Commentary, School Life

RI Boarding, Uncovered
Reading Time: 5 minutes

By Clara Chai (22A01D)

If your idea of boarding comes from books like ‘Harry Potter’ or ‘Malory Towers’, you probably have a somewhat inaccurate picture of what boarding school is like in real life. 

Take RI Boarding (RIB). To many of us, the building is a mysterious extension of the school compound. With the exception of some students from RI Secondary who spent a term in boarding, most students haven’t stepped foot into the premises, much less understood what life’s like in that giant building. A quick google of RIB reveals only tiny glimpses of boarding life, which only serves to pique further interest.

To satiate your curiosity, Raffles Press has taken a dive into exploring the details of hostel life, interviewing some current boarders to find out what life really is like inside. In this article, we’ll be exploring 11 things you might not have known about RIB.

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CCA Events, Commentary, School Life

RI Celebrates National Day 2021
Reading Time: 3 minutes

By Chung Thong En (22S06N)

One week before National Day, Raffles Institution was already in a festive mood. Bright red and white streamers and balloons lined the walkways, as small Singapore flags fluttered in the wind. The blackboards at the canteen were filled with colourful illustrations, as well as the programme for the coming National Day celebration.

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Commentary, Please Mind the Platform Gap

To be a More Humane Human: a Look at the Very First Year of MLEP 
Reading Time: 4 minutes

By Jason Nathaniel Sutio (22S06U)

When the Malay Language Elective Programme (MLEP) valedictorian sipped his language-changing tea cup, continuing the rest of his speech in Malay, the room burst into raucous laughter. It was a scene familiar to every MLEP student. 

It was also the last time the 2021 Y6 batch would formally gather in Wahah Cendekia (the MLEP classroom) to celebrate the graduation of the very first batch of MLEP in RI.

As they listened intently to his speech, all of them took a walk down memory lane: ruminating on their first plunge, reminiscing about unforgettable highlights and charting the road ahead after the pioneer year of this programme.

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Please Mind the Platform Gap

CE01s in RI
Reading Time: 6 minutes

By Edna Lim (22S03F), Faith Ho (22A01A), Matthew Ethan Ramli (21S03F)

Have you ever thought about starting your own service project?

The Community Education Programme (CEP) is currently the predominant service framework in RI. Part of this framework is the Community Education form 1 (CE01), where students interested in initiating a service project of their own can apply to be endorsed by the school. This programme is introduced to Y5 students during the JIP/JAE induction programme, though students can opt to start or join a project at any point in the school year by filling out an online application. 

As a CE01, teams are assigned a teacher-mentor for counsel throughout their project. CE01s usually collaborate with external organisations to carry out initiatives for their beneficiaries – commonly seen ones in RI are those that target the elderly as well as children.

This framework was developed with the intent of encouraging students to translate their passion for particular causes into service to the community, honing their social consciousness, leadership, and civic responsibility in the process. 

”Through the programme, [the students] will be more aware of the needs of the community and develop a better understanding of authentic problems, issues and concerns that affect us today. This will help them become strong leaders with a heart for service.”

– Mr Daniel Wong, a CE01 teacher-mentor

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Commentary, Op-Eds, Student Issues

Maskfishing: Of Making Friends and Forging Relationships
Reading Time: 4 minutes

By Andrea Ng (22S06B)

A little less than two years ago, only famous celebrities wore masks, which served to hide their faces from the public when they wished for anonymity. Now, thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, mask-wearing has become the norm, and only those who don’t become online sensations. 

This mandate by governments in most countries has given rise to a new phenomenon—mask fishing, a neologism coined as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, which refers to the phenomenon where a person appears to be more attractive because they are wearing a facemask. 

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