Go East! with Ping Yi Secondary School

Think Joo Chiat is all about food and Peranakan homes, or Chai Chee is all about HDB flats? Teachers and students from Ping Yi Secondary School could tell you a thing or two instead, for instance pointing out the former home of Zubir Said, composer of Singapore’s national anthem, along Joo Chiat Place, or recalling how Chai Chee used to be full of vegetable farms.

These tidbits of information are part and parcel of the school’s “Go East!” heritage trail tours, which provide walk-and-ride explorations of culturally rich neighbourhoods such as Joo Chiat, Katong and Chai Chee. “We’re trying to make National Education fun and not too formal,” says Mr Samuel Wee, the coordinator for National Education at Ping Yi Secondary School.

So besides what students learn in the classroom, they can also be trained to become tour guides. Then they can lead their fellow students or visitors to the school on a “Go East!” tour, covering religious buildings, educational institutions and famous eateries like the coffeeshops selling Katong laksa.

Learning on the go

The heritage trails started in 2008, when Mr Wee and his National Education committee spent weeks researching various destinations and planning possible routes. Even though some of the sights in these areas are not very well-known, they are important emblems of Singapore society, such as the variety of religious places of worship in Chai Chee estate, or the rich Peranakan and Eurasian history of Katong.

Then it was time to find tour guides. They wanted students who had a strong interest in social studies and history – plus a positive attitude. “The teachers selected some of us and ask if we wanted to help out. If we said yes, the teachers sent us for training,” explains Sec 1 student Daud Zainie. He is one of over 20 guides, or National Education ambassadors, who now facilitate the tours and help their peers with completing their trail-based National Education homework. Some of the student guides also worked on the tour script that they deliver.

Preparations are not easy — each tour runs for two hours, and students have to practise four times a week, for two weeks. They also learn to work in groups of four or five students, leading about a tour group of about 20 at a time. So far, students have led tours for their schoolmates and teachers, as well as for students visiting from a school in India. Later this year, the school hopes to conduct tours for primary school pupils and perhaps community partners too.

East meets everywhere else

Interestingly, not all National Education ambassadors are local students. Ms Wong Xiu Yan, History teacher and a co-creator of the heritage trails, says that the selection of foreign students was intentional. “This trail serves as a platform for our international students to get to know Singapore on a deeper level and interact more with Singaporeans,” explains Ms Wong. “At the same time, our Singaporean students get to learn more about the cultures of other countries.”

Take Sec 2 student Trizia Tamara for example. Three years ago, she left her home in the Philippines to study in Singapore. When a teacher asked her to become a National Education ambassador last year, Trizia quickly accepted even though she wasn’t Singaporean.

“I like the harmony here and learning about different cultures in Singapore,” she says. “The Philippines is very different from Singapore. The north is mostly Roman Catholic while the south is mostly Muslim. If you really want to find out about Muslim culture, you have to take a boat to another island.”

Mr Wee notes that there are other benefits to the programme too. “We wanted students to feel a sense of ownership, so we try to get them to initiate as many projects as possible,” he explains about their choice of having student guides. “We also want to nurture their leadership skills.”

Indeed, becoming a student guide has given Trizia a boost in confidence. “Previously I was really shy,” she admits, “but thanks to the training, I’ve since gone on to take part in oratory competitions too.”