Qifa Primary School

Qifa Primary School (Abbreviation: QPS) is a government primary school in Singapore. It is located in West Coast, Singapore. Qifa Primary School was merged with Jin Tai Primary School in January 2008.
QPS has an enrollment of 1,696, compared to 975 in 2007, due to the merger between Jin Tai Primary School and Qifa Primary School. There are 65 classes.
School crest
The logo of Qifa Primary is the stylised initials of its name enclosed in a circle. The main motif forms the image of a blossoming bud, emphasizing the significance of its Chinese characters "Qi Fa". The blue represents aspiration for excellence in every endeavour, the red circle signifies an all-rounded education within a multi-racial society and the white background depicts the importance of character-building.
History
The Chinese who migrated to Singapore in the early days led a hard life. The Chinese immigrants from the same village in China formed their own clans and associations for mutual help. Later these bodies set up schools to educate their children. Char Yong (Dabu) Association and Khee Fatt School were thus established. Khee Fatt School, formerly known as Khee Fatt Study Institution, could only take in about seventy pupils when it started functioning at Loke Yew Street in 1906. The school later shifted to Peking Street where Char Yong (Dabu) Association was located. The Association building which housed the school was eventually extended to a 3-storey building. Subsequently, the enrolment increased to more than a hundred.
In 1917, a branch school was set up at Malay Street. With the acquisition of a building at No. 31 Hill Street, it merged with the main school and the pupil population rose to more than three hundred.
In 1937, Char Yong (Dabu) Association bought over another building at No.29 Hil Street. The building was shared by the Association and the school. By then, the pupil enrolment had swelled to about five hundred.
The Pacific War broke out in 1942. Singapore was occupied by the Japanese and Khee Fatt School stopped functioning temporarily. The school building was returned to the Eastern Telephone Company after the Japanese Occupation.
In 1947, Char Yong (Dabu) Association bought over No. 30 Cairnhill Road and converted it into a school building. Khee Fatt School at Cairnhill Road was established on 10 August 1947. It received financial support from the members of the Association and money obtained as compensation from the Eastern Telephone Company. By 1951, the pupil population rose to about eight hundred.
The school kept on expanding from 1952 to 1966. During those years, it encountered many difficulties but with the strong support from its Board of Directors and School Advisory Committee, they were resolved. The school after having functioned for almost 20 years was then officially declared open on 13 October 1966 by Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the former Prime Minister.
The pupil enrolment in Khee Fatt School dropped sharply in the Seventies and by 1984, it dwindled to 44 pupils. Mr Lam Siap Kon who had served as the Principal for 24 years retired in December 1984. In 1985, the Association handed over the school to the Ministry of Education.
Khee Fatt School, presently known as Qifa Primary School was re-located at 50 West Coast Avenue. It is now a government school. It started functioning on 2 January 1985 with Mr Yap Kin Loo as the Principal. It was officially declared open on 18 September 1987 by Dr Tan Cheng Bock, Member of Parliament, Ayer Rajah Constituency. Mr Yap Kiu Loo having served the school for 7 years, retired on 5 December 1991. He was succeeded by Mr Lee Kam Chiew, who retired in 2000.Thereafter Mr Leong Chee Kong took over the helm and retired in 2007. From 2006 to 2007, the school was upgraded under PRIME to the latest standards to provide a conducive learning environment for our pupils. With the merger of Qifa Primary School and Jin Tai Primary School in 2008, Ms Debra Saw Hoo Yong was appointed Principal as she ushers in a new chapter of history for Qifa Primary School .
School song
<poem>
Here we are together, to do our very best.
In harmony and friendship, prosperity and progress.
Qifa, Qifa, Qifa our pride and our star,
Together we will work and strive for excellence, success and Qifa
We pledge to be united and
Always keep on trying.
So here we are together to
Keep our colours flying.
Qifa, Qifa, Qifa our pride and our star,
Together we will work and strive for excellence, success and Qifa.
</poem>
Renovations
In 2004, the then-principal, Mr Leong Chee Kong, announced that the school will undergo the Programme for Rebuilding and IMproving Existing schools (PRIME) at a cost of S$4 million, to improve the run-down school, which had not yet had any major renovations.
The upgrades was in 3 phases:
* Phase 1 started in December 2005 and was completed in November 2006. It consists of a two storey link to the new school hall and canteen, and new carpark.
* Phase 2 was to demolish the existing car park and build two new classroom blocks. It was started on December 2006 and was completed in September 2007.
* Phase 3 was refurbishment of four old classroom blocks. It started in September 2007 and was completed in January 2008.
The PRIME programme started on December 2005 and was completed in January 2008, a period of two years.

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