Our History

Yusof Ishak Secondary School was established in 1965 as Jubilee Integrated Secondary School. It was an integrated school offering secondary education to an enrolment of 984 pupils and 37 teachers of two streams, in English and Malay.

 

On 29 July 1966, then Prime Minister, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew declared open Yusof Ishak Secondary School (YISS) at Jubilee Road. We are the only school to be named after a President of our Republic.

 

In 1992, we became the first school to top the value-added ranking in both the Express and Normal Streams.

 

We are honored to be named after the first President of Singapore, Encik Yusof Bin Ishak. Even though the physical learning environment posed a challenge, our students were undeterred in their quest for knowledge. On the contrary, the ‘kampong feel’, coupled with the support from the teachers, led them to greater heights of academic excellence.

 

YI remained to be the only school to be named after the First President of Singapore. Besides being a respected Statesman, Mr. Yusof Ishak was also a Scholar and a prolific Sportsman. To Yusoffians, he is a true son of Singapore whom we look up to as one who is responsible, resilient, respectful, confident, compassionate and one who exemplifies the integrity of character – qualities which Yusoffians embrace.