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Original Article from 1972 In commemoration of the 35th anniversary of the Master Printers' Association Singapore 新加坡印务同业公会卅五周年纪念刊

The Baharuddin Vocational Institute Printing School
KOH BOON PIANG
N.D.D. (U.K.), A.T.C. (Lond.), A.M.B.I.M.,
PRINCIPAL, (1972)
BAHARUDDIN VOCATIONAL INSTITUTE

I. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SCHOOL

In 1965, during the planning of the Baharuddin Vocational Institute of Manual and Applied Arts, a department to train workers for printing was included to offer a more comprehensive course in the field of Graphic Arts, especially when it was envisaged that the printing industry in Singapore would eventually grow in keeping with other developments. The growth of export trade and of the manufacturing industries in Singapore would lead to a greater emphasis on the improvement of design, packaging, advertisement and display of manufactured goods. Printing would play an important part in these areas. Printing continues to grow not only in Singapore but in countries all over the world, especially in developing countries. The scope for expansion and the potential market for printing has increased because of rapid development in education, commercial investments, and the expansion of various industries and services, all of which would create increasing demands for a widening range of printed matter. Better skills in the techniques of printing are imperative if the printing industry in Singapore is to capture the export market.
In the same year, 1965, a representative from the Association of German Printing Machine Manufacturers visited Singapore. In his discussions with members of the printing industry and Government representatives, it was suggested that the Federal Republic of Germany might be able to give assistance to Singapore in the establishment of a printing school to help train workers for the industry.
The formation of the National Industrial Training Council in early 1968 heralded a new era in the development of technical education and industrial training in Singapore. It was immediately followed by the establishment of the Technical Education Department as a separate entity within the Ministry of Education in June 1968. The Department was charged with the responsibility of promoting technical education and industrial training. It was entrusted with the overall administration and supervision of all technical, bilateral and vocational schools, technical and vocational institutes and the Technical Department of the Teachers’ Training College. Its sphere of jurisdiction extended to the organisation and supervision of apprenticeship and in-plant training programmes, the formulation and administration of trade standards and tests and the co-ordination of all industrial training activities undertaken by governmental and quasi-governmental agencies.
In that same year, 1968 a team of 3 German experts was sent to Singapore by the Federal Republic of Germany to study the possibility and the extent of the assistance in the event of a printing school being set up. It was decided by the Singapore Government that instead of establishing another separate printing school, the German aid should go to develop the printing department of the Baharuddin Vocational Institute under the Technical Education Department. The German visiting team submitted a report on their return to Germany and the aid began to take shape.
On 19th February, 1970, an agreement was signed between the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Singapore Government on the establishment of a printing school at the Baharuddin Vocational Institute with German assistance. By the agreement, the Federal Republic of Germany undertook to assign to the Printing School a German Director and up to 7 printing experts for an initial period of 4 years. Germany would also donate machinery, tools, accessories, teaching aids, a vehicle and training facilities in Germany for 6 suitable candidates. The Singapore Government would provide the buildings, local counterparts, auxiliary administrative services, maintenance, upkeep and the running cost of the school. The School has now been set up.
In April 1971, the Printing School at Baharuddin Vocational Institute commenced running 7 full-time day courses and 6 part-time evening courses. The capacity of the Printing School is 80 students at any one time; or a total of 160 places for full-time day courses for school leavers. Evening part-time up-grading courses are conducted for those already working in the industry. Special ad hoc courses may also be run from time to time when sponsored by firms. This will of course depend on the availability of the staff facilities and accommodation. Also, more advanced courses to meet the needs of the printing industry may be introduced. One such course is the workshop foremen/supervisor part-time course commencing in September, 1972.
The full-time day courses last normally for 2 years whilst the part-time courses take 3 years. Part-time courses are offered in units, each of which is of 6 months duration.

II. TRAINING OFFERED
The following account will give an idea of the training that is offered by the Printing School of the Baharuddin Vocational Institute. There are at present 7 courses:—

1. Composing
The Composing section includes hand, hotmetal and photo-composing. In the first year, the students are trained in basic composing and basic designing. This includes the study of composing materials, the type case, the different type faces, a knowledge of printing inks and paper, letter spacing, proof-reading, make-up of matter, imposition and designing. The practical training comprises composing of straight matter, forms and tables, letterheads, cards for different occasions, leaflets, pamphlets, catalogues and posters.
The second year offers advanced designing and setting of matter for journals, newspaper and books. In the last three terms, the student can choose to specialize in one of these areas:—
Photo-composing (Diatype, Starsettograph, film correction and film assembling); Intertype; Monotype keyboard, Monotype Composition Caster or Mono Super Caster.

2. Photoengraving.
The photoengraving section offers an intensive course in the different methods of blockmaking. Students have to undergo a training beginning with the study of all photoengraving materials, machines and equipment. They will be taught how to work with handcoated and pre-sensitized plates, line blocks, half-tone blocks, multi-coloured blocks and photopolymer plates (e.g. Nyloprint, Dycril). The manual way of etching a block as well as the powderless etching process together with electronic engraving, hand-engraving, routing, bevelling and proofing are also part of the training. The students will be given theoretical and practical lessons in the operation and maintenance of a host of photoengraving machines such as the plate whirler, the printing down frame, the conventional etching machine, the powderless etching machine, the routing machine, the bevelling machine, the proof press, nyloprint (the special cold-light exposing frame and washer), and the electronic engraving machine (scanner).

3. Letterpress Printing.
Both in theory and practice, students in this section will be taught the use of the different types of letterpress printing machines. They will also be given a basic knowledge of Composing and Photoengraving. Since they will be dealing with paper daily, a detailed study of paper making, paper of various shades, thicknesses, usage and printability is included in the course. They will also have to study printing inks — its manufacture, composition, colour, properties and usage. In the workshop, emphasis will be placed on a training that is most conducive to the needs and demands of the industry. Trainees will be dealing with the problems of “live” jobs such as the printing of visiting cards, tables and forms, books, mixed formes (i.e. combination of straight matter, linework and half-tones), process colour jobs and specialised work like die-cutting, ordinary and hot-foil embossing.

4. Reproduction Photography.
The course deals with the various kinds of techniques starting from the reproduction of drawings consisting of extremely fine lines to the making of halftone negatives and positives for multi-colour printing. The student will be given practice in making reproductions from a large assortment of originals such as photographs in black and white or in colour, colour transparencies, layouts, paintings, sketches and even three-dimensional objects. The study of the theory of colour and filter selection leading towards the attainment in the skills of colour separation, rectification of uncorrected colour separation, making colour corrections with the different masking methods, namely, silver mask, multi-mask and tri-mask will be included. The student will also be trained to operate the engraving machine or scanner.

5. Platemaking and Retouching.
The course includes all possible photolithographic techniques as drawing, designing, letter drawing, colourwork with watercolours, hand-colour-separation, dot-etching tint screen or halftone, colour matching, photo mechanical techniques, mounting techniques as well as plate- making methods and processes. The student will also be trained on proof printing presses, to make samples of single and multi-colour-prints; photographic techniques, densitometric measurements and electronic scanning.

6. Offset Printing.
The course provides comprehensive knowledge of offset printing machines, printing plates, printing inks and printing processes. Students are taught the physical and chemical reactions of the materials used, to enable high quality prints at high speeds to be produced. Fault-finding, routine repairs, press servicing and maintenance procedures are also emphasised.

7. Bindery.
The students are put through a comprehensive theoretical and practical training programme in both hand and machine binding, including the skilled art of finishing work. Training in this section covers a very broad base. Students are taught to set and operate machines such as the programmed guillotine-cutter, the combined knife and buckle folding machine, book-sewing machine, wire-stitching machines, the fold-blocking press and other available binding machinery. They are also taught the correct use of tools and materials, the calculation of production cost, the designing of book covers, book jackets, end papers and the making of special designs for gold-blocking.

III. PRINTING TRADE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
A Printing Trade Advisory Committee was formed at the beginning of April, 1972, by the Technical Education Department to serve as a liaison body between the printing industry and Government training establishments. Besides other terms of reference, this Committee will be recommending ways of co-ordinating and improving training to meet the needs of the printing industry and to set a minimum standard for certification.

IV. CONCLUSION
The establishment of the Baharuddin Vocational Institute Printing School is most timely at this stage of development of Singapore's economy. It is now up to our local printers to take full advantage of the facilities of the Printing School. Because of the present shortage of skilled workers, it is hoped that by training more printing workers to be absorbed by the industry, there will be less tendency for them to migrate from one printing firm to another. It is also hoped that, through efficiency, high quality work, competitive prices and prompt delivery, Singapore printers can compete successfully for the export market.

Been over a year since I set types 🥲

Types saved earlier this year, some Alexandria Black, cheltenham, Grace script, century and a few Chinese characters.