METHODIST Girls’ School (MGS) celebrated the dedication and opening of a new educational block – the Puan Sri Helene Tan Chin Tuan Building – with a month of celebrations in July-August called Celebrate MGS.
The dedication service was conducted by Bishop Dr Robert Solomon on July 14, 2006 in a school blessed in its people, its many benefactors and stakeholders and its brand of education. Students and teachers gathered quietly at the netball courts where Violette Troung Shuming performed on the keyboard, followed by the singing of hymns before the Rev Dr Peter Wong read the lesson and led in prayer.
In his remarks, Bishop Dr Solomon urged the pupils and teachers to live responsibly, to treat the new building with care, and to honour God’s name through their actions.
The building was then presented for dedication by Mrs Fang Ai Lian, Chairman of the MGS Board of Management, and Ms Kon Mei Leen, Principal of MGS. Students, teachers and guests rose as one to dedicate the building to the glory of God: Students pledged to come with inquiring minds and honest purposes, while teachers pledged to nurture their students to be eager learners and leaders with character and concern for the good of others.
At the end of the service the school asked God to continue to “Bless This School”.
Official Opening
The official opening of the new building recently completed to house several science laboratories was held on July 22. The guest-of-honour was Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister for Education and Second Minister for Finance.
Arriving at 5.30 pm to a warm reception from the girls who lined the corridors, the minister was welcomed by a series of well-rehearsed performances by Primary 1 girls, who sang a welcome song with gusto and sheer delight, followed by cheerleaders from the Primary School and the celebrated MGSizzlers who presented their routines with grace and perfect timing.
Following this, the athletes who had represented Singapore in various competitions showed the minister their mettle in a display of gymnastics and synchronised swimming routines which had previously awed their fans.
The Asean scholars, dressed in their ethnic costumes, danced to the rhythm of traditional music. The minister himself scored on this day, when everyone expected him to, when with athletic grace and panache, he kicked a goal into the (keeperless) net to a roar of approval from the crowd.
In his address at the M.E. Lau Hall, Mr Tharman commended the school for educating and moulding women of excellence who have helped make for a better country.
He was impressed by the sense of purposefulness, the adventure and the camaraderie that permeated school life here and could not ignore the confidence and energy that flowed from within.
Concluding his remarks he declared the Puan Sri Helene Tan Chin Tuan building open.
The service came to a close with the Handbell Choir from the full school performing “Let all things their Creator bless”. The guests were then invited to view the many exhibits which celebrated life at school.
