The Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA) is a self-help group that works to uplift the Singapore Indian Community. SINDA’s key thrusts are in Education, Family Services and Active Collaboration.

SINDA was formed in August 1991 to address the pressing educational and socio-economic issues facing the community. From September 1990 to March 1991, the Action Committee on Indian Education (ACIE) discussed these issues, after which, in July 1991, the ACIE presented a report entitled ‘At The Crossroads’ to the Government. The report highlighted the under-performance of Indian students in the academic arena and recommended wide-ranging remedial measures.

In this light, SINDA was formed to raise the academic level of Indian students. In addition to that primary objective, SINDA also offers a range of programmes and services to help families who approach us for various forms of assistance. We assist with the social and economic development of individuals. Youths too benefit from our programmes that are aimed at mentoring and equipping them with leadership skills.
The core thrust of SINDA is ‘Maximising Educational Opportunities for ALL’. The opportunities are great for every student in Singapore. He/ she and the family must maximise these opportunities.

SINDA 2020 Recommendations & Strategies

In 2011, SINDA presented a review report entitled, SINDA 2020: the New Momentum, which examined the progress made by the Indian community since SINDA’s inception in 1991. The report shed light on several hard truths and challenges facing the Indian community and charted the future direction for SINDA in terms of its role and relevance in the community. SINDA will address these issues by:

  • Encouraging parents to send their children to preschool centres
  • Focusing more on Mathematics through innovative teaching methods
  • Expanding STEP tuition and Project Teach programmes to more pupils and schools
  • Strengthening youth development by guiding them to stay focused and aim higher in their aspirations
  • Building family resilience amongst Indian families by engaging with parents and
  • Strengthening community partnerships by collaborating with various organisations

Vision

To build a strong and vibrant Singaporean Indian community together.

Mission

To build a well-educated, resilient and confident community of Indians that stands together with the other communities in contributing to the progress of multi-racial Singapore.

Objectives

  • To achieve parity in educational attainment with the national average at every landmark examination
  • To strengthen the family unit as the foundation of a socially resilient community
  • To build a cohesive, caring and socially responsible community
  • To foster understanding of and co-operation with the other communities in the pursuit of national aspirations

Values

Respect, our culture
Integrity, our foundation
Service, our promise
Excellence, our pursuit

Education

We at SINDA see our role as the Catalyst to enlighten the community, mainly in the area of education. Our work ranges from aiding in the headstart of Preschoolers (and their parents) to University students. The desired outcome of all these initiatives is to produce a graduate in every family in the years to come (‘graduate’ defined as one who completes University, Polytechnic or ITE education).