Our Story

The Xingnan Story

A History of Xingnan Primary School

Xingnan Primary School traces its roots to 1932, when it was established as a Chinese-medium public school under the name Sin Nan Public School (公立醒南学校). Founded with a modest enrolment of just ten students, the school was initially housed within a Chinese temple — 环图宫玉皇上帝庙 — along Hong Kah Road. As the student population grew, the school relocated in 1939 to a larger site at 776 Old Jurong Road, where it would remain for nearly five decades.

The school's journey was not without adversity. During the Japanese Occupation, Sin Nan Public School was forced to cease operations. However, with the end of the Second World War came a renewed sense of purpose. Buoyed by the steadfast support of village community leaders and the School Management Committee, the school reopened its doors and steadily expanded its facilities to meet the rapidly rising student enrolment. A testament to the community's dedication, the school raised funds in 1953 to replace its attap roofs with zinc roofs — a modest but meaningful upgrade that reflected the collective investment of those who believed in its mission.

The decades that followed brought significant transformation. In 1982, Xingnan Primary School transitioned to an English-medium, government-aided school and welcomed its first cohort of Malay students, marking an important step in its evolution as an inclusive institution. In late 1986, the school relocated once more — this time to its present site at 5 Jurong West Street 91. Two years later, it became a full government school, and its English name was formally changed to Xingnan Primary School, while its Chinese name remained unchanged. On 18 March 1989, the school was officially declared open by Mr Ho Kah Leong, then Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Communications & Information and Member of Parliament for Jurong Constituency — a milestone that marked the beginning of a new chapter in the school's storied history.

Sin Nan Public School in 1950s.

Mr Tan Chong Hian (standing 3rd row, 5th from left) has been serving our school since 1971 as his first and only school. He is currently our Contract Adjunct Teacher for Chinese Language.

Over the years - our schools uniforms for the students in Xingnan Primary School

Celebration of 50th anniversary - Dinner and Cultural show in 1982

Xingnan Today

Students collaborating to design, build and refine solutions through hands-on learning experiences.

Students broadening their perspectives through cultural immersion and experiential learning during the Internationalisation Trip to Jakarta.

Teachers engaging in professional learning and collaborative discussions during Learning Fest 2026.

Growing knowledge, responsibility and environmental awareness through hands-on gardening experiences.

Drawing on a proud heritage of over 90 years, Xingnan Primary School today stands as an institution that is deeply rooted in its history and traditions, while remaining forward-looking in its approach to education.

At the heart of the school's work is its philosophy that every child is of worth and can learn. This enduring belief continues to guide the school's mission to provide meaningful experiences that nurture minds and build character, in pursuit of its vision to develop Self-Directed Learners, Confident Persons and Compassionate Leaders. To realise this vision, the school remains focused on developing students' 21^st century competencies and nurturing school values through authentic and meaningful learning experiences, while harnessing the potential of educational technology to enrich the learning environment. In tandem with these efforts, the school continues to refresh its campus to support the future of learning, with many newly renovated facilities completed in recent years and more in the pipeline. Over the years, Xingnan has also cultivated strong and sustained partnerships with community and industry partners, as well as local and overseas schools, further broadening the horizons of its students and deepening the school's impact beyond its walls.

Perhaps one of the most enduring testaments to Xingnan's legacy is the strong bonds forged among its alumni. The ties that Xingnanians develop during their years in the school continue to draw many back to serve and give back to their alma mater. This spirit of loyalty and commitment is exemplified by the school's former and current School Advisory Committee (SAC) Chairpersons, Mr Andre Tay and Mr Ken Koh both alumni who, alongside a number of fellow former Xingnanians, continue to contribute actively to the SAC as members. The school is also honoured by the support of Professor Ho Teck Hua, President of Nanyang Technological University (NTU), who graced Xingnan's Recognition Day 2025 as Guest of Honour and has championed the development of meaningful partnerships between NTU and Xingnan — partnerships that enrich the educational experience of current students and reflect the far-reaching influence of the Xingnan community.

As Xingnan Primary School looks ahead, it does so with the same spirit of resilience, community and purpose that has defined it since 1932 — ever committed to nurturing the next generation of thoughtful, capable and compassionate individuals.  

Commemorative Events