Then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew announced in May 1965 that "super secondary boarding school" would be built to cater to the top students in Singapore. This was subsequently followed by an announcement in December 1965 by then Minister for Education Ong Pang Boon that the "junior college" system would be established in order to optimise the use of teachers and laboratory facilities and to create more school places for pre-university students.[1]
In keeping with its name and philosophy, the College claims no affiliation with any secondary school but instead draws its students from a narrow spectrum. Thus, each year, only about 80 Singapore secondary schools will have representatives amongst the College's student population. In addition, Singapore students learn alongside students from India, China, Hong Kong, Korea as well as ASEAN countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. NJC also plays host to German, PRC, Taiwanese, Vietnamese and Japanese students in exchange programmes.