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GESS Chronicle

13 March 1971	Foundation of the Working Group German School Singapore headed by Wilfried Wentzel (President), Dieter Gumpert (Hon Secretary) and Axel Cordes (Hon Treasurer).
27 July 1971	Foundation of the Association German School Singapore with 49 participants and official registration with the "Registry of Scocieties" in Singapore.
25 August 1971	First school day at the German School with six students. After several relocations the school settles at 3 Jalan Kampong Chantek, not far from today’s school campus at Bukit Tinggi.
14 April 1972	The Kindergarten and Pre-School open their doors.
1973	The school is growing and moves to Chatsworth Road in a fully renovated Black and White House. School starts on 1st March 1973 with 70 students – from kindergarten to 4th grade. First financial support from Germany. In the following years the school prepares for the introduction of the secondary level. The school keeps growing and the school building has to be extended.
1975	The school has been officially recognized as a German School Abroad by the Foreign Office and the Federal Authority for Schools Abroad. Mr Friedhelm Laumann began his service as the school’s first principal assigned by the German authorities.
1982	In May the first 10 year examination (equivalent to O-levels) takes place. The school has already 245 students and the school building in Chatsworth Road is far too small.
1984	The foundation for the new building in Bukit Tinggi is laid on 21^st June.
1985	Completion and inauguration of the new school building (currently block A) at 72 Bukit Tinggi Road. School starts in August 1985.
1986	Approval and implementation of secondary II by ZfA.
1987	Construction of further extensions (blocks B + C).
1989	The first Reifeprüfung (general higher education entrance qualification) take place. In the same year the German School Singapore is officially recognized as a ‘German School Abroad leading to the Reifeprüfung’ by the German Federal Foreign Office.
1995	The Business College (dual system of vocational education) starts with five students who train as Merchants in Wholesale and Foreign Trade.
1996	The construction and inauguration of blocks D, E, F and G complete the development of the school campus at Bukit Tinggi Road.
2002	Inauguration of a large and fully equipped sports hall and a swimming pool on the Swiss Club compound.
2004	The members of the Board of Governors agree to establish an English language European section. The school’s name changes to German European School Singapore (GESS).
2005	In August the European (English speaking) Section teaching the curriculum of the IBO (International Baccalaureate Organization) starts for grades 1 to 12.
2008	In May the first IB examinations take place. GESS students achieve the best average result among all international schools in Singapore in the subject of Higher Level Economics. By then the school at Bukit Tinggi proves once again too small. Growing student numbers lead to the decision to open a separate Primary School campus. Operations at the new, rented campus located at 300 Jalan Jurong Kechil start in August 2008.
January 2009	GESS undergoes a Joint Federal & State Inspection and obtains the accreditation Excellent German School Abroad as the first German School in Asia. Furthermore, the European Section obtains the PYP (Primary School Year Programme) authorization by the IBO. The authorization of all three IB Programmes (PYP, MYP and IB Diploma) finally qualifies the European Section as a true IB World School.