Hello, everyone.

During today's Assembly (9 February 2007) Mrs Anis informed us that she had asked Mrs Deborah Tan regarding our proposal and that there is purportedly no way we can change it because:

1. The schedule has been finalised - This is understandable, frankly.

2. Lessons have been planned - This is marginally less understandable because nobody will BE in the mood for lessons anyway, and lessons can be changed if there are strong enough reasons to do so.

3. 16 February is not Chinese New Year's Eve, nor is it an official holiday. -Frankly, this is a bit absurd, because it is obviously the only chance we get to visit our teachers on "Chinese New Year" and all that. Anyway, there are three other schools that we know of, that release their pupils early on 16 of February like Chinese New Year's Eve in other years.

Raffles Institution: 10.30am

Hwa Chong Institution: 09.45am, latest by 10.30am

Nanyang Girls' High School: 11.30am

Saint Joseph's Institute (SJI): 10.30am

I can literally anticipate the backlash that might come; that we do not need to be like other schools, and that after all, it's the other schools' choice that they release their students at least 1.5h earlier than us. But at the start of the year, we did learn that we, Filiae Melioris Aevi, are daughters of a better age.

I humbly suggest that Raffles Girls' School's faculty learn from others' virtues; namely, to understand that on 16 February most pupils:

a) will not be in the mood to study,

b)or worse, be darkly grumbling under their breath about being released at 1pm,

that nobody will be paying much attention to the three blocks of lessons.

Mrs S. Anis also mentioned that there will be other chances for us to visit our alma maters on days like Teachers' Day and other occasions. Visiting our teachers on Chinese New Year's Eve, or even the eve of that, is unquestionably significant and is a sign of respect to them.

Mrs Anis seems to understand that, still, for she mentioned that we could also make alternative plans to meet up with our teachers in the Chinese New Year period. That would be feasible if our

sole aim of going back is to find our teachers. Indeed, that may be the main aim of our visit, but another, only slightly less important reason is that we want to catch up on friendships rudely broken by our school postings.

Friendship is indeed one of the three types of love that we were taught during Peer Support sessions on Saturdays, and the type of love we should encompass for our fellow Rafflesians. Perhaps friendship with non-Rafflesians should be equally valued.

In case anyone has misunderstood us when we came round your classes to gauge your feelings about 16 February, this is the letter that we intend to send to Mrs Deborah Tan if we garner enough support.

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Dear Mrs Deborah Tan,

In our two months here in Raffles Girls’ School, we have adjusted well to the changes and are enjoying ourselves. However, we dearly miss our primary schools as we have had many happy memories there. Hence, we would like to return to our previous schools to visit our ex-teachers on the 16th of February, the eve of the eve of Chinese New Year. This is so that even as we become part of the RGS community, we retain our ties to our respective primary schools.

However, on the 16th of February, we are released at 1.00pm after the class party and the celebrations. We feel that if we were to visit our schools after we are released at 1pm, it would be too late and celebrations at our primary school would have ended. It is also difficult for us to visit our primary schools on the 21st of February or after, because lessons at our primary schools would have ended before we are released after school.

Hence, we would like to suggest that the planned class parties be annulled and the Chinese New Year celebrations moved up to right after the lessons on the 16th February. Therefore, instead of the original plan to have –

Three blocks of lessons;
The class party;
The Chinese New Year celebrations.

We suggest that it be amended to –

Three blocks of lessons;
The Chinese New Year celebrations

Hence, it could be possible that we be released substantially earlier.

We feel that there will be many opportunities throughout the year for us to bond as a class through class parties, but chances for us to visit our primary schools are sparse. Chinese New Year’s Eve’s eve, the 16th of February, is one of the best opportunities.

We hope that despite 16th of February being neither an official holiday nor Chinese New Year's Eve, you will understand that we would truly value being allowed to visit our primary school teachers on that day together with our primary school friends. Thank you.


Yours Sincerely,
Secondary 1 Cohort

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Hopefully misconceptions have been cleared, and everyone is better equipped to make their own decisions.

Many of us are understandably afraid of being rebuked or worse for participating in this. However, we hope that reading this letter would help you understand that participants would not be signing up for some madcap rebellion, but instead a cordial, civilised request.

Still, if we do get into trouble, big or small, for this, I do not deny that when this was drafted we were aware of these risks. Yet if everyone wants the most desirable outcome but do not want to participate in shaping that possibility, it will not self-realise. United we stand, and united we shall fall. At least if we send the letter, we know that we have tried.

We suggest that class chairpersons sign our proposal if more than two-thirds of the class agrees, but not if at least one-third disagree. I would like to represent my class in urging everyone to decide based on what you think is right. This is purely voluntary, and if dissidents strongly disagree, we would like to leave this to the class chairperson to decide.

Still, there are some people who feel that perhaps we shouldn't dwell on this much and just.... somehow let it be the good old 1pm deadline that we can moan about to other primary school friends. I really have nothing to say if that is universal popular opinion, but if anyone else is willing to continue with this, I will.

Written in her own capacity.

-Huang Xinyuan.