“As Christian educators, we can make a difference”: Retired ACS principal Peter Tan to 600 educators at NCEC 2025

When Peter Tan joined The Boys’ Brigade (BB) in Secondary 2, his first thought was: “Join BB not bad. I can learn the Bible and then refute Christians.”

Then a devout believer of another religion, he had not wanted to join BB, which is based on Christian values, but had no choice after his first choice, the National Cadet Corps, rejected him.

Yet, despite his less than noble intentions, “God turned the tables on me”, said Peter.

As the Gospel message was shared during one of the BB parades, Peter felt a tugging in his heart that he could not ignore. 

“I was struggling. I thought, ‘How can I reject what I’ve been raised with to accept this God?’ But the call was so strong, so I walked up to the altar that day, knelt down and accepted Christ.”

In the days and weeks that followed, he pored over his Bible, reading it in the wee hours of the morning with a torchlight under his blanket so his relatives would not catch him.

It was a foundational practice that remained with him for decades, even as he became Principal, first at Anglo-Chinese School (Junior) and then at Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road), where he prayed over cohorts of boys during assembly devotions every Monday morning. He later took over the helm at Queensway Secondary School.

“If God used one reluctant BB boy, imagine what He can do (with others)?”

Making a difference for God

Peter, who retired in December 2023 after 40 years of service, was sharing this story at the annual National Christian Educators Conference (NCEC) on December 22, 2025, to illustrate the impact that Christ’s presence in schools can make.

“As a Christian teacher, as a Christian principal or vice-principal, how do we impact the school, the environment that we are in, to make the difference for God?” he challenged participants.

“As you prepare yourselves for 2026, what is God calling you to do that will bring His glory into your classroom?” Peter asked the educators in attendance.

“We’re not just there to teach. We are there to transform lives – whether it’s our students, our teachers, even parents.

“I believe God calls us into this vocation because He has a purpose for us. As you prepare yourselves for 2026, what is God calling you to do that will bring His glory into your classroom? What is God calling you to do that will bring His glory into your school?”

He shared three ways that educators can be intentional about letting their faith drive their work.

1. Read God’s Word faithfully

There is no other truth but God’s Word, Peter said, and this is why it is so important for us to spend time reading it.

“I know all of us are very busy. I was in the vocation for 40 years. Very busy. But before you start thinking about work, before you start looking at your WhatsApp messages, take out your Bible and read the Bible first,” he urged.

“Spend time growing deep in the Word of God, because that is the greatest surety for you and I – to know what God wants us to be, to know what God wants us to do.”

During breaks, participants visited various booths that offered resources.

Sharing that God’s Word has helped him to handle difficult situations at work, he added: “Rather than trying to use man’s wisdom, rely on God’s wisdom.”

He also related a testimony of how a teacher would read her Bible and pray every morning in the staff room before the school day began. One of her colleagues noticed this and asked her why, leading to conversations that eventually brought that colleague to Christ.

“(That teacher) wasn’t doing her Quiet Time in school to show off. It was the only time she had to sit down and meditate. But because of her faithfulness, her colleague came to Christ,” said Peter.

2. Find a community of believing teachers

Back in 2005, there was only one gathering of Christian educators – the Teachers’ Christian Fellowship – and attendance at its dedication service was “quite dismal”, Peter recalled.

So, the fact that there can be a gathering of 600 Christian educators today is heartening, he said, encouraging participants to join a prayer group.

Some 600 educators from across Singapore gathered together to worship, pray and be encouraged in their vocation at the National Christian Educators Conference.

“There are groups for everything. Come together and grow together. Encourage each other’s growth … It’s better that we can work together and move together and do things together.”

3. Believe in the power of prayer

Before Peter took over as Principal of Queensway Secondary School, God prompted him through the biblical story of Jericho (Joshua 6) to do a prayer walk around the school.

Though he did not know when to start or who to pray with, he obeyed. So, every Saturday, he and some parents would walk around the school and community, praying for the people in it.

On the seventh prayer walk, they decided to walk seven rounds like Joshua did around Jericho.

“As we gathered that day, we had representatives from the churches in the area around Queensway, we had parents, we had teachers, students, coming for that prayer walk,” recalled Peter.

Through that gathering of praying believers, many doors were opened for future partnerships, he added. “God had already added the community. All we needed to do was obey.”

What started with prayer would end with prayer as well. During the school’s farewell for him on the day of his retirement, some students gathered around him and asked if they could pray for him.

“I was so heartened,” he said. “As you bless others, you, too, will be blessed. Let God use you to be that blessing.

“As Christian educators, we can make a difference.”

Keep in view the future glory

In closing, Peter acknowledged that there are many challenges that educators face. In his career, he has been sued at least twice.

“But I thank God that God has seen me through,” he said.

Pointing to Romans 8:18, he added: “This is a verse that has kept me. The present suffering, the present difficulties are not worthy of comparison to the future glory.

“So whatever you’re going through, whatever challenges – health, work, relationships – God will carry you through. This is His Word. This is His promise. And God will not fail on His promise.”

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