Bukit Merah Secondary School

Bukit Merah Secondary School (Abbreviation: BMSS; Simplified Chinese: 达善中学; Pinyin: Hóng Shān Zhōng Xúe; Malay: Sekolah Menengah Bukit Merah) is a co-educational, single session, government secondary school in Bukit Merah of Singapore. It is situated along Lengkok Bahru in the Bukit Merah vicinity.

Bukit Merah Secondary School
达善中学
Sekolah Menengah Bukit Merah
Location
10 Lengkok Bahru, Singapore 159050

Bukit Merah

Singapore
Coordinates1.2859°N 103.8131°E / 1.2859; 103.8131
Information
TypeGovernment
Co-educational
MottoSedia
"Always be Prepared"
Established4 January 1968 (1968-01-04)
SessionSingle
School code3203
PrincipalMr Timothy Cheng Ghee Hock
Colour(s) Navy Blue   Red   White 
Websitebukitmerahsec.moe.edu.sg

BMSS has established itself as a Value-Added school since 1993, offering the Express, Normal Academic and Normal Technical streams leading to a Singapore-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level or Singapore-Cambridge GCE Normal Level certificate.

History

Bukit Merah Secondary School (BMSS) was the 101st school built by the government. It was completed and handed over to the Ministry of Education on 28th December 1967.

The school received its first batch of students on 4th January 1968 and was officially declared open by the Minister of Parliament of Bukit Merah, Mr Lim Guan Hoo, on 16th May 1968.

Merging with Saint Thomas, Delta and Henderson Secondary

In 2001, St. Thomas Secondary School merged with BMSS and the old school building was demolished to make way for a new campus with better facilities that would cater to the growing school population. In 2004, Delta Secondary School merged with BMSS. In the same year, the new school building at Lengkok Bahru was officially declared open by Mr Chay Wai Chuen, the Member of Parliament for Tanjong Pagar GRC. The following year, a new vision and mission statement was crafted for the school to better reflect its identity following the mergers.

Most recently in 2017, Henderson Secondary School (HSS) and BMSS were merged into a single school to give the new BMSS strategic depth and to allow for a wider range of educational and enrichment programmes for students. The school continues to be known as Bukit Merah Secondary School in English, while adopting HSS’ Chinese name—达善中学, in order to reflect the amalgamation of the strengths and heritage of both schools.

Identity & culture

Students in the school are known as "Merahans".

School Badge

The badge, shaped like a triangle, resembles a hill in red because the school is situated on a hill of red laterite. The lettering incorporates in the initials "bm" for Bukit Merah, and the Chinese calligraphy for '红山', only known by staff and students

School Crest

The School Crest is a red triangle standing for a hill - Redhill or Bukit Merah - the name of the school. The insignia in the crest stands for "bm". The "bm" stands for Bukit Merah which is both the Malay and English name for the school. When viewed from afar, the wordings "bm" also resemble the cursive style of the Chinese characters "红山" (Redhill) which is the Chinese name for the school. The flash leads upwards to signify progress, steadfastness, sureness and the inculcation of values. In the flash is the school motto Sedia, meaning "Always be Prepared".

Academic information

Being a government secondary school, Bukit Merah Secondary School offers three academic streams, namely the four-year Express course, as well as the Normal Course, comprising Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical) academic tracks.

GCE O Level Express Course

The Express Course is a nationwide four-year programme that leads up to the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level examination.[1]

Academic subjects

The examinable academic subjects for Singapore-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level offered by Bukit Merah Secondary School for upper secondary level (via. streaming in secondary 2 level), as of 2017, are listed below.[2]

Notes:

  1. Subjects indicated with ' * ' are mandatory subjects.
  2. All students in Singapore are required to undertake a Mother Tongue Language as an examinable subject, as indicated by ' ^ '.
  3. "SPA" in Pure Science subjects refers to the incorporation of School-based Science Practical Assessment, which 20% of the subject result in the national examination are determined by school-based practical examinations, supervised by the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board. The SPA Assessment has been replaced by one Practical Assessment in the 2018 O Levels.[3]
Sciences Language & Humanities Arts & Aesthetics
  • Additional Mathematics*
  • Mathematics*
  • Physics (SPA)
  • Chemistry (SPA)*
  • Biology (SPA)
  • Science (Combined)
  • English Language*
  • English Literature
  • Mother Tongue Language* ^
  • Higher Mother Tongue Language
  • Geography
  • History
  • Combined Humanities (Social Studies & another Humanities subject at elective level)*
  • Art
  • Design & Technology
  • Food & Nutrition
  • Music

Normal Course

The Normal Course is a nationwide 4-year programme leading to the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Normal Level examination, which runs either the Normal (Academic) curriculum or Normal (Technical) curriculum, abbreviated as N(A) and N(T) respectively.[4]

Normal (Academic) Course

In the Normal (Academic) course, students offer 5-8 subjects in the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Normal Level examination. Compulsory subjects include:[5]

  • English Language
  • Mother Tongue Language
  • Mathematics
  • Combined Humanities

A 5th year leading to the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level examination is available to N(A) students who perform well in their Singapore-Cambridge GCE Normal Level examination. Students can move from one course to another based on their performance and the assessment of the school principal and teachers.[4]

Normal (Technical) Course

The Normal (Technical) course prepares students for a technical-vocational education at the Institute of Technical Education.[5] Students will offer 5-7 subjects in the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Normal Level examination.[5] The curriculum is tailored towards strengthening students’ proficiency in English and Mathematics.[5] Students take English Language, Mathematics, Basic Mother Tongue and Computer Applications as compulsory subjects.[5]

Notable alumni

St. Thomas Secondary School
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References
  1. "Express Course Curriculum". www.moe.gov.sg. Retrieved 2017-09-14.
  2. "School Information Service". Ministry of Education, Singapore. Ministry of Education, Singapore. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
  3. "GCE O-Level Syllabuses Examined in 2018". Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB). Archived from the original on 2017-04-28. Retrieved 2017-04-16.
  4. "Secondary School Courses". www.moe.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 2017-07-04. Retrieved 2017-09-14.
  5. "Normal Course Curriculum". www.moe.gov.sg. Retrieved 2017-09-14.
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