Raffles Institution was founded in June 1823 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, a Briton who established the basis for Singapore’s emergence as a major centre of mercantile trade. It is the oldest school in Singapore, and also one of the most progressive – it welcomed girls and began offering pre-university classes in 1844 and 1886 respectively. In 1879, the girls’ wing was established as Raffles Girls’ School (RGS), and 1982 saw the establishment of Raffles Junior College (RJC), which took over RI’s pre-university enrolment. RI and RJC re-integrated in 2009 under the name Raffles Institution. It jointly offers the six-year Raffles Programme (its version of the Ministry of Education’s Integrated Programme) with RGS.
RI was originally located along Bras Basah Road, where Raffles City shopping centre now stands. In fact, the library building of RI’s Bras Basah campus is featured on the two-dollar bill in Singapore legal tender. RI moved to Grange Road in March 1972, and then to its current Bishan campus in 1990. At the end of 2004, RJC (which had moved from Paterson Road to Mount Sinai in 1984) held its moving ceremony to Bishan, beside RI.
In 1984, RI became one of the first schools to offer the Ministry of Education’s school-based Gifted Education Programme.
In 2004, it received the School Excellence Award, the highest award in MOE’s Masterplan of Awards. In 2011, RI was awarded the Singapore Quality Award, the pinnacle award for business excellence in Singapore.
RI's history is extensively documented in the book, The Eagle Breeds a Gryphon, written by former headmaster Eugene Wijeysingha. While the original edition chronicles the school's history up till 1985, the latest edition includes events up to 2003.
Information Credit: Raffles Institution
RI was originally located along Bras Basah Road, where Raffles City shopping centre now stands. In fact, the library building of RI’s Bras Basah campus is featured on the two-dollar bill in Singapore legal tender. RI moved to Grange Road in March 1972, and then to its current Bishan campus in 1990. At the end of 2004, RJC (which had moved from Paterson Road to Mount Sinai in 1984) held its moving ceremony to Bishan, beside RI.
In 1984, RI became one of the first schools to offer the Ministry of Education’s school-based Gifted Education Programme.
In 2004, it received the School Excellence Award, the highest award in MOE’s Masterplan of Awards. In 2011, RI was awarded the Singapore Quality Award, the pinnacle award for business excellence in Singapore.
RI's history is extensively documented in the book, The Eagle Breeds a Gryphon, written by former headmaster Eugene Wijeysingha. While the original edition chronicles the school's history up till 1985, the latest edition includes events up to 2003.
Information Credit: Raffles Institution