Principal's Message 2026

Helping Every Child Flourish

A warm welcome to Damai Secondary School – a school at the edge of the reservoir!

I am excited to join the Damai family as its second principal and am humbled to continue the work of a community shaped by care, commitment, and dedication.

Damai Secondary School was established in 2018 through the merger of Bedok North Secondary School (founded in 1981) and Damai Secondary School (founded in 1994). While our history brings together two rich legacies, our shared purpose remains clear. Over the past 8 years, we have remained steadfast in helping every Damaian Aspire, Explore and Achieve, so that each student may find purpose and meaning in their lives.

Through my interactions with staff and parents, I am deeply moved by the life-giving work of our teachers, who go the extra mile to care, give hope and bring out the best in every student – nurturing them as curious learners, empathetic and confident communicators, resilient youths, and leaders with a generous spirit.

Our approach is guided by 3 enduring commitments:  

First, Damai is a school that is family-oriented, where relationships, care, and trust form the heart of growing and learning. For many of our students, the school is a second home, and for some it is their first home!

We strive to build an environment where every child feels safe, known, and valued. This is especially important for some students who look to school for stability, encouragement, and a strong sense of belonging. Our greatest strength lies in our caring and committed teachers who invest time and effort to build meaningful connections with both students and parents.

Through Form Teacher Time, Character and Citizenship lessons, Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs), Values in Action, and level camps, students build positive relationships with their teachers, form friendships across diverse backgrounds, and grow in respect, empathy, and a shared sense of community. We also place a strong focus on peer support – for peers by peers – recognising that student voice can be transformational in empowering greater student agency and ownership. Every class is supported by peer support leaders who play an important role in strengthening peer bonds, encouraging peer helping, and modelling positive peer influence at the class, CCA, and school levels.

We are therefore a family that grows, learns, and flourishes together.

Second, Damai is a school that is aspiration-focused, where students are guided to explore their identity, make choices, and act with purpose.

Undergirding this commitment is the belief that every student has strengths waiting to be discovered. And regardless of their starting point, they can achieve their goals if they have the right mindset (“I am”) (e.g. attitudes, beliefs), skillset (“I can”) (e.g. technical skills, soft skills), and “toolset” (“I have”) (e.g. resources). We are therefore deliberate in providing a range of experiences to inspire, uplift and stretch our students.

Today, our Applied Learning Programme (ALP) is integrated within the total curriculum through Science, Geography, and Values in Action, nurturing students as stewards of the environment. Through our Learning for Life Programme (LLP) in Water and Adventure Sports, students develop as stewards of character, resilience, and leadership. Our Education and Career Guidance initiatives and Internationalisation experiences broaden students’ perspectives and cultivate them as stewards of outwardness. Across these experiences, we remain committed to building hope – helping students better understand themselves, explore possibilities, build confidence through small successes, and take concrete steps toward their goals.

Most notably, we are proud that many of our students challenge themselves by taking subjects at more demanding levels and have secured post-secondary pathways – even before sitting for the National Examinations – through the Early Admissions Exercise. These outcomes do not happen by chance. The growing numbers reflect our collective efforts to support students in discovering and working towards their goals.

Third, Damai is a school that is community-anchored, where we want our students to see themselves as part of something larger – called to do good and to make a positive difference in our Bedok Reservoir community.

We believe character finds its truest expression through action. Our students learn to live out the values of Integrity, Respect, Resilience, and Service by caring for one another and contributing to the immediate community. These experiences shape not only responsible students, but thoughtful and compassionate citizens.

Recently, five of our students came forward to help a lady who had slipped at a bus stop and fractured her ankle. They called for help and ensured she was cared for until the ambulance arrived. The lady wrote to us to express her deep gratitude before undergoing surgery. We could not have been prouder. Not because it was extraordinary – but because it was simply the right thing to do. A concept called Atarimae. 

Practising ‘Atarimae’

Earlier this year, I shared with our students the Japanese concept of Atarimae – doing what is “natural”, “obvious”, and “right” without needing to be told. This mindset is evident in Japan, where it is almost instinctive for spectators to clean up a stadium after a match, without reminders or instructions. Atarimae reflects a quiet yet powerful mindset grounded in shared responsibility, unspoken care, and everyday discipline.

What moved me deeply was not just the idea itself, but how our students have responded to it since. Many have been struck by its simplicity. It surfaced in the reflections during the Sec 3 camp. It appeared in the cheers of our Netball girls during the B Division competition. And as I walk around the school, I hear students calling out Atarimae – sometimes playfully, sometimes thoughtfully. I am heartened, because it tells me that the idea has meaning for them – and that we can build on this momentum.

Our Call to Action

We believe every Damaian can practise Atarimae, anchored in our school values.

• Integrity – “Doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do”. This begins with the self – having the courage to act rightly even when no one is watching, and being disciplined, proactive, and curious in their daily learning.

• Respect – “Treating others the way we would like to be treated”. This begins with simple gestures such as greeting staff and friends, which build a culture of warmth and belonging.

• Resilience – “You are not alone”. This begins with recognising that help-seeking is a strength

• Service – “We care”. This begins with playing our part to keep the school clean and choosing kindness when others are in need.

This is therefore the culture we strive to nurture:

Together with my staff, we look forward to partnering you – parents, alumni, community and industry partners – to grow Damai as a family of learners and stewards, where every child flourishes with purpose and meaning. If this resonates with you, we welcome you to be part of the Damai heartbeat!

Yours,

Prashant s/o Jayapragas
Principal