Our fourth profile will be of Mr. Ho Kiat Chong. Mr. Ho served for almost 39 years in Victoria School and retired in 2005. Grab your tickets for the dinner quick, to get your chance to see him in person and thank him for the memorable days you had in VS.

1) What are you doing now?

Staying in touch with VS teachers, athletes, alumni, meeting up with old friends/boys for ‘makan’/chit chat and occasionally doing some part time NIE supervision for trainee teachers.

2) What are your fondest memories of Victoria?

After almost 39 years as a VS teacher, so many fond memories of VS: having great friends/colleagues; having fun teaching; helping out in school, zone and national events/activities; coaching, disciplining/motivating ; watching boys grow; exulting with boys + teachers in many of VS’ victories; comforting one another in occasional defeats/setbacks; etc.

3) Any message for present teachers? Words of wisdom?

Develop a belief system/philosophy grounded on values, passion, interest, willingness to learn, etc. Have a healthy sense of balance, humour/fun. In short, be authentic, living and breathing the VS motto and vision; Nil Sine Labore and A Victorian is ultimately a Gentleman, Professional and Sportsman.

4 Comments. Leave new

  • Wahab Marican
    20 July 2011 21:38

    Hello,
    This is one teacher I will never forget. A true blue Victorian. If I am not mistaken he was an old boy (please correct me). He was my Maths and PE teacher in 1968. I was in secondary 1D then. Based on the recent photo he does not changed much. To make the lesson interesting he always came out with fresh ideas. I remembered he rewarded us with 50cents (which is a quite a big sum for me at that time) for every correct answers to his general knowledge questions. He introduced us to English soccer. PE was always soccer fiesta. He would joined in. In 1D we were divided into four teams, Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspurs ( I was in this team) and Hamilton. Fyi Hamilton FC is a local soccer team that played in the local league in the sixties and seventies. The club was within the vicinity of VS. Last year I met Mr Ho at the national cross country meet at Bedok Reservoir. I approached him and he remembered me. Wow! he introduced me to some of the boys and we did share about the good old days. Thanks for the memories Mr Ho. You will always be in our hearts.

    Viva la Victoria!

  • nostalgian
    20 July 2011 21:57

    Mr Ho –
    One great teacher of VS, and a true blue Victorian

    wow, the mention of Tottenham Hotspurs bring back fond memory of our days in VS in the 1960s, many VS boys then were fervent fans of Spurs, an illustrous English football club then, as it is now

    Hamilton FC was a local club, comprising mostly footballers from the vicinity of the school at Tyrwhitt,
    named after Hamilton Road, the team's star player was Yong Cheong Fatt. a former VS and national player. Cheong Fatt was a member of the Singapore team that came in fourth in the 1966 Asian Games, the best showing by Singapore in the Games to this day.

  • I remembered Mr Ho as our ertswhile history teacher in the Seventies. More importantly I remembered him as the Teacher who stayed in the same block as I did when I was a VS student….so it was quite cool to take the same bus, sit next to, and arrive in VS together. I even remembered the odd occassion when he paid for my bus fare!!
    We have a different relationship now, and I'm proud to be his dentist for the past 20 years or so!
    Thanks Mr Ho!!

  • Yeo Hock Yew
    12 October 2021 16:05

    I was not from Victoria Secondary School. But the mere mention of Yong Chong Fatt makes me key in.
    Some time in the early or mid 1970s I was kicking about at Queenstown Stadium one evening. A plump bespectacled Chinese man in a business shirt and sports shorts joined us. He did not look like a footballer but had high standard of football techniques. Obviously had been playing the game at a much higher level than ours of social football. He was of humble behaviour and soft spoke. We asked him to play a few games for us and he turned up.

    He drove a car and gave some of the boys a lift to the games. He lived at the Farrer Road area, (perhaps Farrer Court). He told us his name but it did not register with us as significant. Over time we lost touch with him.

    Such a pity to know later that he was a national player but humble enough to to help us (Dundee United) in those games.

    He was Yong Chong Fatt.

    Hock Yew

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