ST JOSEPH'S Institution will get a new principal in an old boy, Associate Professor Koh Thiam Seng, 48, from January.

Only the second lay principal in the school's 156-year history, he takes over from Mr Benjamin Lui Seng Cheong, who will stay on in the school in a position to be decided.

Dr Koh, a Roman Catholic and a product of the St Michael's-St Joseph's brand of education, is now the National Institute of Education's deputy director. He has been in education through his career, including stints as a teacher and at the Ministry of Education.

At SJI, he will look into 'enhancing the quality of education' and work towards offering the integrated programme (IP), in which students skip the 'O' levels and go on to take the A levels or International Baccalaureate at the end of six years.

SJI had previously submitted a proposal to Ministry of Education (MOE) for the IP, but it was turned down.

Dr Koh said: 'IP is part of plans I'll look into. As the quality of SJI education improves, I'm sure we will have a strong case to go back to MOE.'

He will plan for a better integration of the school's academic and non-academic programmes like character development, leadership and communication, the hallmarks of an SJI education. He also wants to rope in more old boys to return to contribute to the school and enrich its programme.

Read the full story in Tuesday's edition of The Straits Times.