Contact - Engaging Stakeholders 2006

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THE TEACHERS' DIGEST

issue 0

4 jan

uary 20

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Engaging StakeholdersMoving beyond teachers and school leaders, we want to engage stakeholders to partner schools in the education endeavour. In this issue, various stakeholders like parents, alumni and private corporations tell Contact why they feel it is important to contribute to schools and have a hand in educating students.

contact4_jan06_final.indd 25 17/01/2006 12:45:11 PM

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CONTENTS

CONTACT USContact — The Teachers’ Digest is

a quarterly publication giving teachersin-depth appreciation of key MOE initiatives and

policies. It supplements our fortnightly online edition of Contact which focuses on

the latest news and views.

We welcome your comments and contributions.Please write to us at: [email protected].

Contact is published, for internal circulation only, by Corporate Communications Division,

Ministry of Education, #20-00 MOE Building, 1 North Buona Vista Drive,

Singapore 138675.

Check out our fortnightly online Contact at www.moe.gov.sg/corporate/contactonline

issue 04 january 2006

Editor’s Note 03 Engaging Stakeholders In Conversation 04 Excite Parents and the Community

Working with Stakeholders 07 Principals’ Perspectives 09 Dynamic Interaction with the Community 11 Making Learning Real Parents 12 Outside Homes and into Schools

Government Parliamentary Committee 14 Corporate Focus, Human Touch

Self-Help Groups 16 Lending a Helping Hand

Industry 17 Corporate Collaborations

Alumni Associations 19 Old Guards and Young Minds School Advisory Committees 21 It Takes a Village

Media 23 Beyond Breaking the News COMPASS 24 COMPASS Website Goes to the Movies


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We Value Your ViewsWe invite Contact readers to give us feedback on this issue. Let us know how to make Contact — The Teachers’ Digest a publication truly worth reading. Please write in to [email protected].

EDIT

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Engaging Stakeholders Education is not just the responsibility of school leaders and teachers. We need our stakeholders — parents, alumni, school management or advisory committees, community organisations, media and private corporations — to partner schools in the education endeavour.

Developing effective partnerships with all our stakeholders takes time. It requires finding people who are willing to look beyond traditional boundaries, and often to go beyond their prescribed scope of work. This issue showcases organisations and individuals who have done just that.

From counselling students to collating survey forms, there are many instances when stakeholders have pitched in and offered their expertise to schools. Read about what motivates stakeholders to contribute to schools in their own special ways.

In this issue, Ms Chang Hwee Nee, Deputy Secretary (Policy), speaks about how schools can better engage stakeholders. She talks candidly to Contact about why schools require the support of stakeholders in delivering holistic education.

In addition, Dr Amy Khor, member of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Education, shares with Contact her views on school-stakeholder partnerships.

We hope you will enjoy reading this issue and look forward to receiving your articles and feedback.

The Contact Editorial Team


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In Conversation

Q: What do we wish to achieve by encouraging parents and the community to collaborate with our schools?

A: Our schools have been actively involving SMC/SAC, alumni, parents and the community in their activities and programmes. This is crucial. I believe that greater collaboration will achieve greater buy-in from parents and the community. This will help schools realise their vision of delivering the best education outcomes for our students.

Our students will benefi t from schools and stakeholders working in partnership in areas such as academic learning,

language acquisition, or more importantly values and character development. What our students learn in schools will be complemented and reinforced by what they experience at home and what they are exposed to in the media and wider community at large.

We have seen that the education landscape has evolved over the last few years. We have provided greater fl exibility and choice for our students. We need to better reach out to parents to help them navigate and choose programmes and options that best suit the interest and inclinations of their children.

Parents and the community are key

resources. Our schools and teachers can tap and leverage on them to maximise the educational impact on our students. For instance, schools can avail themselves of parent and adult volunteers as well as community facilities such as swimming pools and other sports facilities to enhance their resources.

Q: In your view, are our schools effectively engaging parents and the community?

A: It is clear that our schools are doing a lot. Some have done very well and are recognised for their excellent efforts in

Ms Chang Hwee Nee, DS (Policy), shares her views on partnering stakeholders in education.

Excite Parents and the Community

Ms Chang Hwee Nee, Deputy Secretary (Policy), shares her views on why and how we can involve School Management Committee or School Advisory Committee (SMC/SAC) members, alumni, parents and the community at large in the work of schools to deliver holistic education to our children.


In Conversationpromoting and strengthening partnerships with their stakeholders through the PARTNERS Awards. Our schools need to share best practices and learn from one another. In the MOE Public Perception Survey that we conducted in 2004, most respondents felt that parents were ultimately responsible for the upbringing and discipline of their own children. Most also felt that parents did support schools in the education of their children. However, only slightly more than half the respondents strongly agreed that the community was working closely with schools. We can address this by doing more to engender ownership and active participation by the community.

Q: What can our schools do to increase the level of engagement with stakeholders?

A: Many of our schools have already set up feedback channels for parents to raise

“ ”... parents were impressed with the hands-on and investigative approach that was adopted to teach Maths.

children’s lessons. For many of the parents who attended the 60 sessions, this was the fi rst time they had stepped into the classroom. Many had never sat through such lessons as “students” since they left school more than 10 years ago. I heard that one parent who attended a Science lesson was subsequently able to see the connection between teaching and assessment, and now better appreciates how the learning process can be supported at home. I am told that many parents were impressed with the hands-on and investigative approach that was adopted to teach Maths.

Q: In recent years, parents and the community have developed greater expectations of the education system. How can our teachers help to manage and meet these expectations?

A: All parents want the best for their children. As educators, our principals and teachers, too, want the best outcome

concerns. Some have even set aside a place just for parents to make them feel welcome. In one school, I am told that a member of the parent support group felt so at home that he started a vegetable garden there.

In addition, our schools conduct meetings with parent support groups, SMCs/SACs, alumni to share schools’ needs and how these stakeholders could contribute. What better way to engage parents than to directly involve them in the school activities that would benefi t the students, be it reading programmes or conducting lessons or CCAs.

Moving forward, our schools can better leverage on technology. How can this be done? For example, schools can use school portals to keep parents informed of school programmes and activities and elicit parents’ feedback and suggestions. At ExCEL Fest 2005, parents were invited to participate in classroom experiences to observe for themselves how learning takes place during their

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Intriguing Science experiment in progress at ExCEL Fest 2005.


06

In Conversation

for their students. To achieve this, both schools and parents need to share the desired outcomes of education and work towards a common goal for our children.

In recent years, we are gradually diversifying the pathways in education. We are providing more choices for students. We are also broadening the measures of school and student success. Why are we doing this? We want our teachers to engage our learners and prepare them for life, rather than to prepare them narrowly for examinations. We want our teachers and students to experiment and be innovative. We want them to be able to deal with a changing and complex future.

As with all changes, we must recognise that some anxiety is inevitable. For example, some parents have expressed concern about fewer worksheets and remedial classes. We hope that through

communication and greater involvement, we will see more parents coming forward to support our teachers and schools to improve the educational experience for our children.

Our teachers need to learn how to work with parents. This goes beyond just calling them when the child does something wrong. Likewise, if parents share with teachers about their children’s character, aptitude and attitude, they help our teachers to educate our students better.

In line with the top-down support for bottom-up initiatives, we will encourage schools and teachers to continue to innovate and be creative in developing new ideas and approaches to engage stakeholders in more meaningful ways.We want to equally excite parents and the community about the innovations in education. When parents and the community join hands with our schools

“ ”All parents want the best for their children. As educators, our principals and teachers, too, want the best outcome for their students. To achieve this, both schools and parents need to share the desired outcomes of education and work towards a common goal for our children.

Parent and child learning together at ExCEL Fest 2005.

Language class in progress.

and teachers, I am confi dent that we will be able to bring out the best in each and every one of our students.


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TLLM ConsultationWorking with Stakeholders

Principals' PerspectivesContact interviewed some principals for a bird’s eye view on this issue of engaging stakeholders. We reproduce here some of their refl ections and insights to further encourage a greater sense of purpose and unity amongst the various groups of stakeholders in schools.

Q: What has to be done to engage stakeholders in the education of our students?

Mr Tan Teck Hock, Yishun Town Secondary: There must be a mindset change among educators if we are to engage stakeholders of a school. We have fi rst to change the perception of what constitutes the core business of education. Teaching and learning forms the primary business of an educator. However as the school offers more programmes, the school must be more and more comfortable with engaging stakeholders such as parents, the

private sector, the alumni, even grassroots organisations, to help carry out these activities.

Q: Schools are run almost like corporations in the 21st Century with the need to engage stakeholders. Do you see this as a healthy trend? Why?

Mrs Ong-Ooi Giok Tin, Millennia Institute: I see this as a healthy trend as it removes the isolation

Chung Cheng High (Main)’s Can Chaining project raises environment awareness and funds for charities.

Parents and teachers teaming up at a sports meet.

and insularity of schools. We are part of the community, preparing our students for the workplace, and hence there should be concerted efforts made to facilitate interaction between our students and the community, with teachers and principals acting as liaison.

Mr Tan Teck Hock, Yishun Town Secondary: As the modern schooling experience becomes more varied, it is important to get the right processes in place to fully implement the myriad programmes. I can think of no better


Working with Stakeholders

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Pioneer Primary involves stakeholders at its fun fair.

way than to engage key stakeholders — parents, vendors, the private sector, the media and the community — to bring greater diversity to the school experience.

Q: How should educators get external stakeholders to offer greater support to their schools?

Mr Lo Chee Lin, Chung Cheng High (Main): I venture to say that schools themselves must be more receptive and courageous to accept new and creative ideas put forward by parents and the community. To me, enterprise is more than creativity. For a bright idea to bear fruit, it requires courage and calculated risks to go through rigorous planning and overcoming obstacles. Schools, therefore, as an entity, must think the I&E way.

Take for instance our school’s Guinness Record attempt in Can Chaining to raise environmental awareness and to raise funds for four charities: Dover Park Hospice, Children’s Cancer Foundation, En Community Services Society and Chung Cheng Needy Student Fund. It was a huge challenge to bring in 40,000 cans; yet the “We-can-do-it” mindset, not just of our students but also of parents and community groups around our school, made overcoming the odds an exhilarating learning experience.

Q: How does your school engage the community?

Mrs Ong-Ooi Giok Tin, Millennia Institute: The institute works closely with the community in the Community Involvement Programme in terms of sourcing areas of need where our students can render practical help.

From interaction with the community, our students become more compassionate and it broadens their outlook to incorporate experiences beyond the known and the familiar. This bodes well for the future of our nation in terms of social integration.

Mr Tan Teck Hock, Yishun Town Secondary: The school is very much involved with the community through the Nee Soon Community Club and the Students Care Service (Yishun Branch). In May 2005, we gave practical support during the Club’s Annual Residents’ Carnival, and amongst the services we rendered, we provided manpower to manage two booths at the carnival. Our presence at the carnival created greater awareness of the school’s strengths among parents and prospective students.



“The school is expanding its thinking as to who our stakeholders are. In the past it is the traditional group — pupils and parents. Now more and more people are considered our stakeholders — it is anybody with a stake in education, with an interest in nurturing young minds. Our customers are our children. They have a

stake in how the school is developing,” said Mdm Moliah who shared her thoughts enthusiastically with Contact.

COMMUNITYMr Kumara Rajan Kanagasabai, SH (Social Studies), supported her view. He said, “Now we are more focused on working

with people outside the school to bring about better understanding of the community and to better learning. There is also greater willingness on the part of the community to come in and see that our young ones are benefi tting from whatever services they are providing.”

Either the Principal or Vice-Principal of Northland Primary attends the monthly Citizens Consultative Committee (CCC) meetings. This helps the school leaders to monitor at fi rst hand the heartbeat of the neighbourhood. Mdm Moliah explained, “Listening to the concerns and anxieties of the people as voiced at CCC meetings is equivalent to knowing about the families of children in our school. The CCC appreciates our input, and in turn, they help with fund-raising for the school and provide services for our school events and programmes.”

PARENTSNorthland Primary won the School-Family Education Award from the Ministry of Community Development, Youth & Sports in 2005. This award recognises the school’s effort to engage parents in

Talk to Mdm Moliah Bte Hashim, Principal of Northland Primary, and you come away with a sense of the dynamic interaction among the various stakeholders of the school. These range from students, parents, alumni members to members of the vibrant community at Yishun where the school is located.

Parents helping at a school cultural festival.

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Dynamic Interaction with the Community



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Alumni members counsel their “siblings”.

Former students coach their juniors in various games and run camp activities.

workshops such as anger management and mathematical learning.

There were initial fears of involving parents in the workings of the school. Miss Tan Kheng Imm, Senior Teacher, admitted candidly, “In the past when the idea of setting up a Parent Support Group was fi rst mooted, we were apprehensive that parents might turn the information made available to them into criticism. But over the years, we found that parents were supportive and helpful. For example, when teachers were too busy to collate information from 300 survey forms, parents helped to complete the task smoothly.”

Said Mdm Moliah, “I think there must be honest and candid engagement of our stakeholders; that we, the educators, should truly listen to their views. Once, my school welcomed parents to form focus groups on the matter of allocating the afternoon session for the lower primary level (Pri 1 and Pri 2). We spent two years discussing with these focus groups and exchanging views before we fi nally made the switch. By that time, parents were primed and ready. There was clear buy-in when the switch was effected.”

ALUMNIAsk Ms Asrinah Asahari, HOD (Discipline and Pupil Welfare), what is the most enriching part of spending extra time with Northland’s alumni members, and she will tell you that it is the benefi t of engaging the alumni of Northland to care for their younger “siblings”.

Juliana Ong, now a JC2 student at Innova Junior College, takes time out of her busy schedule to mentor her juniors. She said, “In the OutReach Programme, I meet kids who are stubborn at times but actually are very kind. It is heart-warming to see them make the effort to improve and remember what we have said to them. The sense of satisfaction I get is indescribable.”

Alumni members who return to serve their alma mater feel that it is

an opportunity to thank the school. The alumni hope to strengthen their relationship with the school by collaborating in more programmes, such as conducting study groups for the pupils. Juliana added, “I want the kids to realise that learning is not as tough as they think. It is important to let them enjoy learning in their own unique ways. I feel that this would help them to enjoy better the next few years of schooling.”


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1 Mrs Ong-Ooi Giok Tin was Principal of Millennia Institute till 14 December 2005.

FLEA MARKET ECONOMICSEducation is about infl uencing opinion of the young. Changing mindset of parents? Especially in the education sector — is all this too far-fetched and asking too much of schools?

Not so says Millennia Institute (MI) which carved out an interesting collaborative project with the realty group Cuscaden Properties that manages Tanglin Mall. Economics, for Mr Tang Hsin Wei, should not be taught in a vacuum. This Economics teacher and his colleagues envisaged an experiential learning activity

for fi rst-year students to experience market forces of demand and supply fi rst-hand. Recognising stakeholders as integral partners in education, the Institute’s then Principal Mrs Ong-Ooi Giok Tin1 and Economics teachers convinced Cuscaden Properties to release all 54 booths in the popular Tanglin Mall Flea Market for their students to sell their wares on a Saturday in April 2005.

Mr Tang made a highly effective pitch for parental support for merchandise at the school’s Parents’ Night. Parents were more than willing to help as they saw the value of such an experience. Many contributed

wares for sale at the fl ea market. The result? The MI Mart @ Tanglin was

such a vibrant success that Cuscaden Properties expressed interest in further collaboration with the Institute on a quarterly basis. What better affi rmation can a school receive? The win-win outcome was achieved because one school doggedly pursued its vision to make learning real and exciting for their students through actively engaging stakeholders in the community!

First-year students of Millennia Institute learn the economic theory of supply and demand fi rst-hand through participating in a fl ea market at Tanglin Mall.

Making Learning RealMillennia Institute's Flea Market Success


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Yishun Town Light Years Concert involves the school, parents and community.

Parents

Outside Homes and into Schools

Parents play a signifi cant role in education. They take a keen interest in education policies and the activities of their children’s schools. Contact catches up with four parent-volunteers and asks them why parents should help at their children’s schools.

All the parents interviewed were unanimous about the need for parents to play an active role in schools. Putting in even just a little time to volunteer at schools will benefi t the parents, the children, as well as the schools.

“Volunteering in any way possible helps us stay engaged in our children’s lives,” explained Mrs Anne-Marie Lai who has two daughters, aged 14 and 12, studying at CHIJ-St Nicholas Girls’ School (SNGS). Mrs Lai is presently serving as Chairperson and member of the executive committees of Parents@SNGS (Primary) and Parents@SNGS (Secondary), respectively.

ENHANCING THE PARENT-CHILD BONDMr Teh Thien Yew, who runs his own business and serves as chairperson at the

Parent Support Group (PSG) of Tanjong Katong Secondary, also agreed that volunteering helps parents stay connected to their children. “Children grow up so fast, especially during the teenage years, and being active in schools is the best way I know for parents to understand what is going on in their children’s lives, as well as the changes in the education system.”

“It also makes meeting with your child’s teachers after the examinations a little less stressful and a whole lot more useful,” he added.

“Playing an active role in the school’s activities helps enhance the bond between parents and children. In fact, children, including teenagers, want their parents to take an interest in their lives, whatever they may say,” opined Mrs Tan Heem Juay, who is currently serving as Vice-Chairperson in both the executive


Parents

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committees of the primary and secondary Parent Support Group at SNGS. Mrs Tan has three daughters studying at SNGS presently.

NETWORKING FOR SUPPORT“Parents can also form a network to help and support one another. For instance, helping other parents to send their children home when they fall ill,” added Mrs Esther Liew who has been serving as a parent-volunteer for fi ve years at Admiralty Primary where her son studies.

On a similar note, Mrs Tan added that parents who are more involved in the school and who understand better the school’s policies and practices can serve as a bridge between the school and other parents who are less involved. Furthermore, understanding and harmony between parents and teachers can be enhanced.

RESPECTING THE SCHOOL’S AUTHORITYIn order to build and maintain a good working relationship between parent-volunteers and the school, mutual trust and respect are of utmost importance. It is about building relationships, and with more time spent together, both parents and teachers will achieve better understanding and trust among themselves. Parent-volunteers should also respect the school’s authority. “We are there to serve, not interfere,” Mrs Lai noted.

Mr Teh also believed that the school should lead with the support of parents. “You cannot have two bosses. However, that does not mean parents are only the hands and legs. Parents and teachers should work in partnership. That adds a lot more value for both sides. The worst thing is for parents to come in with their own agenda, mess things up and then

disappear. Since they are only volunteers, when things go awry, the teachers and school are left to clean up the mess. Be friendly and patient. Be open to discussing your ideas and frustrations (if any) with the teachers,” he explained.

Ketupat making on Racial Harmony Day — involvement of parents in the event at Pioneer Junior College.

Outside Homes and into Schools Parents of CHIJ-St Nicholas Girls' engage in a bonding exercise.


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Government Parliamentary Committee

Q: What is MOE’s role in engaging stakeholders?

A: First I would defi ne “stakeholders” as those with an interest in education and the ability to nurture our young directly and indirectly. Besides school administrators, teaching staff and School Advisory Boards, stakeholders would include parents, grassroots organisations, volunteers, sponsors, yes, even your textbook suppliers and IT vendors who run enrichment programmes for students. The Ministry’s role, therefore, is to put in place broad directions and useful guidelines for schools to work towards engaging stakeholders in a creative and sustained way for the ultimate benefi t of

the students. In other words, MOE is to act as a facilitator to equip schools with resources and to empower school leaders with the autonomy to partner stakeholders effectively.

Q: Schools are run almost like corporations in the 21st century with the need to engage stakeholders. Do you see this as a healthy trend?

A: A corporate approach in running a school has nothing sinister to it — it is, in essence, results-oriented and effi ciency-driven. I want to qualify that this type of corporate focus is not incompatible with the “human touch” associated with the older approaches that some of us grew up with. There is still space for people to learn, make mistakes, and grow in the

Contact interviewed Dr Amy Khor, Member of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Education and Council member of COMPASS (COMmunity and PArents in Support of Schools), to learn how schools can better engage their stakeholders.

Corporate Focus, Human Touch


Government Parliamentary Committee

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“”

Schools need to network a lot more and get involved in the local, national and even global community.

process. In fact, I see this corporate focus as a more holistic approach to education as it recognises the wide repertoire of skill sets needed to develop well-rounded pupils to meet the challenges of the 21st Century. External stakeholders, not directly involved in the day-to-day teaching of the students, may have skills and resources to offer to benefi t the pupils. I believe this can only result in a win-win situation where a greater sense of ownership of the school is developed.

Q: How can we encourage external stakeholders such as private fi rms to offer support to schools?

A: Give stakeholders such as private fi rms and even parents (many of whom are professionals in their personal capacity) the space to explore and spearhead useful projects for the school so that they will take ownership of the projects. It is fi ne for schools to recognise that they cannot do everything independently; they should

rope in stakeholders with the know-how to create and sustain the momentum for interesting yet useful projects. One such project run entirely by parent volunteers during Contact Time in Raffl es Girls’ Primary is the Character First! Programme where lower primary pupils are nurtured with timeless values such as attentiveness, responsibility, punctuality through a series of skits, song-and-dance routines and fun lessons. The impact of such volunteer-driven efforts is signifi cant in enhancing good conduct among the pupils. Such partnerships will ultimately enrich the educational outcomes of the school’s programmes.

Q: How can schools reach out to more external stakeholders?

A: Schools need to network a lot more and get involved in the local, national and even global community. I suggest schools can think about having twinning programmes with counterparts elsewhere, adopt-a-welfare home initiative, care-for-

a-zoo animal project, or even collaborate with grassroots organisations in specifi c ventures. Most of all, schools can seek to know parents more deeply in informal settings to tap their expertise and resources in an organised and systematic way. Sometimes you really need only a few impassioned individuals to see a project to its fruition.

Q: In your view, what are the desired outcomes of engaging stakeholders?

A: I hope to see close interaction between schools and stakeholders, resulting in mutual understanding, the proliferation of ideas, and ultimately the forging of stronger community links. Besides the tangible benefi t of the completion of a project, in one sense, the intangible benefi ts of encouraging greater corporate social responsibility among external stakeholders can have far-reaching ramifi cations even beyond the school setting itself. This is what I would really like to see.


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Self-Help Groups

Lending a Helping HandSelf-help groups play a pivotal role in the lives of students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Contact spoke to a COMPASS council member who is from the Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA).

Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister for Education, speaking with award recipients from SINDA.

Club GUSTO, a school-based mentoring programme run by CDAC, organises outdoor activities and sports for lower secondary students.

“The objective is to help those not doing well so that future generations don’t experience the same obstacles,” said Mr Harish Nim, SINDA volunteer and COMPASS member. By being in the COMPASS committee, self-help groups are kept abreast of the ministry’s directions, thus enabling them to prepare their organisation to implement programmes or enhance existing ones to support affected students. It also opens a gateway to community collaborations with the ministry and other COMPASS members.

PROGRAMMES ACROSS SELF-HELP GROUPSSelf-help groups aim to meet multiple aspects of students’ educational demands, ranging from fi nancial to motivational. The depth and range of these organisations’ efforts are tailored to meet the needs of their specifi c student community. Multiple programmes are in place to prevent anyone from falling into gaps. Across the board, students with fi nancial diffi culties can apply for bursaries and scholarships.

A Collaborative Tuition Programme jointly organised by CDAC, SINDA, MENDAKI, the Eurasian Association and the Association of Muslim Professionals allows primary level students of all races to attend tuition classes at the most convenient tuition centre. On top of this, each group has tuition or enrichment programmes targeted at weak students. Tuition fees are subsidised. Tuition teachers are carefully screened, with many holding teaching qualifi cations.

VALUING EDUCATIONMany self-help groups partner private organisations to expose students to wider experiences. Mr Nim recalls the outcome of a six-week on-the-job training in factories for Pioneer Secondary students. “They realised that if they didn’t do well in school, they would have to do manual work, which made them learn the value of what they do in school,” he said.

Mr Nim felt self-help groups should do more to educate parents to impart the right values to children, as schools can be responsible for this part of a child’s education only to a limited extent. Parents should play the biggest role, he added, “I wish parents will get more involved in their children’s lives and remain strongly connected to them. The learning of values is important for the children’s all-round development.”


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Industry

Corporate Collaborations

NATIONAL WEATHERSTUDY PROJECT

Mr John Lim, Chairman of Senoko Power, the largest power generation and retail company in Singapore, feels strongly that the role of the private sector in education is desirable. “This is not just in offering sponsorship or internship to the students, but also for injecting the rigour of the real business world,” he said. In March 2005 Senoko Power collaborated with 160 schools and launched the National Weather Study Project.

Mr Lim noted that some secondary schools were ‘adopted’ by Senoko Power and spent time in an industrial environment to formulate science and

maths trails for their students. Primary school pupils were exposed to issues like energy effi ciency and environmental protection.

Besides students, teachers also benefi t from involvement with industry players. Mr Lim said, “In school projects, our role comes in handy when we advise teachers on what works and what doesn’t, so that funds are not wasted on novel ideas that are not yet technologically proven.”

Mr Lim describes the win-win situation that occurs when industry stakeholders collaborate with schools. “The businesses stay up-to-date with the latest trends and happenings by engaging the younger generation, while the youngsters learn from the experience and advice that businesses can give them,” he said.

Students have benefi ted greatly when they are involved in collaborative efforts with industry partners, be it in the fi eld of research, in the use of technology or in environmental protection. Two business leaders share how their organisations engaged students.


Industry

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BACKPACK.NETA signature project was launched in October 2003, starting with River Valley High’s tablet PC trial which facilitates interactive learning. This was followed by Crescent Girls’, Monk’s Hill and Catholic High. Eventually the project will involve participating schools, Microsoft Singapore, industry partners and the Infocomm Development Authority investing up to $20 million for the development of student-centric learning technologies.

Mr Barney Lau, Managing Director of Microsoft (Singapore), emphasised further the importance of life-long learning at all levels of the education hierarchy. On the role of the private sector in providing inputs for policy formulation, he said, “Many private sector organisations adopt life-long learning as their corporate philosophy. Their experiences and expertise in creating learning environments and systems can be useful benchmarks for education policymakers.”


Alumni Associations

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Old Guards and Young MindsFormer students who have walked through the hallowed hallways of an institution serve as guiding lights for those who follow after them. The alumni from Rulang Primary and St Patrick’s, icons of rich historical heritage, refl ect this spirit of caring and commitment to their alma mater.

THE KAMPUNG SPIRITAs Rulang Primary turned 75 in 2005, the school came alive in a sea of specially-made T-shirts that portrayed unity and belonging, thanks to the generosity of Mr Tan Teck Yoke who sponsored part of the cost of the T-shirts.

This is just one of the many ways the Alumni President goes the extra mile to provide manpower, time and fi nancial support to further the good name of his alma mater.

Besides playing an active role in regular school events such as carnivals, Sports Day and Teachers’ Day celebrations, the alumni also organise the annual Chinese New Year Reunion Dinner. This is a time for past and present students, staff and parents to get together and reminisce how Rulang Primary has evolved from a simple kampung school to a renowned school in the West Zone. The joyful reunion also raises funds for the school’s activities and scholarship scheme.

“In line with the move to promote a well-rounded education, we also presented scholarships to students who excelled in areas such as arts and sports, not just to those who performed well academically,” explained Mr Tan.

IT-SAVVY ALUMNI Having graduated from Rulang Primary in 1969, Mr Tan is quick to point out that alumni members have kept up with the age of information technology. The alumni sponsored a team of pupils to participate in the Robotics Competition in Bangkok in 2005 and roped in IT-savvy alumni members to provide free training to students.

Mr Tan noted that alumni members can contribute in various areas to assist Rulang Primary. Looking ahead, Mr Tan, a businessman by profession, foresees more school-industry partnerships to empower pupils to cultivate their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. The partnerships will enable students to get a taste of the dynamics of the corporate world beyond the classroom.

“At the end of the day, the alumni will abide by the principles of gratitude and reciprocation and continue to do our utmost for our alma mater,” affi rmed Mr Tan.

Rulang Primary receives strong support from its alumni.

Mr Tan Teck Yoke, a member of Rulang’s alumni, giving away prizes to its pupils.


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Alumni Associations

Mr Jalleh (back row, right) and his St. Patrick’s brothers hold a homecoming concert.

St Patrick’s alumni celebrate with the school at its Fun Fair '04.

performances by talented musicians who were old boys as well.

Being placed at the helm of seven projects, Mr Jalleh said that his fundamental belief to help others keeps him going. “I hope to prepare the new generation to face the real world when they graduate,” he said.

Driven by such altruistic pursuits, old boys like Mr Jalleh have been actively engaging the school’s Parent Support Group and teachers to build up and strengthen the St Patrick’s family. Thus far, the alumni have arranged for old boys who are professionals to provide career talks to students. The Patrician Society is currently embarking on a school-community partnership with the Eurasian Association to provide fi nancial assistance and counselling to needy students.

Speaking about the hybrid of old and new in the alumni, Mr Jalleh, who graduated in 1981 and considers himself an old guard, professed, “The trick is to blend the seasoned experiences of the old guard with new ideas from young minds. It is vital for both generations to get together, work out their differences, adapt and look forward with open minds. As a team, we can move mountains.”

rich experience and present expertise as the owner of an event management company by having Mr Jalleh orchestrate a homecoming concert during the school funfair last year. It was an enchanting event that ignited every student’s imagination with animated hosting antics by Joe Augustine and delightful

THE PATRICIAN SOCIETYDuring the interview with Contact, Mr Royston Jalleh peppered the discussion with comments like “Education is very important in this day and age, without it, you cannot move or grow” and “The Singapore education system needs to move with the times and encourage students to be innovative leaders in a fast-changing world”. Hardly surprising for someone whose personal motto is “always on the go and be the best of the best”.

As a member of the Patrician Society — the St Patrick’s School Alumni — Mr Jalleh is proud of his roots. The Patrician Society upholds the school’s strong tradition in sports by giving speeches on the school’s history in nurturing national athletes. This motivates students by linking them with their rich heritage. “The school and alumni must always be united to ensure continuity,” he quipped.

MUSICAL CONNECTIONSMusic is clearly another passion that runs in the St Patrick’s family, judging by the steady stream of radio deejays who hail from the school, such as Joe Augustine, Glenn Ong, Rod Monteiro and Mr Jalleh himself. The alumni capitalised on his


REAL LIFE EXPERIENCESAn ancient African proverb states that “it takes a village to raise a child”. Mr Darajit Daud sees himself as a member of that village.

“All my members hail from the alumni and serve as role models to the students, symbolising the achievements that can be attained if they try hard enough. Since we share a common schooling experience, we can relate better to the students and convey the important messages of striving for excellence and being responsible citizens,” professed the Chairman of the Telok Kurau Secondary (TKS) School Advisory Committee (SAC).

Currently the Systems and Development Manager in a Swiss multi-national company, Mr Darajit believes that school-SAC collaboration will benefi t students greatly, since SACs offer a rich source of entrepreneurial skills and corporate knowledge. “Schools must be more receptive to new ideas while SACs must be prepared to be more deeply engaged in developing programmes for the schools,” he explained.

In this vein, TKS SAC is already a step ahead by launching corporate initiatives such as career talks, lectures on entrepreneurship and job attachment schemes under the Work Orientation Programme, so as to expose students to real-life learning beyond the classroom.

It Takes a VillageWith the wide array of home-school-community partnerships available, gone are the days when learning took place only in the classroom. And who better to provide this linkage to the exciting world outside than corporate experts, professionals and community leaders? The Chairmen of School Advisory Committees from Telok Kurau Secondary and Marsiling Secondary speak to Contact about their efforts to enlarge the community’s stake in their schools.

NOT JUST ABOUT FUND-RAISINGSpeaking of larger goals, Mr Darajit said, “I want my SAC members to PACE themselves – Participate in school functions, Assimilate with staff and students, Collaborate in school activities and Engage the Parent Support Group (PSG) and alumni.”

This spirit is evident during school events where TKS SAC renders its avid support, be it co-sponsoring the annual

Teacher’s Day function which provides a platform for teachers and SAC to exchange views, or participating in novelty races together with teachers and parents during Sports Day.

Such camaraderie was brought to greater heights last year when TKS SAC embarked on a joint collaboration with the school and PSG to raise funds to support the school’s learning programmes. Titled “Takrawthon”, this activity had representatives from various classes enjoying sepak takraw matches in a circular, marathon-like fashion, allowing for quality interaction amongst all stakeholders.

Being recognised as a role model in lifelong learning by TKS Principal Mr Teo Song Khuang, Mr Darajit views the paradigm shift in education with eager anticipation. “The changes are a step in the right direction but it will take quite some time before any major impact can be seen. There are many challenges ahead and all stakeholders need to be prepared to move away from their comfort zones if progress is to be made,” he opined.

It still takes a village to raise a child. Everyone has to work hand in hand to give each child the very best education.

Mr Teo Song Khuang, Principal of Telok Kurau Secondary (left), presents tokens of appreciation at Takrawthon.

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School Advisory Committees


School Advisory Committees

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REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITYIt was Speech Day in Marsiling Secondary School in 2001. Students were spellbound by Dr Lim Wee Kiak‘s experiences as a doctor in East Timor during the turbulent transition years.

As someone who was conferred the Public Service Medal and a member of COMPASS Council, Dr Lim is clearly set to pass on his passion for serving the wider community to the next generation.

Chairing the Marsiling Secondary School Advisory Committee (MSSAC) allows him to do just that. “During specially arranged lectures and talks, SAC members impart messages and relate our experiences in community work to the students, encouraging them to join our ranks,” espoused Dr Lim.

Besides extending its helping hand to raise funds for needy students and school programmes, MSSAC also plays an active

role in various school events such as Achievement Day, Sports Day and national education programs. Underlying this array of initiatives is the need to rally school-community partnerships.

“Being a young school that was just established in year 2000, Marsiling Secondary faces an uphill task in establishing its credibility. So we hope to encourage greater interaction among students, residents and community leaders and convince residents that this is a good school to send their children to,” explained Dr Lim.

Thanks to the full-fl edged support given by all Marsiling grassroots organisations, MSSAC could fi nally fulfi ll its aspiration of bringing the community closer to the school during the Edusave Awards Presentation and the National Day Observance Ceremony. The latter even attracted more than 1000 residents to the school compound, giving them a better impression of what Marsiling Secondary has to offer.

A Consultant with the Singapore National Eye Centre, Dr Lim also seeks to attract more talents with diverse backgrounds to join MSSAC, such as young executives and community leaders, so as to enhance the current cohort of doctors, lawyers and businessmen on board and strengthen the manpower and fi nancial resources rendered to the school. This move to be all-encompassing seems to echo Dr Lim’s appraisal of our evolving education system which “is offering more choices and will certainly diversify our future talent pool to better serve Singapore in the new global economy”.

Emphasising the vital role of SACs now that “boundaries of education are no longer limited by school fences”, Dr Lim added, “The SAC can provide the linkages and opportunities for students to better understand how their knowledge acquired in the classroom can be made relevant in the market and community.”

SACs offer a rich source of entrepreneurial skills and corporate knowledge.


23

Media

COMPASS member Mr Warren Fernandez, Foreign Editor of The Straits Times (ST) emphasised, “Being a COMPASS member has given me a fi rst hand opportunity to get up close to schools, view their work for myself, meet principals, teachers, and parents, get a feel for the concerns about their children’s education. This helps in my understanding of how education policies are playing out on the ground. “I also get valuable feedback from other COMPASS members and MOE staff, which in turn act as inputs for our education coverage. I started some of these education initiatives (but now) my infl uence on ST’s education efforts is more indirect, in terms of offering views and feedback, which are hopefully more informed from having been on COMPASS.

“It is ST’s role to know what’s going on in schools and its mission and duty to inform. For example, how is a policy playing out in school? Is it working? If you don’t get feedback (of other stakeholders)

Apart from communicating education policies to the public, the media’s involvement in schools spans from championing the causes of language and cultural development to encouraging students’ interest in journalism and social contribution. Contact spoke to two members of the media fraternity who also sit on the COMPASS Council.

Beyond Breaking the News

through the media, we’re not discharging our duty well.”

Explained Mr Yeo Swee Hong, Local News Editor, Lianhe Zaobao (ZB), “As a COMPASS member, I attend briefi ngs by MOE on education policies, visits to schools to see how various programmes and initiatives are implemented. I am also involved in discussions with principals, teachers, students and other stakeholders to help me better understand the issues. These certainly help ZB in its coverage of education stories and the introduction of relevant promotional programmes.

“On the other hand, feedback and suggestions that ZB receives on education from our readers are given to MOE and other stakeholders through either formal meetings or informal discussion for their attention and action.”

ST devotes about four beat reporters to cover education related announcements and activities in schools. Sometimes these activities are organised by Singapore Press

Holdings (SPH). Schools that subscribe to at least 500 copies of The Straits Times per week become members of ST Media Club and enjoy privileges like opportunities to visit the newspaper plant.

Why does SPH invest so much effort to engage schools? Said Mr Fernandez, “Young people should cultivate the ability to read, process information and think about what they are reading. If they are cut off from sources of information and knowledge of the world, they will be at a great disadvantage.” Various initiatives are also undertaken to stir interest in languages, current affairs and journalism among students. ZB uses two highly popular supplementary newspapers — Thumbs Up and Popcorn to promote the Chinese Language among young readers. Explained Mr Yeo, “We want to draw closer to students by using topics that interest them. We want to attract, educate and nurture new generations of Chinese language readers.”

Using newspapers for the purpose of engaging students' interest in culture and language studies.


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COMPASS

A darkened screening room, an expectant audience, popcorn — your typical movie date or not quite? In fact, this was the launch of the revamped COMPASS website in October last year. As refl ected in its new-look website: the “movie theme” is utilised to tell inspiring stories of successful collaborations with stakeholders.

Find out more about our stakeholders — categorised into Family, Alumni/SAC/SMC, Community, Enterprises and Schools under the acronym, FACES in the COMPASS homepage — and read the heartwarming stories detailing their impact on our children. One particular story traces the evolution of Kranji Secondary’s Young Entrepreneur Club and its expanding links with business organisations. At Fairfi eld Methodist Secondary, alumni members assist in weekly CCA training and programmes like wall mural painting. Henry Park Primary’s Parents’ Association initiated the Parent Discussion List — an Internet platform for members to share and exchange views on school matters.

The main goal of the website is to “spark more collaborative opportunities,” said Mr Bernard Goh, Chairman, COMPASS Website sub-committee. “The content will meet the goals of stakeholders who are seeking to embark on, enhance or generate ideas on collaborative projects.” Schools can make use of the new hyperlink Entry to Partnerships to share stories of their collaborative projects and ideas so that interested parties may contact them.

If you’re keen to read more, a list of resources including COMPASS and MOE publications, suggested readings and relevant website addresses, is provided to facilitate future collaborations among different stakeholders. This list will be updated quarterly.

COMPASS Website Goes to the Movies

COMPASS or Community and Parents in Support of Schools was established in December 1998 to advise MOE on ways in which home-school-community collaborations could be strengthened and promoted. COMPASS draws its members from the various stakeholders representing parents, self-help groups, alumni and the business community.

The COMPASS Council aims to:

* Actively encourage parents and community to work together with schools to help children learn more effectively;

* Be a forum where the best practices on collaborative efforts of school, home and community are discussed and propagated;

* Act as MOE’s fi rst public audience for feedback on policies and programmes on parent and community support for schools; and

* Help MOE communicate various messages relevant to home-school-community collaborations.

To fi nd out more about COMPASS, please visit http://www.moe.gov.sg/compass/

Screen capture of the new-look COMPASS website.


Contact - Engaging Stakeholders 2006

Documents

ooi giok tin

telok kurau secondary

chung cheng high

government parliamentary committee

yishun town secondary

st patricks family

school advisory committee

school advisory committees