41 schools, including two junior colleges, to get new principals in 2026

SINGAPORE - New principals will be appointed at 41 schools at the start of the school year in 2026, as part of the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) annual reshuffle exercise.

Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), School of the Arts (Sota), Anglo-Chinese Junior College and Yishun Innova Junior College are among the 20 secondary schools, 19 primary schools and two junior colleges getting new principals.

Of these appointments, more than half – 25 principals – will be taking on the role for the first time.

One of them is Madam Nurazian Bajuri, 46, vice-principal of Si Ling Primary. She will take over as principal of Elias Park Primary from Madam Chua Pei Pei, who will be rotated to Punggol Green Primary as principal.

Madam Nurazian began teaching in 2002, and her career has taken her across the junior college, secondary school and primary school settings.

She said her varied experiences have taught her the importance of adaptability, collaboration and keeping students at the centre of every decision.

When asked how she will approach being the main school leader for the first time after serving as vice-principal in three schools, she said she plans to learn as much as she can.

“First and foremost, I am a learner at heart. So, that would be my first strategy – to learn alongside my students and staff. I believe that, in any role, the desire to learn will carry us through,” she said.

She added: “One of the things that I’ve picked up and will continue to apply from my various experiences is an open-door culture because it encourages feedback and growth.”

In a statement, MOE said the process of appointing and rotating principals allows schools to benefit from new perspectives and enables experienced principals to share best practices across schools.

“Our principals will have the opportunity to broaden their experiences and strengthen the work of the schools that they are newly appointed to lead,” said MOE.

Moving to helm ACS (I) in 2026 is the current principal of Yuhua Secondary School, Mr Kevin Pang Chin Keat, 44, who has been an educator for 18 years.

Starting off as a geography and English language teacher at Montfort Secondary in 2007, he went on to assume various roles in the ministry. These included two stints at the MOE headquarters in the Higher Education Division and Curriculum Policy office.

Before pursuing a master’s degree in education at Harvard in the US from 2015 to 2016, Mr Pang requested a secondment to Pathlight School, which caters to students with autism, in 2012.

“It was one of those things that took courage, to go and just experience how it was like and understand a whole different spectrum of needs,” said Mr Pang, who served as head of the school’s secondary-level track.

He added that while conversations about children with special needs in classrooms are more common now, helping students with autism succeed was much less understood when he started teaching.

“I learnt so much in my two years there. It helped me grow a heart of compassion, listen more, understand more, and that has been a wonderful foundation for every other posting thereafter,” he said.

He added that his Christian faith spurs him to help students who struggle in different ways.

After leaving Pathlight in December 2013, Mr Pang spent almost two years as deputy principal of St Andrew’s Junior College before becoming a vice-principal at Changkat Changi Secondary School.

When asked about his impending move to ACS (I) in 2026, he said he is looking forward to immersing himself in the school’s rich traditions and history.

Said Mr Pang: “I have many family members and friends who graduated from ACS or have links to ACS in different ways. I’m really excited to go there and experience the strong brotherhood and family bonds. Hopefully, I’ll be able to keep that flame going.”

When Madam Goh Meei Yunn, 51, steps into Sota in 2026, it will feel like a homecoming of sorts.

She began her journey as an educator in 1997 as a music teacher at her alma mater, Dunman High School.

She later joined Raffles Institution before a two-year stint at MOE’s Educational Leadership Development Centre, where she oversaw programmes to groom school leaders and middle managers.

Her school leadership journey so far has been in primary schools, first as vice-principal at Nan Chiau Primary, then as principal at Jing Shan Primary and later Kranji Primary, where she has spent the past seven years.

A trained musician, Madam Goh started playing the piano at the age of five and later picked up the violin in university.

She told The Straits Times that music has always been at the heart of who she is.

“It feels like deja vu, and all the puzzle pieces are coming together,” she said of her new posting.

Returning to the secondary school system, Madam Goh expressed her enthusiasm about immersing herself in the Sota community, which values artistic passion.

“I am looking forward to going in to see where the school now is, and what role it plays in the arts ecosystem.”

MOE will appoint the principals at the annual appointment and appreciation ceremony for principals on Dec 30.