A bang of drums and laser show opened the 25th anniversary of the Global Schools Group (GSG) on Sept 18, with the celebrations held at the One World International School Digital Campus and Global Indian International School (GIIS) SMART Campus Singapore in Punggol.
The school group started as GIIS in the heart of Orchard Road in 2001, co-founded by the current executive chairman Atul Temurnikar. Today, the group stands at 64 campuses across Asia and over 45,000 students in its network.
Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong was the guest of honour, joined by foreign dignitaries from over 20 countries and actress Shabana Azmi.
Mr Tong’s relationship with GSG goes back to 2015, when he was a grassroots advisor for Joo Chiat, where one of the school’s campuses was located. He mentioned that the group has always been a community contributor, with GSG giving away some of its campus grounds for the creation of Yarrow Park in Siglap as a public green zone in 2022.
He also mentioned the importance of Singapore and India’s relationship and related the global nature of the country to the international school format.
“Your (GSG) classrooms today bring together young people from more than 14 nationalities, and I think there’s something very Singaporean about that. We share that same policy: to be outward-looking, to be cosmopolitan, and to be welcoming to the world,” he said.
To emphasise the digital enhancement of the campus, Mr Tong’s entrance was livestreamed to guests in the auditorium, not unlike concert-goers seated with anticipation as they watch the artist make their way to the stage.
The event also featured cultural performances by the students and artistes, such as Kathak and traditional Malay Dikir Barat. Additionally, the group pledged S$100,000 to several initiatives and organisations in Singapore as community support. First-year International Baccalaureate student Siya Panse, 16, was one of the guides at the group's anniversary exhibition. The exhibition had five zones, detailing the history of the school, the teaching values and even an alumni showcase. “The school always tries to get us involved in local culture. For example, we learn dragon dance and go all out for Chinese New Year celebrations,” said Siya. From a first-year student to an alumnus who graduated from the school 12 years ago, Mr Paras Krishna Bhatt says that the school has always prioritised integration of its students. “When I went into National Service, I never felt like a fish out of water. The school teaches you how to swim in diversity. My opinion is that coming from here, I get a different perspective, because I have a perspective of someone from both Singapore and also someone who is connected to India, and that's a unique perspective; I think that's very valuable,” said Mr Paras, 30, who also participated in a previous Chingay Parade as part of GIIS. Mr Atul also said that starting the schools in Singapore was even more beneficial because of the cultural environment of the nation. “There are very few countries in the world that make foreigners feel at home. Singapore is one of them, and I think that's what people appreciate culturally. Part of the integration starts from school, and it's the mindset that we have to cultivate, that it’s not like we are foreigners,” he said. In the closing words of his speech, Mr Atul emphasised what lies beyond this landmark. “The first 25 years belong to all of you. The next 25 years belong to the children we have yet to teach,” he said.
