Mee Toh School (弥陀小学)
From temple classroom to national school. How one monk’s compassion transformed a community.
The empty plot of land beside Leong San Buddhist Temple. Credit: MOE Heritage Centre
A school born from compassion
Venerable Sek Kong Hiap had originally purchased land next to Leong San See to build a new temple named “Mee Toh.” However, seeing the children of families living in the surrounding attap houses, he realised that education was the greater need.
Classes first began within Leong San Temple itself, providing free tuition in Mandarin to neighbourhood children who would otherwise have had no access to education.
The 1954 school building
In 1953, Venerable Sek Kong Hiap offered the land he had bought for Mee Toh Temple to build a school instead. Construction was completed and enrolment began in 1954, with the school located at Race Course Road. In 1957, Mee Toh School became a government-aided school.
The school grew steadily, serving the local community for five decades at its Race Course Road campus, just steps away from the temple that gave it life.
Mee Toh School at Race Course Road. Credit: MOE Heritage Centre
“Eternal Brightness”
The name “Mee Toh” (弥陀) is derived from Amitabha Buddha (阿弥陀佛), the Buddha of Infinite Light. It embodies the aspiration that education, like the Buddha’s light, illuminates the path forward for all.
The school badge features red, white, and green, with a prominent Buddhist symbol at its centre. Its motto, adopted from Master Hongyi (弘一法师), is compassion (慈悲), conscience (良心), purity (纯洁), and righteousness (正直).
慈悲
Compassion
良心
Conscience
纯洁
Purity
正直
Righteousness
Key milestones
Venerable Sek Kong Hiap offers the land meant for a new temple to build a school instead
Construction completed, enrolment begins at Race Course Road
Mee Toh School becomes a government-aided school
First batch of students sit the PSLE with English as first language
School relocates to modern campus at 21 Edgedale Plains, Punggol
Mee Toh School continues its bond with Leong San Buddhist Temple
Mee Toh School at Edgedale Plains, Punggol. Photo: nish via Google. Credit: Mee Toh School
A new home in Punggol
By 2002, enrolment had dropped to just 26 Primary One students as the surrounding population aged and residents moved away. The decision was made to relocate, and in 2004 Mee Toh School commenced operations at its modern campus at 21 Edgedale Plains, Punggol.
Despite the physical distance, the school continues to maintain a close relationship with Leong San Buddhist Temple. Students and staff regularly visit the temple for cultural programmes, preserving the Buddhist heritage rooted in the principles laid down by Venerable Sek Kong Hiap.
A lasting bond
Over seven decades, Mee Toh School has educated thousands of students. What began as free Mandarin classes in a temple hall has grown into a well-regarded government primary school. A testament to one monk’s belief that compassion must be expressed through action.
The temple and the school remain united by a shared vision: to nurture both the mind and the spirit.