Serangoon Sec School Teacher Passed Away After Taxi Beat Red Light; Students Paid Tributes to Her

There is no real order to life and death.

Many of us live life with this sense of invincibility, that if something dangerous or even deadly were to happen, it would happen to someone else. 

But history has proven time and time again that death chooses its victims at random. Anyone, good or bad, rich or poor, can be snatched away from us in an instant.

Serangoon Sec School Teacher Passed Away After Taxi Beat Red Light; Students Paid Tributes to Her

Tragedy struck on 30 July when a 60-year-old secondary school teacher died in a fatal traffic accident.

Veteran Serangoon Secondary School teacher Ho-Tan Chor Hong passed away after the taxi she was riding in was involved in an accident at a junction near Upper Serangoon Road on 30 July.

News of her tragic death was shared on Serangoon Secondary School’s alumni Facebook page.

According to an acquaintance of Ho’s, Ho had finished her work at school and was on her way home in the taxi when the accident occurred.

Based on the footage of the accident, it appears that the taxi Ho was in tried to beat the red light, and a large truck crashed into it as a result.

The condition of the taxi driver is currently unknown.

Taught At Serangoon Secondary School For Over 3 Decades

Several students responding to the news said Ho had taught them in the 1980s, meaning she had been teaching at Serangoon Secondary School (SSS) for over three decades.

Ho was reportedly the HOD of Pastoral Care & Career Guidance (PCCG) in SSS and taught several subjects including English, Geography, and PE. She was also the volleyball coach at one point in her tenure.

A Dedicated Educator Who Cared For Needy Students

Former students of SSS were saddened to hear the news of Ho’s passing, and paid tribute to her on social media.

Former students described her as a “meticulous” and “dedicated” teacher who always cared for needy students.

One former student was particularly devastated by the SSS teacher’s death, saying she always cared deeply for her students and went the extra mile to help them fulfil their potential.

when i retained and when i was going out of track, going out of being myself- she stepped in and she was there for me and she cared for me. She made sure that you know, i was able to show my potential and she made sure she did what it takes to unlock my potential😭

— 🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️ (@Shawnemmanuel05) July 31, 2020

when my class first got banded and when it went into another class i was pissed and annoyed but over time, she has won my hearts and the heart of many fellow students, like me. She always went on the extra mile to make sure that she would take the time to mark every extra work

— 🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️ (@Shawnemmanuel05) July 31, 2020

He said Ho always gave him encouraging comments on his work and made sure he strived to improve on his next assignment.

Even though Ho wasn’t his teacher when he was taking his O-levels, the former SSS student said she always gave him tips to manage his stress and tried to cheer him up.

Even when i went O level, when she wasn’t my english teacher, she would often check in with me how was i doing and always gave me tips and made sure i managed my stress properly because she knew how emotionally i wasn’t at the right state and she often made sure she”ll cheer me

— 🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️ (@Shawnemmanuel05) July 31, 2020

She also passed him this beautiful note during his secondary school graduation:

“She made a huge difference to my life and I’m very thankful for everything that she has done for me. I wish her peace and I’m eternally grateful for all the help that she has done for fellow students like me,” he said.

This truly is a sad day for SSS students and faculty.

We offer our condolences to Ho’s family and hope they’ll be able to pull through this tough period.

Tragic accidents like this remind us that we should always cherish our loved ones, because they can be taken away from us at any moment.