Parents and Public Get a Chance to Go Back to School

Home > Media Centre > Press Releases

1 July 2005

PARENTS AND PUBLIC GET A CHANCE TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL

Over 130 schools involved in the first MOE ExCEL Fest to be opened to the public

The two-day bonanza event at Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre, on 1 & 2 July, exposes parents and the public to how schools today tick. With the theme “Innovate Schools!”, the event offers over 100 exhibits showcasing the latest innovations in our schools, talks for parents, and 60 classroom sessions for parents to experience how lessons are conducted today. Lots of family fun can also be expected at 16 designated schools, with activities lined-up based on actual tasks that students engage in. Altogether, MOE expects a turn-out of some 20,000 parents and members of the public interested in the bustle of school life our students today enjoy.

Since 2001, MOE ExCEL (Excellence through Continuous Enterprise and Learning) Day has been an internal event for MOE staff and teachers to celebrate the efforts of schools and staff in ExCEL-related activities. It also promotes the sharing of innovative practices among schools, in line with MOE’s focus on Innovation and Enterprise (I&E).

Why the decision to open the event to the public for the first time? Mr Chan Tee Miang, Chairman of the ExCEL Fest organising committee, and Director of Organisation Development, MOE, said, “This is a great opportunity to engage the public, especially the parents, to show how the schools are nurturing in our children, the desired attributes to prepare them for the future.”

“We want to showcase how our teachers have been using different modes of teaching, what schools are doing to create a vibrant learning environment, and get parents and the public on board in this journey. They are, after all, our key stakeholders in education.”

Award Ceremony (1 July)

Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister for Education, graced the event as Guest-of-Honour. Mr Bill Gates, Chairman and Chief Software Architect, Microsoft, delivered the keynote address. He shared on the role IT plays in education through Digital Learning, as demonstrated by the success of the BackPack.NET initiative that Microsoft and MOE implemented together.

113 ExCEL awards, in total, were presented to MOE staff in recognition of their efforts in innovation and continuous improvement at the Award Ceremony. The awards were grouped under the following categories:

· Thinking Culture Award[1]

· 2005 Best Suggestion of the Year

· Innergy Award[2]

MOE’s BlueSky Internet website at www.moe.gov.sg/bluesky was also launched at the ceremony. The BlueSky website showcases schools' efforts in cultivating a spirit of innovation and enterprise among their students. It also describes how schools are realising the call to "Teach Less, Learn More" by reducing the over-emphasis on test and exams, and by introducing more engaging activities for their learners.

For more details on MOE ExCEL Fest, visit www.moe.gov.sg/excelfest.

[1] Thinking Culture Awards are given to schools & MOE HQ divisions that have shown outstanding efforts and achievements in promoting a thinking culture within their schools or divisions.

[2] Innergy Awards are given to teams and individuals to encourage and recognise them for coming up with innovative ideas and spending time to develop, test and/or implement these ideas to bring about significant benefits to the MOE mission.