Try pronouncing the name of the new junior college MOE just announced

A new junior college is coming to town and boy is the name a mouthful. Ladies and gents, welcome Eunoia Junior College to the fold come 2019, when it opens its campus in Sin Ming. 

According to the Ministry of Education, the JC will offer an Integrated Programme for secondary students from 2017 onwards, including those from Catholic High School, CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School and Singapore Chinese Girls’ School. What that means is that secondary students under the programme can bypass GCE O-Level exams and go head on straight to sit for their A-Level papers. 

While waiting for the Eunoia JC campus in Sin Ming to be ready in late 2019, students will be placed at a temporary site in Mount Sinai, Channel NewsAsia reports. 

But enough of all the technical details. Let’s talk about something’s that staring at us right in the face — what’s up with the uber-wanky name? 

First up, how the hell will everyday Singaporeans know how to pronounce the new JC’s name? You-know-ah? Ee-noy-ah? Here’s how it’s properly said out loud: 

Secondly, what the hell does it even mean, this eunoia? Apparently it’s the shortest English word containing all five main vowel graphemes — A E I O U. It comes from the Greek word εὔνοια which means benevolence, good will or ‘beautiful thinking’. Yeah, totally amplifying the image that our junior colleges are only reserved for the upper echelons of Singapore’s society.  

Anyway, here’s the Ministry of Education themselves educating you on how to pronounce the name of their newest JC.