National service (NS) was introduced in post-independence Singapore when the National Service (Amendment) Act came into effect on 17 March 1967. Then Defence Minister Goh Keng Swee justified the government’s decision to introduce compulsory conscription of male ...
Singapore’s earliest attempt to introduce compulsory conscription was in 1952. The endeavour was unsuccessful as it was vigorously resisted by Chinese middle school students and their parents, who did not see the need to support the British colonial government’s ...
In 1959, a new state flag was created to represent Singapore shortly after it became a self-governing state under British rule. Developed by a committee led by then Deputy Prime Minister Toh Chin Chye, the flag was unveiled on 3 December 1959, the day when Singapore’s ...
The National Courtesy Campaign was launched on 1 June 1979 by the then prime minister Lee Kuan Yew. The aim of the campaign was “to create a pleasant social environment, with Singaporeans considerate to each other and thoughtful of each other's needs”.
The Singapore national anthem, Majulah Singapura, was composed in 1958 by Zubir Said, a prolific songwriter, as the official song of the City Council of Singapore. After Singapore became a self-governing state under British rule on 3 June 1959, the song was shortened ...
In 1966, Singapore celebrated its 9 August National Day for the first time. It was a week-long string of festivities that included a big parade, fireworks displays, cultural shows, and dinner parties. It was actually Singapore’s second National Day. The very first ...
The National Reference Library (NRL) was located on the third floor of the National Library building at Stamford Road. It was formed on 16 January 1998, concurrently with the re-opening of the National Library that was closed for nine months of upgrading works. ...
Awareness of good diet and nutrition has been an ongoing theme in the government's drive to impart a healthy lifestyle among Singaporeans. Various national nutrition programmes have been launched since the 1970s in the wake of increased illnesses that arise from ...
Between 1980 and 1995, the National Library embarked on the computerisation of its library operations and services. To keep abreast with the information technology (IT) revolution, new audiovisual, multimedia and online services were also launched. Decentralisation ...
The finalised version of the national pledge was largely drafted by then Minister for Foreign Affairs S. Rajaratnam in February 1966 as a way to promote national loyalty and consciousness among citizens following Singapore's separation from Malaysia on 9 August ...
The Ministry of Health launched the National Healthy Lifestyle Programme in 1992 to promote a healthy lifestyle among Singaporeans. It was officially inaugurated by then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. The programme is focused on an annual, month-long campaign, the ...
Since gaining independence in 1965, Singapore has conducted many national campaigns. These have covered a wide range of topics such as public cleanliness, family planning, courtesy and workplace productivity. Other campaigns include ones that encourage people to ...
The National School Savings Campaign (NSSC) was introduced to government and government-aided schools in 1969 to cultivate thrift in students and to encourage them to save with the Post Office Savings Bank (POSB). The campaign was also part of a domestic savings ...
The national coat of arms, also known as the state crest, symbolises Singapore as a self-governing and independent state. Like the national flag, the state crest was designed by a committee headed by then Deputy Prime Minister Toh Chin Chye. Singapore’s state crest ...
National Loyalty Week was held between 3 and 10 December 1959 to encourage a sense of loyalty among the diverse citizens of the new state of Singapore. It saw the inauguration of key national symbols including the state flag, the national anthem, the state crest ...
The annual National Day Awards (NDA) is a means of recognising various forms of merit and service to the nation. At the NDA investiture ceremony, Singaporeans and non-Singaporeans are honoured for their excellent contributions to the civil or military service, ...
The National AIDS Control Programme is an action plan for protecting against and preventing the spread of HIV infection and AIDS in the country. It was formulated by the Advisory Committee on AIDS formed by the Ministry of Health (MOH) in 1985, soon after the first ...
The National Anti-Drug Abuse Campaign is an annual event jointly organised by the National Council Against Drug Abuse (NCADA) and Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB). Held annually in June to commemorate World Drug Day, it incorporates a series of youth-oriented activities ...
The National University of Singapore (NUS) was officially established on 8 August 1980 through the merger of Nanyang University and the University of Singapore. However, the university’s origins can be traced to the founding of a medical school in 1905. NUS has ...
The National Campaign to Minimise Cash Transactions was launched on 14 March 1985 to urge Singaporeans to carry out financial transactions electronically. The drive to bring Singapore closer to a cashless society was part of the government’s plan to increase productivity. ...