8 Urban Myths About Schools In Singapore That Will Make You S**t Your Pants

We all love a good ghost story, but sometimes when you know that it’s happening near you, it doesn’t seem all that fun anymore.

I’m sure we’ve all heard of several myths about our schools back when we were teenagers. Whether it’s in a Polytechnic, Junior College, or Secondary School, there’s always that one hand dryer that turns on by itself, or a room on the fourth floor that’s always locked.

If you ever find yourself missing such tales, here are eight urban myths that you may or may not have heard about while you were in school.

1. Hwa Chong Institution Clock Tower

Hwa Chong Institution has a pretty distinct clock tower located within the campus. It served as a surveillance tower in World War II for the Japanese when they occupied our land.

Of course, when something involves World War II, it’s bound to be haunted. Inside the tower, there is a piano, and it’s apparently no ordinary piano…

Students have said that they have heard the piano automatically playing come sundown, and there is no visible pianist there who’s playing it.

There have also been stories whereby students find a piece of white cloth of a white glove resting on top of the piano. Maybe one of the Japanese soldiers was a pianist and he died in the tower…

2. Singapore Polytechnic Red Bridge

I did not study at Singapore Polytechnic, but I’ve heard this one before from friends. Apparently, there’s a sinister-looking red bridge on campus that’s haunted.

The story is that someone committed suicide from the bridge, and so now, the spirit lurks around the area, scaring off anybody who dares to cross the bridge at night.

Maybe the bridge is red from the blood of the victim.

3. Ngee Ann Polytechnic “Cemetery”

School camps are where the bulk of eerie stories emerge from, and Ngee Ann Polytechnic has some peculiar ones.

One of such tales was that during a camp, the camp leaders wanted to create a visual of a cemetery, so that they could simulate a haunted house. They placed a plate of oranges and some joysticks in front of a mirror, and about an hour or two later, the oranges appeared rotten and dried up.

My only question is, how did the ghost suck out the orange juice without peeling it?

4. Temasek Junior College Lecture Hall

A friend once told me that there is a particular lecture hall in Temasek Junior College that has a creepy backstory.

This lecture hall is built in the shape of a Bagua Mirror, which is used to deflect or neutralise Sha Qi (negative energy). Why is there Sha Qi in the lecture hall then?

It’s said that the lecture hall is standing on the same ground where Japanese soldiers killed their captives during the Japanese Occupation. The place was an execution ground.

Sounds of marching soldiers can also sometimes be heard in the hall.

5. Temasek Polytechnic Pillar

Legend has it, that there’s a dead body buried somewhere in a pillar at Block 18 of the campus.

The tale tells the story of how a construction worker was standing in the frame of the pillar, when his colleague poured cement into the pillar, hence burying him alive.

So the body is still resting in a pillar somewhere at Block 18, which of course makes people want to avoid that block – you don’t want to be caught walking by alone.

6. Nanyang Polytechnic Dummies

This is a pretty popular myth among students at the school. Apparently, dummies come to life and roam the area at night, which definitely makes you not want to be there once it’s dark.

With their pale white faces, hairless heads and lifeless eyes? Nope, not taking any chances.

7. Ngee Ann Polytechnic Block 50

Here’s another report of a ghastly encounter due to a suicide: at level seven of Block 50, a girl killed herself, so you know that place is definitely haunted now.

There have been many stories of how one would see a lone white figure standing coldly in the middle of one of the classrooms. Some have even said that it would chase you if you started running.

That’s quite the dilemma, because now you don’t know whether to start running or to stand still; both seem like a bad decision.

8. Hwa Chong Institution Hanging Bodies

Once again, this myth stems from the Japanese Occupation. The Japanese used to slaughter and hang the dead bodies from the trees that are sprawled around the campus today.

It’s said that if you shine a torch at night at any of those trees, you’ll see those same bodies dangling around, bloody and disfigured.

If you ask me, I wouldn’t even want to stay in that school till late at night; I would really rather be home.

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Are you feeling spooked yet? Scared or not, I do advise that you don’t take these tales too seriously. Their main purpose is probably to scare the freshmen and to keep campfire stories interesting.

But still, I guess there’s no harm in avoiding things like putting joysticks and oranges in front of a mirror.