History

Founded in 1950, Jurong Primary School grew from a small kampong school into a reputable institution, merging with Boon Lay Primary in 2006 at its current Jurong East St 32 campus.

Last updated 5 August 2026

Exterior of Jurong Primary School, a multi-story yellow and white building with colorful accents and trees in front.

History

The year was 1950. A school named Jurong Road School was built along Old Jurong Road with 100 pupils and 3 teachers and Mr Phoa Hock Seng was its first principal. The medium of instruction was English with Chinese, and Malay and Tamil were second languages. Majority of the students came from nearby farming communities such as Tuas, Dunearn Road and Bukit Timah village areas. The school was renamed Jurong Morning School in 1954 and later changed its name to Jurong School I and II in 1955. By then, the enrolment had grown to 318 pupils with a staff of 16 teachers. Nonetheless, circumstances for teaching and schooling were not favourable in the 1950s as riots and chaotic conditions brought upon by labour unrest and bus strikes caused students to be left with no transportation to school. An unexpected incident also occurred on the night of 26 October, 1956 which saw parts of the school premises burnt down by arsonists.

Due to the large enrolment, pupils who lived in Bukit Timah village and the lower section of Jurong Road were transferred to Bukit Batok East School in 1959. Malay and Tamil pupils were also transferred to Boon Lay Primary School in 1963 and Jurong School began to offer only Chinese as the second language. Jurong School also had a succession of newly-appointed principals since its establishment. Mr Ram Singh remained as the longest-serving principal of Jurong School for 16 years before his retirement in 1979.

In 1974, Jurong Primary School sought the use of the former premises of Jurong Secondary School. The school had an intake of 1,510 pupils in 38 classes and functioning in 2 sessions by 1983. On 1 January 1985, Jurong Primary school relocated to a new site at Jurong East Ave 1. The school enrolment continued to rise progressively and the school was also gaining recognition for its academic and co-curricular achievements in the 1990s.

2006 was another significant year for Jurong Primary School when it merged with Boon Lay Primary School. The merger saw the school relocated to its present campus at Jurong East St 32. With its humble beginnings as a kampong school more than half a century ago, Jurong Primary School has evolved to be one of the most reputable schools in the Jurong vicinity today, providing a holistic curriculum and equipping its students with the right values and skills for the future.

A vintage, teal-tinted photograph of a single-storey building with a corrugated metal roof and a covered entrance porch supported by white columns. The building features louvred windows along its facade. A well-maintained lawn sits in front, with tropical shrubs and plants arranged near the entrance. A flagpole to the left flies a red and white flag, and tall palm trees are visible in the background. The photographic style suggests this image was taken several decades ago, likely in Southeast Asia.

Principals:
·        Mr Phoa Hock Seng (1950 to 1952)
·        Miss Nancy Wee (1952 to 1955)
·        Mr Goh Cheng Pheow (1955 to 1956)
·        Mr Leong Fatt Khun (1957)
·        Mr N Nunes (1958)
·        Mr David Soh (1959)
·        Mr Raja Moorthy (1960)
·        Miss P. Gwynne (1961 to 1963)
·        Mr Ram Singh (1964 to 1979)
·        Mr Toh Boon Hai (1979 to 1990)
·        Mrs Ngiam Siew Wah (1991 to 1997)
·        Mr Goh Liang Chuan (1998 to 2005)
·        Mrs Constance Yip (2006 to 2011)
·        Mrs Manokara S (2012 to 2017)
·        Mr Robin Ong (2018 to 2022)
·        Mr Leonard Chua (2023 to present)