27/08/2026
Our alma mater, Victoria School, marked a historic milestone in 2026 with its 150th-anniversary dinner, held on Friday, 24 July 2026, at the Fairmont Singapore. The evening celebrated the school’s remarkable legacy, bringing together many generations of Victorians, with more than 1,200 in attendance, including alumni, staff, students, parents, and supporters.
In his speech, Principal Mr Low Chun Meng reflected on how Victoria School has quietly helped shape Singapore over the past century and a half. From its humble beginnings in 1876 as an English class for 12 Malay boys in Kampong Glam, the school has grown into an institution that nurtures the minds, bodies, and character of young Singaporeans from all walks of life.
The theme, “Honour Our Heritage, Inspire the Future,” served as both a tribute and a promise. It honoured the foundations laid by earlier generations and recognised 150 years of visionary school leaders, dedicated teachers, loyal students, and steadfast supporters who have shaped Victoria School and generations of Victorians. At the same time, it called on today’s students to carry this proud legacy forward.
President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who attended as Guest of Honour, delivered a speech to warm applause and cheers. His remarks affirmed Victoria School’s quiet yet enduring role in shaping Singapore. He praised Victoria School’s 150-year legacy of shaping Singapore through its alumni, values, and service to society. He highlighted the school’s contributions across politics, sports, the arts, public life, and community initiatives. He also commended VS for cultivating humility, empathy, curiosity, civic-mindedness, and regional cultural understanding among generations of students.
The Old Victorians’ Association (OVA) was honoured that President Tharman also mentioned “TASEK Project Joy, a partnership between Victoria School, the Old Victorians’ Association and TASEK, supporting children from disadvantaged circumstances. Some three dozen Victoria students have been engaged as mentors, on the football field and in mathematics. The alumni supports the effort. Importantly, the boys themselves grow in the process: learning to coach younger students with patience, and with a sensitivity to their backgrounds that often involve a difficult complex of issues.” OVA is proud to be a partner in this project.
The Victoria School Chinese Orchestra (VSCO) performed “Chan Mali Chan,” a Malay folk song rooted in Singapore’s cultural heritage. The performance was a thoughtful tribute to Victoria School’s humble beginnings as an English class for 12 Malay boys and a poignant reminder of how far both Singapore and Victoria School have come.
For its second piece, VSCO performed “五彩缤纷”, a work originally based on an Indian melody and arranged for the Chinese Orchestra. It was a tribute to Singapore’s multicultural society, depicting students from four different races living harmoniously and looking towards a happy and prosperous future. It reflected the values instilled in us through our school upbringing. In many ways, Victoria School is a microcosm of Singapore: inclusive, diverse and harmonious.
The setting at Fairmont Singapore lent the evening dignity and grandeur befitting such an important milestone. Yet the true heart of the celebration was not the venue, but the people gathered there. They came together in shared memories, profound gratitude, and purpose. For alumni, the dinner affirmed that their years at Victoria School remain an inseparable part of their identity. For teachers and staff, it was a well-deserved recognition of their vital role in carrying forward a proud tradition of education, character formation, and community building. For the students, it was an inspiring glimpse of the legacy they have inherited and the responsibility they now carry to uphold. For the parents, it was a moment of pride, seeing their sons belong to a school whose values continue to shape their lives far beyond the classroom. Together, all present embodied the living continuity of the Victorian Spirit.
At the close, that Victorian Spirit was felt as voices across the dining hall rose in unison to sing the School Anthem. We sang as though we were back at school once more, united by the same pride, loyalty, and affection that have bound Victorians across generations. As the anthem gave way to rapturous cheers echoing spontaneously throughout the hall, it was clear that the spirit of Victoria still burns brightly. After 150 years, Victoria School stands not only as an institution of proud history, but as a beacon of character, service, and brotherhood, with the promise of many more glorious generations to come.
Our intent to keep her flag unfurled.
