Good morning everyone and the warmest of welcomes to UWCSEA. My name is Nick Alchin; I am Head of College, and having been here since 1995 I feel I have been here a long time. So today is a moment of humility for me when I think that many of you graduated from here before I was born! We are honoured by your long connection with us, and with Singapore. Thank you for spending time with us!
It was 2018 when you were last here, and when you so kindly donated a tree and a plaque which can be found at the biodiversity water catchment area. I hope you have a chance to visit that. I imagine you will see some changes since there, and also much that endures. And that is really the theme for my brief words today; that much changes and that much endures. It’s true, clearly, of you all; it’s true for St Johns/UWCSEA, and it certainly true for Singapore.
Changes. I am sure since 2018 a lot has changed for all of us personally, and I hope the years have been kind to you. It gets tougher to travel as the years go by, and I hope you are all well and truly over your jetlag and well into your hangovers, after some good evenings with old friends.
Here at school you will see big changes. From St. John’s School, a 14 - 19 school of less than 1000 students, we are now UWCSEA, a 4 - 18 school, now the largest international School in the World serving 5700 students a year. We are the largest in the 18 school strong movement. We are no longer an Army school, but serve families from 100+ countries in a whole range of professions.
Singapore, of course, has also changed in remarkable ways. I believe one of your fathers shot a crocodile that had been attacking people. That doesn’t happen any more! And generally, one cannot avoid marvelling at the amazing progress; it’s hard to believe this is such a young country that has come so far, so quickly, and like so many residents and visitors, we all carry such affection and respect for the nation which has, in the 50 odd years you were students here, beaten all the odds to create a safe, prosperous, community-focussed oasis of stability and good governance in what is an increasingly unstable world.
So much has changed. But much has also endured.
It was 2018 when you were last here, and when you so kindly donated a tree and a plaque which can be found at the biodiversity water catchment area. I hope you have a chance to visit that. I imagine you will see some changes since there, and also much that endures. And that is really the theme for my brief words today; that much changes and that much endures. It’s true, clearly, of you all; it’s true for St Johns/UWCSEA, and it certainly true for Singapore.
Changes. I am sure since 2018 a lot has changed for all of us personally, and I hope the years have been kind to you. It gets tougher to travel as the years go by, and I hope you are all well and truly over your jetlag and well into your hangovers, after some good evenings with old friends.
Here at school you will see big changes. From St. John’s School, a 14 - 19 school of less than 1000 students, we are now UWCSEA, a 4 - 18 school, now the largest international School in the World serving 5700 students a year. We are the largest in the 18 school strong movement. We are no longer an Army school, but serve families from 100+ countries in a whole range of professions.
Singapore, of course, has also changed in remarkable ways. I believe one of your fathers shot a crocodile that had been attacking people. That doesn’t happen any more! And generally, one cannot avoid marvelling at the amazing progress; it’s hard to believe this is such a young country that has come so far, so quickly, and like so many residents and visitors, we all carry such affection and respect for the nation which has, in the 50 odd years you were students here, beaten all the odds to create a safe, prosperous, community-focussed oasis of stability and good governance in what is an increasingly unstable world.
So much has changed. But much has also endured.
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| The St John's Alumni |
As far as Singapore goes, you will detect in Singaporeans the same drive and steely determination; and at the same time also the same big smiles, curiosity and warm welcomes. Despite the increased population, it still feels like a green city that our founding Prime Minister envisaged all those years before “Green” became so much more than a Colour - a Utopia of sort; indeed the St Johns school magazine even went so far as to call is a “Lee Kwan Yew-topia”
At heart Singapore remains what it has always been, and we are all grateful. The same can be said for the school. There is much that endures, if you look under the surface.
Underlying superficial names changes - from Richborough House, Dover House, Deal House and Rochester House to Nelson Mandela House, Tampines House and Kurt Hahn House, there is a direct line of continuity from the vibrant St John’s community to today. And in the SJS school magazines, I found extensive reference to trips, activities, expeditions, drama, community service… St Johns was a school where, to quote a student article ““A place where things happen”. That has not changed; we still provide what is, I believe, an holistic education that prepares students for successful lives of meaning.
You, the St Johns Reunion group, are the oldest and most esteemed of our alumni networks. We are so grateful for your visit, and I hope you enjoy today, and return many, many times in the future.
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| The site of St John's School, later to become UWCSEA Dover Campus Note the iconic roof of the main hall, which is still recognisable today |
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