Our Heritage
Discover over a century of history at Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School, from its humble beginnings in 1916 to today.
Our School Locations
1917 – 1930 : 5, 7 & 15 Boundary Road
1930 – 1932 : Kampong Sireh
1932 – 1986 : Boundary Road
1986 – 2004 : 296 Lor Ah Soo
2005 – 2006 : 15 Serangoon North Ave 1
2007 to date: 296 Lor Ah Soo
Our History
Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School (PLMGS) began on 31 October 1916 when the Secretary of the Methodist Episcopal Building and Location Board purchased a piece of land of 93,000 square feet at Boundary Road, to build a school. It was a branch of the Anglo Chinese School and was known as Paya Lebar English School. It started functioning as an elementary school in 1917, with a staff of three and a pupil enrolment of 24 boys. In 1918, it began taking in girls.
In 1935, Mrs Chew Hock Hin became the Principal. She reorganised the school after World War II and slowly, one secondary class after another was added. In 1954, the school presented its first batch of School Certificate girls.
Paya Lebar MGS continued to make improvements. In spite of a lack of facilities, the school did well. Demand for places in the school was great. PLMGS needed to expand to provide better facilities and to take in more pupils, but the idea of expansion was replaced by that of relocation.
So in 1986, PLMGS made its exodus from Boundary Road to its present site in Lorong Ah Soo. With the relocation, two schools were created – Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ Primary School and Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ Secondary School. The school was officially declared open on 22 August 1987 by the late Dr Tay Eng Soon, Minister of State of Education then, and dedicated to the glory of God by Bishop Ho Chee Sin. The two schools was later renamed as Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School (Primary) (PLMGSP) and Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School (Secondary) (PLMGSS).
On 1 December 2004, PLMGSS moved to a temporary school at Serangoon North Ave 1 while its premises at Lorong Ah Soo was upgraded under the MOE’s PRIME Programme. After two years, PLMGSS returned to its Promised Land at Lorong Ah Soo on 3 January 2007. The return is a significant milestone and marks a new chapter in the history of PLMGSS.
In 2016, we celebrated our 100th anniversary. As part of the celebrations, we produced a video to document the transformation of PL from its founding to the current stage.
We organised a total of 10 events to commemorate PL100.
Our Principals
List of our Principals
Year | PL’s History and Principals | |
|---|---|---|
1916 | Started as a Branch of Anglo-Chinese School in October | |
1917 | Paya Lebar English School (Boys only) | |
1923 | Miss Smith | |
1928 | Closed for 2 years to start a new school | |
1930 | Methodist English Preparatory School | |
1935 | Paya Lebar Methodist Preparatory English School | |
1942 | World War II | |
1945 | Resumed after the War | |
1948 | Government-Aided School with 2 sessions | |
Morning School (Girls) | Afternoon School (Boys) | |
1948 | Mrs Chew Hock Hin | Mrs Elsie Hardy |
1957 | Mrs Chew Hock Hin | Mr Gan Kee Tian |
1958 | Mrs Robert Eu | Mr Gan Kee Tian |
1961 | Fully Girls’ School Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School | |
1966 | Mrs Lucy Kandasamy | |
1972 | Mrs Winnie Tan | |
1986 | 2 Schools : Primary School and Secondary School | |
Paya Lebar MGS (Primary) | Paya Lebar MGS (Secondary) | |
1987 | Mrs Lim Kim Chee | Mrs Winnie Tan |
1997 | Mrs Lee Siew Choo | |
1999 | Mrs Christine Ho | |
2010 | Ms Pamela Yoong | |
2013 | Ms Chua Soh Leng | |
2015 | Mrs Quek Li Gek | |
2019 | Mrs Joyce Ang | |
2022 | Ms Amy Ng | |
Our History at a Glance
Our History at a Glance
1916 | The Methodist Church started a new school, a branch of Anglo-Chinese School, in Paya Lebar. |
1917 | The school began operation with a staff comprising the headmaster, Mr Robert Hanam, and three teachers and an enrolment of 24 male students. |
1918 | The school started to take in girls. |
1930s | The school was known as the Methodist English Preparatory School. School moved to 166D Upper Serangoon Road a two-storey shop house beside Kampong Sireh. |
1932 | Methodist English Preparatory School moved into a building of a new school and church building at Boundary Road. It had four classrooms and a wooden bungalow |
1935 | Mrs Chew Hock Hin became the Principal. |
1943 - 1944 | The school building was occupied by the Japanese forces and was badly damaged. |
1945 | Mrs Chew Hock Hin restarted the school after the Japanese Occupation. The morning school, Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School, attended by girls; and the afternoon school, Paya Lebar Methodist Boys’ School, attended by boys, were established. |
1949 | Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School became a government-aided school. |
1953 | The Shaw Auditorium, Domestic Science room and four classrooms were built. |
1954 | The first batch of 12 girls who took the School Certificate Examinations achieved 100% passes. |
1956 | PLMGS Alumni Association was inaugurated. |
1958 | Mrs Robert Eu became the Principal. |
1961 | The school became a fully girls’ school - Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School |
1966 | Mrs Lucy Kandasamy became the Principal. |
1972 | Mrs Winnie Tan who was a former student and teacher of the school became the Principal. Musical: "Green, Green Singapore" |
1973 | Musical: "Little Butterfly" |
1976 | Musical: "Alice in Wonderland" |
1977 | Musical: "China Silk" |
1978 | Musical: "Thumbellina" |
1979 | Musical: "Roots and Shoots" |
1981 | A fund raising Easter Fair was organised at the Kallang Amusement Park. |
1982 | A school visit was made by President Devan Nair. |
1983 | A fund raising concert, "It's A Small World" was organised. |
1984 | A school visit was made by the Minister for Defence, Mr Goh Chok Tong. |
1986 | PLMGS made its exodus from Boundary Road to its present site in Lorong Ah Soo. Mrs Lim Kim Chee was appointed Principal of PLMGS (Pri). Mrs Winnie Tan remained as Principal of PLMGS (Sec). |
1987 | Official Opening of PLMGS (Pri & Sec) at Lorong Ah Soo by the late Dr Tay Eng Soon, Minister of State of Education |
1991 | 75th Anniversary Celebrations |
1992 | Opening and dedication of Ebenezer Block at PLMGS (Sec) |
1994 | Musical: "Miracle After Miracle" |
1996 | 80th Anniversary Celebrations. Musical: "Gideon" |
1997 | Mrs Winnie Tan retired after 25 years as Principal. Mrs Lee Siew Choo was appointed as Principal of PLMGS (Sec). |
1999 | Mrs Christine Ho was appointed Principal of PLMGS (Pri). |
2000 | Musical: "The Great I Am" |
2001 | PLMGS (Sec) became an Autonomous School. |
2002 | PLMGS (Sec) was awarded Singapore Quality Class |
2003 | Students in PLMGS are called 'PL-Lites' |
2004 | Musical: "My Father's Hand" |
2005 | PLMGS (Sec) moved to Serangoon Ave 1 as the school buildings were renovated. |
2006 | A 90-hour Music Marathon held at Millenia Walk and recorded in Singapore Book of Records |
2007 | PLMGS (Sec) moved back to Lorong Ah Soo. |
2008 | Musical: "My Father's Gift" |
2010 | Miss Pamela Yoong was appointed Principal of PLMGS (Sec). |
2012 | PLMGS (Sec) awarded School Excellence Award. Muscial: "For God So Loved" |
2013 | Ms Chua Soh Leng was appointed Principal of PLMGS (Pri). PLMGS (Pri) went single session. |
2014 | PLMGS (Pri) awarded School Distinction Award. |
2014 | Mrs Quek Li Gek was appointed Principal of PLMGS (Sec). |
2016 | PL100 Celebrations and Musical "Created for His Glory" |