Mr Joseph David

The late Mr Joseph David, better known as Joe David, was a Physical Education (PE) teacher and Sports Secretary at St. Joseph's Institution. As a promising and highly capable PE teacher, Mr David was one of the first to be awarded a scholarship to study PE at Loughborough College in 1952.

On completion of his scholarship, Mr David joined the Ministry of Education (MOE) PE Inspectorate. He concurrently lectured PE at the Teachers' Training College (TTC) while holding the Head/PE post at MOE. Mr David's chief task was to improve the quality of teaching of PE lessons. He revamped the PE curriculum at TTC and conducted workshops for PE teachers. Teachers were impressed with the new methods of teaching PE as Mr David breathed fresh insights to the PE syllabus used by schools.

With the creation of the Extra Curricular Activities Centre (ECAC) in 1966, Mr David was made Deputy Director ECA. Mr David's role was extended to promote schools sports in schools. Mr David was instrumental in running ECAC as the nerve center for all ECA in schools, and to coordinate the 3 categories of ECA - sports and games/physical education, uniformed groups, and music/dance.

Besides developing school ECA as a unique system in Singapore's education, Mr David also moved school sports to the region through our students' participation in the ASEAN Schools Sports Council, the Asian Schools Sports Council and the Asian Schools Football Federation's competitions. Students in the ECA music and uniformed groups enjoyed international exposure through their participation in international music festivals and international exchanges with uniformed organisations.

Through his amicable personality, Mr David was a skilful public relation officer and administrator who earned the support and respect of various organisations that supported our schools' ECA programmes. Sports groups and MOE were united for a common purpose.

Mr David was awarded the Public Service Administration Award Medal (Bronze) in 1963 and the Long Service Award Medal in 1984.

Mr David retired in 1990.

Recollections of Mr Joe David

• The "Father" of PE and ECA in Singapore

  • Mr Joe David was the "Father" of PE and ECA in Singapore. He played a major role in the starting of the PE College and the Sports School. Prior to the existence of the PE College, he sent outstanding PE teachers overseas for Diploma-in-PE/Sports courses.

  • Under Mr David's capable leadership, various PE and games workshops, courses and seminars were organised for the PE teachers and Sports Secretaries to upgrade them on games skills as most of them was not PE trained. Physical Fitness Testing was also introduced during Mr David's time.

  • Mr David was a kind and compassionate DD. On Chinese New Eves, he would ask us to leave the office early so as to avoid the "Chinese traffic jam". And he himself would stay back in the office to hold the fort. He worked hard and played hard too. Every year on April Fool's Day, he would have something up his sleeves. We had to watch out to see what April Fool's joke he would come out with and who the poor victim would be.

  • Mr David treasured people and had excellent EQ. He got along very well with everyone - from Ministers to the gardeners.

  • Mrs Sudheesan-Syon Min Loon 
    Former CPDD PE Unit Officer

• The Boss Who Cared

  • Mr Joseph David was Deputy Director of Co-Curricular Activities when I joined service in 1980. He was well respected by all in MOE and the sports scene, and had no difficulty in getting the support of others.

  • As a boss, Mr David was magnanimous and believed in giving responsibility to officers. This helped us to develop professionally and to become more confident in our proceedings. Mr David practiced an open door policy. He was nurturing and encouraging, and we could always approach him for advice when in doubt. Even when we made mistakes, he would guide us through it and would counsel us behind closed doors.

  • No matter how busy he was, Mr David always cared for his staff and took the time to know us. One event that is etched in my mind is when he helped me understand if the CPF or Pension scheme was better for me. Mr David guided me by simply asking me the right questions, like whether I intended to seek other employment in future, whether I intended to get married and to have children.

  • I am thankful to have had a boss like Mr David.

  • Mdm Herjindur Kaur
    Senior Officer, Co-Curricular Activities 1,
    Education Programmes Division

  • References

  • Aplin, N. (Eds.). (2009). Perspectives on Physical Education and Sports Science in Singapore: An Eye on the Youth Olympic Games 2010. Singapore: McGraw-Hill Education (Asia).

  • David has new training methods (1957, 26 March). The Straits Times. 
    Retrieved from http://newspapers.nl.sg

  • Educationist calls it a year after 45 years of service (1990, 28 December). 
    The Straits Times. Retrieved from http://newspapers.nl.sg

  • How clubs can help schoolboys – David (1957, 7 June). The Straits Times. 
    Retrieved from http://newspapers.nl.sg

  • Teo, E. (2001). A History of Physical Education in Singapore since 1819. 
    (Unpublished manuscript, NIE/NTU).

A Note of Appreciation

PESTA would like to thank Mr Charles David for sharing the photographs of his father, the late Mr Joseph David. We would also like to thank Mrs Sudheesan-Syon Min Loon and Mdm Herjindur Kaur for their sharing on Mr Joseph David