SPEECH BY MS INDRANEE RAJAH, SENIOR MINISTER OF STATE, MINISTRY OF LAW AND MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, PRESIDENT SINDA AT THE SINDA–MOE PARTNERSHIP CEREMONY, ON WEDNESDAY, 27 MAY 2015, 4PM AT THE GRASSROOTS’ CLUB

SINDA BOT, EXCO and Education Sub-Committee Members,

Educators and Staff from the Ministry of Education,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. It is my pleasure to join you this afternoon to celebrate the strong partnership between SINDA & MOE.

2. Involved with MOE as well as SINDA, I am fortunate to understand both perspectives of the collaboration between these two organisations. I am happy to note that both organisations see each other’s work as mutually complementary and their working relationship is strong.

The Singapore Education System

3. The Singapore education system aims to bring out the best in students by enabling them to discover their talents, recognise their potential and develop a passion for learning. We have got good schools, capable leaders with a vision and caring educators who are strongly committed to students and their learning.

4. Multiple educational pathways in our education system ensure that each student is able to achieve his/her aspirations in life. These diverse pathways provide students with a variety of learning opportunities that are intended to best cater to their interests, strengths and learning needs.

5. In this environment, diverse skills and capabilities are important to remain relevant. Nationwide initiatives such as SkillsFuture stress the importance of life-long learning, even after one formally graduates from the education system. It is important that all of us, as educators, foster a culture of continued learning that will drive Singapore’s next phase of development towards an advanced economy and inclusive society.

SINDA’s Role

6. With the government implementing nationwide initiatives to support learning, it is also important that other support systems are in place to aid our students. Organisations such as SINDA are in a good position to understand community-specific challenges that our students face and offer effective remedies.

7. SINDA has steadily evolved to stay relevant to the current educational landscape and its initiatives complement and supplement MOE’s efforts in schools. Such initiatives focus on levelling up students to grasp fundamental concepts and offer differentiated curricula that cater to each child’s learning ability and capacity.

8. SINDA also subscribe in a culture of holistic learning. Students in its tutorials participate in a host of youth enrichment programmes that build positive values and develop good character. At the same time, SINDA’s family-related efforts ensure that parents are effective partners in their children’s educational journeys. The result of such holistic support is a well-equipped student, ready to seize opportunities and to realise aspirations.

MOE’s Partnership with SINDA

9. As a community organisation, SINDA forges meaningful partnerships with like-minded organisations for mutual benefit. The SINDA-MOE partnership is an especially strong one with wide-ranging benefits. Both organisations have closely aligned goals and working together would only propel these organisations closer to fulfilling their missions.

Schools

10. In working with MOE, SINDA invariably connects with over 300 schools. Close to 90 schools lend their premises for SINDA’s STEP and Project Teach each year and I can say with confidence that SINDA’s tutorial programmes would not have gained their current reach and traction without the close rapport that SINDA staff and school principals share.

11. Chua Chu Kang Secondary School has been a longstanding STEP centre that has been forthcoming in offering its premises to SINDA for the past 15 years. The current principal, Mr Tan Keng Joo, together with his school management, continue this partnership by allowing SINDA to conduct other programmes at the school. For example, STEP parents at Chua Chu Kang Secondary also benefit from parental programmes, where they learn effective parenting styles and the skillsets necessary to aid their children. Many attend such parent programmes and it is heartening to see both parents and their children gain valuable knowledge at this STEP centre.

12. Also working with SINDA closely Raffles Institution. RI has joined with SINDA to host the Eagle’s Eye Programme. Through this programme, RI’s Year 5 students tutor and mentor Primary 5 students from low-income families. Together with strengthening their academic ability, these Primary 5 students also attain life skills and fortitude to pursue their passions and talents.

13. The programme, currently in its 6th year, has benefited 25 students, with many of them going on to established secondary schools to continue their education. RI’s Principal Mr Chan Poh Meng and Deputy Principal Mr Edward Ng have been very supportive of Eagle’s Eye, and their students, who still find time to give back to society amidst their busy school schedule, share their enthusiasm!

SINDA Liaison Officers (SLOs)

14. SINDA’s ambassadors in schools are its SINDA Liaison Officers or SLOs. Many of you are present here, but for those who do not know, SLOs are regular schoolteachers appointed by SINDA to spread the word on SINDA’s programmes and services to students and their families. There are about 250 SLOs in MOE schools currently. From actively encouraging their students to attend the programmes, to accompanying them to SINDA activities, SLOs go the extra mile in ensuring that every student is afforded maximum opportunities.

15. One such SLO is Mr Ashwin Selvarajan, a teacher with Bishan Park Secondary School. When SINDA began secondary-level Project Teach classes, Ashwin was the first SLO to proactively urge SINDA to meet with his Head of Department for Mathematics. Born out of this meeting was a tailor-made intensive curriculum that specially catered to students faring badly in Maths. The programme has only had 13 students thus far, but these are 13 students who are now able to grasp fundamental Maths concepts easily and have seen significant improvements in their results. Thanks to Ashwin, these students no longer associate Maths with fear!

Youth Programmes

16. Each year about 6,000 Indian students go through SINDA’s educational programmes, and every single one of them gains benefit when schools, educators and SINDA work closely together.

17. One example is Shiva Sakthi, a Secondary-2 student from Hong Kah Secondary School, where SINDA runs Youth Victory—a 10-week programme to build resilience and imbue motivation in students. Shiva’s teachers had noted that she was a rather reclusive girl who often kept to herself and enrolled her in Youth Victory. Having completed the programme, Shiva now stands proud as a prefect, a school leader and is much more expressive in class. Impressed by her improvement, her teachers and counsellor now want to know SINDA’s secret recipe!

18. I can assure you that there is no secret. Every student has the innate potential to do wonders. All that each one needs need is the right motivation and a gentle push in the right direction. Students such as Shiva are exemplary of what ordinary students can do, when they put their hearts and minds to it.

Conclusion

19. I hope the examples I have highlighted have shown upon each one us the importance of working together. I express my sincere appreciation to all the schools that have supported SINDA’s programmes, the school principals and management, SLOs and educators. You are an integral part of the SINDA network and you play a key role in the success of our programmes, and ultimately the success of our students, which is the common goal of both organisations.

20. If you do know of other schools that can partner with SINDA and have their students benefit from its programmes, do introduce them to us. I strongly encourage more of such collaborations and meaningful partnerships between schools and SINDA, so that more of our students benefit and perform well.

21. Thank you once again for your time, efforts and dedication towards making a difference in the lives of our students. I look forward to your continued partnership with SINDA.

Thank you.