The SJI Story

In 1852 six Brothers, in the footsteps of their founder, St John Baptist de La Salle, arrived from Europe to provide for the educational needs of the poor in Singapore. This was to be the first missionary establishment of the La Salle Brothers in the Far East. It was Rev. Fr. J.M. Buerel, MEP who initiated the whole endeavour and offered a former chapel for the Brothers to run their school. Within a year an attap hut had to be erected to accommodate the overflow from the former chapel. The number of students wanting enrolment in St John's (as it was formerly known) increased. Realising this, the cornerstone of the expansion was laid on the Feast of St Joseph, 19 March 1855. From this date the School was named St Joseph's Institution.

By 1865 a Central Classroom Block was built under the guiding hands of Bro.Lothaire but the continuing years of expansion before World War I was largely the work of Bro. Michael Noctor and Rev Fr Charles Nain (the assistant parish priest at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd and also a gifted architect).

Father Nain designed two very imaginative classroom blocks. He curved the new wings outwards and at each end designed a monumental doorway. The whole work was reminiscent of Bernini's Colonnade in front of St Peter's Basilica in Rome. The work was completed under Bro. Michael in 1903.

Amongst the first visitors to the new building was Sir Frank Swettenham -the Governor of the Straits Colony and High Commissioner of the Federated Malay States. (Later visitors to sn were to include Rabindranath Tagore in 1922 and Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, in 1967).

Perhaps, more impressive than the building was the fact that SJI was soon to groom some of the recipients of the most glittering academic prizes to be won in the colony. This was the coveted Queen's Scholarship. In 1905 both awards were won by Josephians. Again in 1906 the first place went to a Josephian and the second to a boy from St Xavier's Institution -a La Salle School in Penang.


In 1914, the enrolment of St Joseph's had reached almost 1,200 in comparison with 426 in 1900. By 1922, the number was 1,600. The Brothers could foresee that the enrolment would continue to increase and hence opened a temporary Branch School that eventually led to the building of a new school, St Patrick's in 1933.

In World War II, just before the surrender to the Japanese the school was used as a Red Cross Hospital and also housed a unit of the Civil Defence Force, the A.R.F (Air Raid Precautionary Group). The old building was blessed to remain unscratched despite heavy bombings preceding the surrender on 16 Feb 1942. In fact, a bomb did hit the school courtyard, the crater of which was still discernible in 1992.

During the Japanese Occupation, the school was renamed Bras Basah Road Boys School. The Brothers were soon asked to 'resign'. The school and hostel were run along military lines. However, after the Japanese Surrender, the Brothers returned and just three weeks later St Joseph's was re-opened and normal lessons resumed. The years after World War II, saw St Joseph's consolidating herself and building upon the good she had done.

In 1972, St Joseph's celebrated her 120th Anniversary and was honoured with a visit from the 23rd Superior General of the La Salle Brothers, Bro. Charles Henry. In June 1974 Bro. Joseph Kiely was made Director. In 1975 the Pre-University One classes together with some teachers were transferred to the newly opened Catholic Junior College. The school celebrated her 125th Anniversary in 1977. The highlight of the celebrations was a visit from Bro. Jose Pablo Basterrechea, the 24th Superior General. Brother Kevin Byrne became Director one year before St Joseph's celebrated the Tercentenary of the founding of the La Salle Brothers. The coveted President's Scholarship was awarded to a Josephian in 1985 and another in 1987, continuing a tradition of scholarship from the days of the Queen's Scholarship.

In 1984, the historic decision was made to re-site the school at Malcolm Road to provide for better conditions and facilities. On All Saint's Day, 1 November 1985, E.W. Barker, Minister for Law, laid the Foundation Stone. A bottle with a commemorative note similar to that of 1855 was buried.

On November 4th 1986 SJI was invited by the then Minister for Education, Dr Tony Tan, a Josephian himself, to go independent. From 1988, SJI started functioning on its new campus at Malcolm Road.

In 1991, SJI became a single session school with all levels functioning in the morning, leaving the afternoons free for more comprehensive CCA, student and staff development programmes. Sadly, the end of 1991 also saw the retirement of Bro. Kevin Byrne who had served as Principal for 13 years.

In 1992, the 140th Anniversary of the arrival of the Brothers in Singapore and her founding, SJI received on loan from the Brothers' District of Australia, a new principal, Bro. Paul Rogers. Under his dynamic leadership, the school underwent extensive redevelopment and when his term of service ended 6 years later in 1997, Bro. Paul left a school well poised for entry into the next millennium. It was during Bro. Paul's term of office in 1994 that SJI was honoured by the visit of Bro. John Johnston, the 25th Superior General of the La Salle Brothers.

SJI celebrated the 10th Anniversary of its re-founding at Malcolm Road in 1998.

The current Principal, Mr. Lui Seng Cheong, is the first layman to head the school since 1885. Brother Michael Broughton, FSC and Mrs Goh Poh Kenn serve as  Deputy Principals, Student Development and Curriculum respectively. 

The school is celebrated as one of Singapore’s premier learning institutions whose alumni includes names such as Dr Tony Tan (Deputy Prime Minister), Rear Adm Teo Chee Hian (Minister for Education), Mr Mah Bow Tan  (Minister for National Development), BG George Yeo (Minister for Trade and Industry) and the list goes on.

SJI celebrated her 150th year of foundation in 2002.