Our father at Junior Technical School in 1950

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Back in the 1950's and after World War 2, Junior Technical Schools were established to provide vocational education to train and build up a skilled workforce for Singapore’s industralisation efforts. With studies disrupted by the war and Japanese occupation, our late father managed to enrol into this JTS in 1950 as the first cohort in the radio department at 20 years of age, and we believe it was the one at Balestier. JTS were the predecessors of today’s Polytechnics and ITEs. He graduated a few years later and joined Radio Malaya in August of 1953, his only employer that later morphed into the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation when he retired in 1985. We’d like to share these precious photos of him and his course mates as we believe these recollections contribute to our collective heritage of the beginnings of Singapore’s growing economy. We only found these precious photos after his death. It was his gift to us to encourage us all that no matter how humble one’s beginnings are, it is how you finish that matters. He finished very well, fully blessed in his long life of 93 years.


This photo was part of the bundle so we believe this was the exterior view of the Junior Technical School (in Balestier?)

Back of the photos with our late father's handwriting
Our late father, third from right

Dad, second from left

Our father seems to be the centre of attention, or pressure!

Class in session!

A course mate in full concentration

Another course mate, taking a break!

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