Schools can be a scary place, filled with pubescent children and raging hormones.

As if that's not enough, many schools in Singapore are also known to be favourite haunts for restless spirits and disembodied ghosts!

Here are some of the stories behind famous hauntings of schools in Singapore to get your hair standing. Of course, you might want to take these stories with a pinch of salt (but you can never be too sure with these things).

Incomplete homework is the least of your school-related worries now!

1. CHIJ ST. NICHOLAS GIRLS' SCHOOL

There's a pond in school where a group of students were playing Follow The Leader (or Caterpillar). The girls are lined up, blindfolded and made to hold the shoulders of the person in front.

After the game, a girl was missing and was eventually found back at the pond, still playing the game by herself.

She believed she was still holding onto someone's shoulders.

2. ST PATRICK'S SCHOOL

Having been built before WWII, it was used as a hospital and an administrative building during the war.

The armoury was a dumping ground for bodies, leaving the place severely haunted. Legend has it that it took the combined efforts from holy men of various religions to cleanse and seal the room - real life Ghostbusters!

3. SINGAPORE POLYTECHNIC

Stories say that the Red bridge was painted red because the blood stains resulting from a suicide couldn't be washed off. In fact, it is rumoured that some of the stains make a reappearance from time to time!

Also, if you take a look at the map of the school, Block T13 is conspicuously missing. Reasons behind its omission are unknown. However, seeing as the number 13 is such an ominous number, it has set alarm bells ringing among supernatural enthusiasts.

4. CANBERRA SECONDARY SCHOOL

A group of student counsellors reportedly heard crying noises in the room formerly called "Design Studio" down the hall. Knocking on both doors in attempt to find out who was in the room yielded no response.

Alas, a teacher was called in to unlock the door, looking visibly flustered upon arrival as if he already suspected the source of the sobbing. It turns out the room was empty upon entry.

5. HAI SING SECONDARY SCHOOL

The most famous story was the reports of the statue of Mother Mary within the school compounds shedding tears of blood at night. Some even recounted that the statue comes to life at night, roaming the school compounds.

6. OUTRAM SECONDARY SCHOOL

The female toilet in the swimming pool was haunted by a girl who committed suicide by drowning. Students have also reported the feeling of their feet being tugged as if someone was grabbing onto them for help.

7. CLEMENTI TOWN SECONDARY SCHOOL

The D&T room was claimed to be haunted by a disembodied head from a student who died in a workshop accident. Always pay special attention in a place full of dangerous tools, kids!

8. TEMASEK POLYTECHNIC

The ITAS block is reportedly haunted by a spirit that enjoys scaring its occupants by singing old Chinese classics, perhaps in search of an audience. Doesn't sound too bad if you put it that way!

9. NANYANG POLYTECHNIC

Block K (Health and Life Science department) was reportedly haunted by dummies that come alive at night to roam the compounds.

Just like Night of the Museum, you say? Except with less laughing your pants off and more soiling it.

Furthermore, the secluded lift on Block K has a tendency to stop at the 3rd floor of the build, where real dead bodies are stored for research.

10. NGEE ANN POLYTECHNIC

Ngee Ann Polytechnic's blocks 50/51/52 was reportedly wrought with hauntings, from the usual restless toilet spirits to the presence of blood stains situated on the infamous 9th floor.

The most common theory to the cause of the hauntings was that Ngee Ann Poly was built on bunkers that litter the hilly terrain.

One of the workshops in the campus was also the scene of a freak accident where a girl died after her hair got caught in one of the machines. In addition, it was claimed that you can hear screams from the workshop if you happen to pass by its proximity.

11. HWA CHONG INSTITUTION

Refrain from shining your torchlight on treetops at night because you might just be greeted by bodies of those murdered and then hung by the Japanese during WWII.

The statues erected in the school are also reportedly haunted.

If you walk behind the statue of Tan Kah Kee at midnight, it has been known to turn around, asking for the time.

Besides that, the emerald eyes adorning the statue of Lee Kong Chian glows an eerie green. The eyes are covered now but some of that ghostly light still escapes through the cracks - so spooky!

It was also mentioned that they only use one out of their four flagpoles at the field, because the three flagpoles symbolize the joss sticks to please the spirits. Word has it, the field used to be shaped like a tombstone, perhaps that's why.

12. ANGLO CHINESE SCHOOL

The clock tower is allegedly haunted by the restless spirit of a boy who took a deadly plunge into the gears of the fixture. Supernatural possessions are also claimed to be a common occurrence in the school.

13. TAMPINES SECONDARY SCHOOL

A tragic incident is thought to be the source of the school haunting: a girl was raped by a construction worker during its construction in the 80s, and now her restless spirit haunts the compounds of the school.

14. LOYANG PRIMARY SCHOOL

The lights of the female toilet on the 4th floor are left on for 24 hours due to it being haunted.

15. BUKIT TIMAH PRIMARY SCHOOL

As recounted by one of the teachers, an angry spirit of a Japanese soldier once burst into one of the corner classrooms (then Bukit Batok Primary School) located right beside a forested area when class was in session.

Needless to say, many pupils were traumatised by the event. It is said that this harrowing event was swept under the rug for the mental well-being of the other pupils in the school.

16. RAFFLES INSTITUTE

In the senior block where the science lab is located, jars of preserved specimen are stored. One of the specimen is that of a foetus (science!). Word is, the foetus flies around the proximity calling out your name like a horror mashup of cupid and a toyol.

Turning around to heed the call of the foetus is considered a bad idea, as unknown terrible repercussions await those who do.

17. CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL

Someone had entered to school compounds to have a bit of a kickabout, but was ticked off by a bearded old man commanding him to leave the premises.

He then promptly left the compounds of the school to return another day, only to find out that bearded old man was actually the school's late founder.

18. CHUNG CHENG HIGH (MAIN BRANCH)

Red doors locked with a chain and padlock.

About a decade ago, a student was left locked in the basement of the main building while playing hide and seek, after his seekers weren't able to find him.

It was a Friday.

Monday came and he was found dead, leaving blood stains all over the walls. Since then, the basement is now locked at 8pm.

19. WOODLANDS PRIMARY SCHOOL

A student was crying and screaming down the corridor with her hands covering her face.

When a teacher came to her aid, she dropped her hands revealing her eyes which were rolled up and only her whites showing.

Apparently, she had seen an old man beckoning to her.

20. NTU

According to student sources, there has been an unnatural death in the campus every year since 2007.

Google "NTU deaths" and you'll be surprised.

21. BONUS: MALAN ROAD HOLDING SITE (MULTIPLE SCHOOLS)

The old holding site at Malan Road was a temporary home for several schools before their move to a new location. Horror stories plagued the vicinity, with sightings concentrated at the old chapel, remodelled as a make-shift lecture room.

Considering the cramp corridors, with oddly placed, locked doors three feet above ground, and a dimly lit art room, the chapel brings goosebumps to anyone who dares to wander alone.

A female student seated alone in one of the lecture rooms once observed someone fiddling with the door knob, but peering out of the windows, no person was in sight.

What do you think, are these just baseless rumours or true stories? I'll let you be the judge of that. Either way, your days of solo runs to the the toilet are over.

Now what is that shadow behind your back?

Just kidding.