L1R5 score is allowed for JC Joint Admission Exercise, with the exception for appeals through Language Elective Programmes, which additional 2-point reduction may be applied as a factor of consideration).

Campus

Nanyang Junior College’s campus was built on a hilly ridge off Lorong Chuan, and underwent a redevelopment in the 2000s to keep up with the changes to the academic and non-academic curriculum.

The campus is designed to incorporate natural ventilation and lighting, as well as seamless accessibility for the disabled. The main block is characterised by its iconic circular foyer which features the college fountain and houses three lecture theatres beneath. The staff room, library and computer laboratories are built around the foyer. The fourth and largest lecture theatre, has a seating capacity of 600, and is equipped with stage facilities. All lecture theatres and mass lesson venues are installed with tables catered to left-handers. The college features study benches scattered in abundance around the school, allowing students to study under a quiet environment aside the library.

The college is open during the weekends and public holidays, and allows students to study in tutorial rooms through a booking system.

Academic Information

Nanyang Junior College offers Arts and Science courses that leads up to the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Advanced Level examinations.

As a student-centred junior college, NYJC is quoted locally as the most flexible college in terms of its availability of subject combinations. In recent years, the school has come into prominence for its steady rise to be among colleges with the most competitive academic achievements, faring well above the national average for a number of subjects at the annual GCE A Level examination. This was also reflected by the growing selectivity and increasingly stringent entry requirements for applicants year-on-year.

Language Elective Programme

As a ministry designated Cluster Centre of Excellence for Chinese Language, Nanyang Junior College offers the Chinese Language Elective Programme (or 语特) since 1999. Students are required to undertake H2 Chinese Language and Literature and a Chinese Language related subject to be eligible for the programme. To date, it has produced many scholarship holders in the Chinese Language field.

Art Elective Programme

Nanyang Junior College offers the Art Elective Programme since 1997. The college is also one of the ministry designated Cluster Centre of Excellence for Art.

Student Council

The Student Council is formed by a group of 30 to 40 councillors elected by the student population. Headed by an executive committee, there are three committees in the Student Council – Welfare, Communications and College Image and Bonding. Nanyang Junior College Student Council is one of the first Student Councils in Singapore to have a Twitter account to update the student population on college events and initiatives.

Class Leaders' Committee

The Class Leaders' Committee (CLC) (previously known as 'Civics Tutorial Congress') of NYJC is made up of all Class Leaders. The entire Class Leaders' Committee is governed by a body called the Class Leaders' Executive Committee (CLEXCO), which helps in disseminating all information to the Class Leaders, organising courses and camps for Class Leaders, planning and executing events in school.

Nanyang Junior College Alumni Association

Nanyang Junior College Alumni Association was the official alumni body of Nanyang Junior College, registered on 15 June 1988. The association is aimed to strengthen ties between the graduates, as well as with current students, former and present staffs. It also serve as a partner of the college in initiatives and programmes in relation to students' all-round development. For instance, the association introduced the NY Achiever Award to be given on College Day to students who have excelled in both their studies and in community service, as a complement to the leadership development curriculum of the college.

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