Principal's Message 校长献词

Mr Chiew Jing Wen, Principal

A very warm greeting to all students and parents in our Nan Hua Family. As the 25th Principal of Nan Hua High School, I am extremely proud of our vibrant Nan Hua community, which characterises our love for learning, our compassion for all, and our zest for life as Nanhuarians. I am confident that our new Sec 1 students will also find in Nan Hua High School a nest where you can learn and grow.

An Institution of Bicultural Learning
As a centenary institution founded in 1917 through a philanthropic spirit to champion a better society for all, Nan Hua has grown from strength to strength over our 109 years to nurture generations of Nanhuarians who strive for excellence in life while remaining anchored in our unique sense of bicultural identity. Living out our school culture of Ren (仁), Excellence, Learning, and Collegiality in their interactions with peers and teachers with whom they learn and grow, our Nanhuarians carry a youthful exuberance, confidence, and spark which set them apart and place them in good stead to make the most of opportunities that come their way.

Nan Hua stands proud and tall today, in large part because of our deeply committed and fiercely dedicated staff. The tremendous support from our School Advisory Committee (SAC), our Parent Support Group (PSG), our Nan Hua Alumni, and our community partners, has also enabled meaningful opportunities for our students’ development over the years. Through their labour of love, our Nanhuarians can appreciate our bicultural identity with grateful humility, develop a sense of positive purpose to pursue their passion, and find meaningful balance and buoyancy in life and learning, through our unique Nan Hua experience.

As an educator, the holistic development of our students’ character, confidence, and capacity to care and contribute is very close to my heart. Amidst the winds of change that are upon our society and the global landscape, we need to prepare our children differently, for a future markedly different from what our schooling experiences prepared us for. I am heartened that our staff in Nan Hua shares this heartbeat. We must therefore deepen the strong foundations for bicultural learning that Nan Hua has laid over the years and empower our Nanhuarians to grow holistically as learners of learning for life, beyond merely students of subjects in school.

Our New Nan Hua Vision & Mission (2025 – 2028)
With gratitude for the strong foundations laid by our predecessors and in appreciation of our vibrant Nan Hua culture, our Vision in Nan Hua High School reflects the voices, hopes, and aspirations of our staff, our students, and our key stakeholders – to honour our Nan Hua identity, to encourage every Nanhuarian heartbeat, and to connect us as one Nan Hua community of:

who embrace tradition and embody the spirit of Junzi (君子) in pursuing learning for our inner cultivation, so that we may lead with courage, compassion, and humility towards a better society in our outward contribution.

As a school, we strive to achieve this vision through our mission, to nurture:

We believe that each Nanhuarian must develop a passion not just for learning but for life, and be able to:

·       Embrace the cultural strengths of our Chinese values and traditions and harness their individual character strengths, to develop a healthy sense of identity with confidence;

·       Uphold Ren (仁 Humanity) in exercising empathy and thoughtful consideration for the well-being of others, to uplift lives around them with selfless compassion; and

·       Appreciate perspectives and experiences across cultures and contexts with humility and sensitivity, to collaborate respectfully in strengthening our multi-cultural society with cultural versatility.

Our timeless Nan Hua values (忠，孝，仁，爱，礼，义，廉，耻) will remain as our moral compass, guiding us in learning and in life. Through their journey with us, we will support every Nanhuarians to develop the confidence to sense-make with purpose, make connections for growth and innovation, and strive for excellence with a healthy sense of balance and buoyancy in life.

Our School Theme for 2026
Last year, our school theme of Strength in Identity, Passion in Community – 南华同心，众彩生辉 encouraged all Nanhuarians to draw strength from our bicultural Nan Hua identity, to grow in confidence, compassion, and cultural versatility, and harness our collective passion as a Nan Hua community to give back to our society.

This year, we will build on the growth we have made as a Nan Hua Family, through our 2026 school theme of Growing Our Hearts, Shining Our Light – 正心修身，推己及人. “Growing Our Hearts” highlights the importance of nurturing our hearts in this world of tech and flux, for our identity, convictions and purpose must continue to be shaped by our timeless Nan Hua values and bicultural Nan Hua identity. When we grow our hearts, we do so not just as individual Nanhuarians with compassion, empathy, and humanity, but also as a Nan Hua Family by connecting, uplifting, and encouraging fellow Nanhuarians. “Shining Our Light" illuminates the positive footprint we can each bring into the communities around us, where new life can bloom along the trails we walk together.

As the Nan Hua experience attests, “一日南华人，一世南华情” – the camaraderie and affection of our Nanhuarians for the Nan Hua that they love, even after stepping out of our 礼义之门 in graduation, is a powerful testament to the impact of Nan Hua in their lives. As Nanhuarians, our passion must enrich lives beyond our own, and our impact must likewise reach beyond our school. When we shine our light, we live out our passion and purpose – our light can be an encouragement to unite our society in collective action, just as it can also bring new hope into the lives of those in our society who need it the most.

Our hope for all Nanhuarians is to build deep friendships, discover their passions and strengths, and harness these strengths for good – to uplift our society as a Nan Hua Family. 根植传统，放眼世界，回馈社会 – 这是我们南华人的理念。At the end of their four years in Nan Hua High School, we look forward to seeing each and every Nanhuarian emerge with confidence as Curious Learners, Cultured Scholars, and Courageous Leaders who not only embrace tradition and pursue learning for inner cultivation, but also lead with courage, compassion, and humility towards a better society in outward contribution. 愿每一名南华学生都能成为 乐学善思、文质彬彬、当仁不让 的南华人。

May we look forward to a fruitful and fulfilling 2026!

Mr Chiew Jing Wen 周景文
Principal 校长