Ong Teck Chin
Dr. Ong Teck Chin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | November 24, 1949 |
| Citizenship | Singaporean |
| Term | 1994 - 2010 |
| Predecessor | A/Prof. Lawrence Chia |
Ong Teck Chin (Chinese: 王德进) (1949- ) is a Singaporean educator. He was formerly the Principal/CEO of Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), and resident warden of its boarding school.
Background
Dr. Ong is a former student of Raffles Institution and graduated from the National University of Singapore in 1972 with an Honours degree in Chemistry[1]. He went on to earn his D.Phil in Clinical Biochemistry at the University of Oxford in 1975 under a Rhodes Scholarship[1]. On his subsequent return to Singapore, he became a Physiology lecturer under the Faculty of Medicine at the National University of Singapore until 1991[1]. While lecturing in the NUS, he concurrently held the position of Vice-Principal in ACS(I) from 1988 till 1994, when he was appointed the Principal.
Ong has also published papers in international journals on exercise physiology, sports ergonomics and fitness assessments as well as research papers on education.[1] During his reservist days in the Singapore Armed Forces, he received a Merit Award for his essay titled Discipline and Control in the Military, submitted for the 1989 Chief of General Staff Annual Essay Competition.
In addition, Ong was the chairman of the now-defunct Broadcast, Publications & Arts Appeal Advisory Committee (BPAAC),[2], one of the committees that advised the Government of Singapore on censorship issues. He is also an executive committee member of the Singapore Centre for Teaching Thinking, established in 1998 at the National Institute of Education, as part of the Thinking Schools Learning Nation initiative launched by Singapore Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong in 1997. Ong is recognised as a Solemnizer of Marriages by the Registry of Marriages, Singapore.[3]
Ong has also been the recipient of many distinguished awards[1], including:
- The SAF Sword-of-Honour[1]
- The Outstanding Young Person of Singapore (Silver) Jaycees International Award in 1975[1],
- The National Day Commendation Medal (Military) in 1994 in recognition of his contributions to the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF)[1],
- The National Institute of Education Dr Ruth Wong Gold Medal for the Diploma in Education Administration(Secondary)[1]
- The Public Administration Medal (Silver), awarded during National Day of 1997[1]
Ong is currently an Elder and member of the Bethesda (Frankel Estate) Church, a Brethren assembly, located along Frankel Avenue in the Siglap area.
Appointment as Principal
Ong was appointed as the principal of Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) in 1994, after his predecessor, Associate Professor Lawrence Chia, stepped down after serving the school for six years[1]. Ong's appointment was initially controversial, due to his background of being a former student of Raffles Institution, a rival school.[1].
During his tenure as principal, ACS(I) has gained the prestigious Singapore Quality Award and the Singapore Quality Class[4] in recognition of its administrative excellence as well as its transparency. Singapore Quality Class (SQC) is the certification for the overall business excellence standard and the Singapore Quality Award (SQA) is the most prestigious award conferred on organisations that demonstrate the highest standards of business excellence. The school has also received many awards for excellence, such as the School Excellence Award (an award for academic excellence), the School Distinction Award, the Best Practice Awards and many awards at the Odyssey of the Mind (OM) World Finals.[1] Ong also serves as the Odyssey of the Mind Singapore Tournament Director.[5]
Ong was also the pioneer of the Pastoral Care and Career Guidance curriculum of the school, currently a core component of the school's education[1]. Ong also introduced the practice of naming the classes after biblical heroes, books or cities in 1997, as well as the practice of dedication of each academic year to an inspirational theme from the bible[1].
Ong's most prominent contribution to the school was the introduction of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme to the Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), which became the first school in the Singapore education system to implement the programme.[1]. The effort constitutes a significant step in the reform of Singaporean education system, which has been cited by critics as being too harsh and rigid in its regimen, not to mention its examination-centric approach towards achieving academic excellence.
Ong has maintained the school's reputation for strict discipline. He has said:
"We have corporal punishment for serious offences. If parents disagree, then they should not have put their child in this school".[6]
The Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) publicity material for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme additionally emphasises that students guilty of serious violations of academic dishonesty, if male, may be caned.[7]
Ong stepped down as principal in October 2010.[8] While it is claimed that he has stepped down for health reasons, alleged complaints have been made about him to the School Board of Governors. [9] The Board is currently investigating these allegations.
Health
In April 2008, Ong underwent a major open heart surgery to correct Coronary Disease. This was after he underwent tests that indicated serious blockages of his coronary arteries. Previous medical tests in December 2007 were given an all-clear.[10]
Family
Ong is married to Mdm Goh Li Shien and they have three children - Marcus Ong, Melissa Ong and Matthias Ong.
His oldest son, Marcus Ong, studied in the ACS(I) when Ong was its principal. Following this, Marcus Ong went to the Anglo Chinese Junior College and completed his undergraduate studies in the University of Wisconsin Madison, USA. He currently does Business Development for one of the major shopping centres in the West area.
His daughter, Melissa Ong, is an alumna of the Raffles Girls' School (Secondary) as well as the Raffles Junior College. She completed her Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Psychology at the National University of Singapore in 2005, and was given the opportunity to complete a semester abroad under the NUS Student Exchange Programme / UC Education Abroad Programme at the University of California. Throughout her stint in the NUS, Melissa Ong held many executive appointments as part of her co-curricular activities. She also holds a Masters in Counselling from the Monash University, Australia. She currently works for the Government of Singapore.
Ong's youngest son, Matthias Ong, followed in his footsteps and studied at the Raffles Institution and the Raffles Junior College.He completed his Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Environmental Science and Engineering at the National University of Singapore in 2010. In 2009, he was given the opportunity to complete a semester abroad at ETH Zurich, Switzerland.
Both Matthias and Melissa Ong are alumni of the Gifted Education Programme, Singapore.
In July 2009, Ong's mother, Mdm Wee Ah Choo, died. His father, Mr Ong Tian Sang, had passed away in the previous year. He was briefly absent from administrative school work, but returned shortly after his mother's exequies.
References and notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p On His Wings.(2007)
- ^ Singapore Government Directory Interactive(n.d.), retrieved from: http://app.sgdi.gov.sg/mobile/agency.asp?agency_id=0000000025 on 07 October 2008
- ^ Licensed Solemnisers, Churches pp.7 (n.d.) , retrieved from :http://www.rom.gov.sg/rom/reg_info/pdf/Church_List.pdf
- ^ Singapore Quality Awards
- ^ http://www.odysseyofthemind.com.sg
- ^ Want to complain about your child's teacher?, Straits Times, Singapore, 16 July 2001.
- ^ [1] Briefing by Principal to Parents/Guardians, 27 May 2006.
- ^ http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1085093/1/.html
- ^ http://www.acs.sch.edu.sg/acs_indep/news.php?id=127
- ^ Anglo Chinese School(Independent), Principal's Circular to Parents, Term 3 2008 (2008)