• Mdm Emelyn Soon Bee Hong, CHIJ Kellock;
• Mr Devindra Sapai s/o Indrasapai, Seng Kang Primary School;
• Miss Teh Wan, Townsville Primary School, and;
• Mrs Mohana Eswaran, Regent Secondary School

More information on the award recipients is in Annex A.

The annual President’s Award for Teachers recognises the commitment of teachers towards the total development of students and to nation-building. This year’s recipients are inspiring teachers who have demonstrated passion, innovation and dedication in teaching. From developing students into civic-minded citizens and going beyond the call of duty, to affirming and motivating students to achieve exceptional success, these teachers played multiple roles of educating, leading, caring and inspiring to prepare their students for the future.

More than 9,700 nominations for the Award were received from principals, teachers, students, parents and former students, a record high since the Award was introduced in 1998. The nominees included 2,601 teachers from 246 schools. A Selection Panel, chaired by Mrs Josephine Teo, Chairperson for the Government Parliamentary Committee for Education, and comprising prominent members of the community and senior officers from the Ministry of Education, selected the four recipients. The members of the selection panel are listed in Annex B.

(I) New Through-Train Pathways for Normal (Academic) Students

The majority of Normal (Academic) [N(A)] students¹ progress to the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) or the polytechnics. To provide more progression pathways for N(A) students, MOE will expand progression to the polytechnics through two new “through-train” pathways for students who do well in their Singapore-Cambridge GCE N-level examinations: (i) a new one-year polytechnic Foundation Programme (FP) and (ii) a two-year Higher Nitec pathway. The latter builds on the existing ITE Direct Entry Scheme (DES). These new pathways will cater to about 30% of each Secondary 4 N(A) cohort.

(A) One-year Polytechnic Foundation Programme

Students who have performed very well in the Singapore-Cambridge GCE N-level examinations (expected to be among the top 10% of the Secondary 4 N(A) cohort)² will have a new option of completing a one-year Foundation Programme (FP) at the polytechnics, instead of taking their O-Levels in Secondary 5. The FPwill offer a practice-oriented curriculum taught by polytechnic faculty, using applied teaching methods. This will better prepare polytechnic-bound N(A) students for entry into relevant diploma courses.

For the first phase beginning in 2013, polytechnics will offer a total of about 1,000 FPplaces that would articulate into a range of diploma courses. Students will gain admission into specific diploma courses upon entry to the FPand continue on to these diplomas if they complete their FPs satisfactorily. The FPcould be expanded over time to cover more diploma programmes and offer more places.

(B) Progression via Higher Nitec

A second option for students who have performed well in the N-level examinations and can benefit from a more hands-on and experiential preparation at the ITE is to take up a Higher Nitec programme at the ITE and subsequently be assured of either a first- or second-year place in a related polytechnic course, provided they achieve the qualifying GPA scores in their Higher Nitec programme.

This new option builds on the ITE Direct Entry Scheme (DES) which was introduced in 2008 as a pathway for students who do well in their N-Levels to progress to ITE, instead of taking their O-Levels in Secondary 5. Eligible³ Secondary 4 N(A) students enrol in ITE in January after the N-Levels. They take a 10-week preparatory course before joining the O-Level intake in Higher Nitec courses in April. The first batch of 377 DES students in 2008 has done well, performing on par with O-Level Higher Nitec students.

The new option will be available to students admitted to the ITE DES, who meet eligibility criteria, from 2013. When ITE College Central opens in 2013, MOE will also double the number of places for the DES to 1,000. The new option is expected to cater to the next 20% of Secondary 4 N(A) students after the FP.

A diagram summarising the current and new pathways for N(A) students is at Annex A (64kb .pdf).

(II) New Specialised Schools for Normal (Technical) Students

Normal (Technical) [(N(T)] students form about 13% of each cohort. Over the years, MOE has made several enhancements to the N(T) course. These include revisions to the N(T) curriculum to focus more on practice-oriented learning; the introduction of Elective Modules to develop students’ interests and strengths in various areas; and the designation of three secondary schools as N(T) Mark II schools offering new specialised subjects developed in partnership with the ITE. These enhancements have resulted in improved student learning experience and engagement.

Building on these enhancements and lessons drawn from the setting up of Northlight School and Assumption Pathway School, MOE will set up two new specialised secondary schools as an additional option for N(T) students. A whole-school approach will further enhance the quality of their learning experience. The new schools will admit students from 2013.

The specialised secondary schools will offer a four-year customised programme that will prepare students for subsequent studies in ITE or employment. In addition to the N(T) subjects, students will also be able to offer industry-focused modules in a range of areas, developed in conjunction with ITE and the industry. The schools will adopt a strong focus on interactive, practice-oriented and ICT-enabled teaching methods. To ensure a holistic education experience, there will be integrated modules on Aesthetics and Physical Education throughout their four years of learning. There will also be special programmes to address their socio-emotional needs, personal development, and the learning of life skills. To better support the teaching of industry-focused modules that entail the handling of equipment, the new schools will have a higher teacher-to-student ratio.

The schools will work in close partnership with ITE and industry partners to develop their curriculum and programmes, and to provide opportunities for attachments and internships for their upper secondary students.

The new schools will be led by experienced principals with the passion to work with the N(T) students. The schools will have a good mix of MOE teachers, seconded ITE lecturers and individuals with relevant industry experience.

(III) Expansion of the Integrated Programme

The Integrated Programme (IP) was introduced to provide clearly university-bound students with a broader educational experience. The initial batches of IP⁴ graduates have performed well. The feedback from IP students is that they enjoy the learning environment which has allowed them to stretch their intellectual potential, while equipping them for self-directed learning. MOE will expand the IP so that more university-bound students will benefit from an enriched educational experience.

MOE will expand the Integrated Programme to seven more secondary schools, namely, Victoria School, Cedar Girls’ Secondary School, Methodist Girls’ School, Catholic High School, CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School, Singapore Chinese Girls’ School, and St. Joseph’s Institution. These new IP schools will offer both IP and O-Level tracks, so that late-bloomers or those who find themselves better suited for the O-Level track can make lateral transfers. Temasek Junior College will also extend its four-year IP to a six-year programme beginning in Secondary 1. The expansion of the IP landscape, which will take effect from 2012 onwards, will allow our top talent to be nurtured in a more diverse group of schools.

Victoria School and Cedar Girls’ Secondary School will partner Victoria Junior College, and Methodist Girls’ School will partner Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) to offer the IP. St. Joseph’s Institution will expand to offer a six-year programme leading to the International Baccalaureate.

IP students from Catholic High School, CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School and Singapore Chinese Girls’ School will progress to a new Government junior college to be set up by 2017. Details on the new junior college will be provided later.

Students who wish to join the IP after some time in their secondary schools can also apply to these new IP schools at Secondary 3. There will continue to be sufficient access for non-IP students to enter the various junior colleges that will have IP student intakes.

The details on the IP in the various schools are in Annex B (48kb .pdf).

Footnotes:

1. N(A) students form about 30% of each cohort. ↩
2. After the GCE N-levels, students will be informed of whether they are eligible for the FP based on their N-level results. ↩
3. EL-Maths-B3 ≤ 19 (EL-Maths-B3 refers to the aggregate score of English Language, Mathematics and best 3 subjects at the N-Level examinations) ↩
4. The IP was one of the key recommendations of the Junior College/Upper Secondary Education Review Committee (2002). It allows secondary students to proceed to Junior College without taking the ‘O’ levels, so that they can use the time freed up to engage in broader learning experiences. ↩

New Design Norms for Primary Schools

MOE will provide all primary schools with additional facilities that facilitate engaged learning in academic and non-academic areas. For academic programmes which support co-operative, independent and differentiated learning, facilities such as the Redesigned Classroom, Subject Based Banding Room and Learning Support Rooms will be provided.

The classroom lies at the heart of the formal curriculum in schools. It is the key space where collaborative learning and independent learning takes place. Classrooms will be redesigned and equipped with a rich array of learning resources and different learning centres to support a range of learning approaches.

Additional rooms will be provided to cater to more customised teaching for students with different needs. These include a Subject Based Banding (SBB) Room, to meet the needs of groups of students offering different subject combinations under SBB, and Learning Support Rooms, to help build pupils’ foundational literacy and numeracy skills. New outdoor learning spaces will also allow for hands-on experiences which are crucial in enabling the younger primary students to better understand concepts through self-discovery and physical activity.

For non-academic programmes which develop life skills, promote socio-emotional development and nurture confidence, facilities such as the Band Room, Dance Studio, Performing Arts Studio, outdoor running track and the Student Care Centre will be provided. These new facilities will encourage greater interaction and self-discovery, and facilitate experiential and hands-on learning. They will also support the implementation of the Programme for Active Learning (PAL)¹, where schools will conduct modules in Sports and Outdoor Education, and Performing and Visual Arts. Please see Annex A (56kb .pdf) for further details on the facilities.

Presently, there are six schools which are piloting the use of redesigned classrooms and performing arts facilities. MOE will refine the designs based on their feedback before extending the facilities to the other primary schools.

The implementation of the enhanced facilities will be phased in as far as possible with the existing infrastructural programmes such as the provision of ISH to schools in order to minimise disruptions to the schools. MOE targets to complete the rollout to all primary schools by 2016.

Accelerated Roll-out of Indoor Sports Halls

The ISH is an all-weather sports hall that can accommodate a basketball court superimposed with four badminton courts, a volleyball court and a netball court. Currently, 97 schools have already been provided with the ISH and another 13 ISHs are expected to be completed by the end of this year. MOE will accelerate the roll-out of ISHs and target to complete the roll-out to the remaining schools over the next 6 to 7 years.

The ISH provides schools with greater flexibility to schedule Physical Education (PE) lessons. With an ISH, schools can conduct PE or co-curricular programmes throughout the day regardless of the weather. Students will benefit from more opportunities to take part in mass sports activities, and/or train in various competitive sports.

The community living near the schools will also benefit from the ISHs, which will be open for use by the public and the community, under a scheme operated in collaboration with the Singapore Sports Council.

Scaling Up Synthetic Turf Programme

In 2006, MOE announced the implementation of synthetic turf fields for schools with high field usage. To date, 37 schools have already been provided with synthetic turf fields. These schools have given positive feedback that synthetic turf fields are superior to natural turf fields in terms of performance, availability and maintainability. For example, the synthetic turf fields dry faster than natural turf fields after rain. Students have more opportunities to make use of the field for sports and games, which are integral to the holistic and well-rounded education that our schools provide. The life-cycle cost of synthetic turf is also now more competitive than natural turf.

Given the positive feedback from the pilot schools and the cost effectiveness of synthetic turf fields, MOE plans to offer synthetic turf fields to all schools that need it. The roll-out will be in phases with the installation of synthetic turf fields scheduled to start in another 30 schools later this year.

Footnote:

1. PAL, announced in April 2009, is one of the recommendations of the Primary Education Review and Implementation (PERI) Committee to enhance the quality of primary education. PAL aims to develop character and useful life-skills by providing Primary 1 and 2 pupils with early exposure to modular activities in Sports and Outdoor Education, and Performing and Visual Arts. ↩

Enhanced Matching Grants for Endowed Donations to Universities

The Government will invest about $4 billion over the next 20 years to provide matching grants for the donations that the universities raise, of which $2 billion will be set aside in a Singapore Universities Trust, so that matching grants can be provided regardless of economic circumstances.

Currently, donations raised by the universities are matched dollar-for-dollar (1:1). The Government will enhance the matching of endowed donations for the universities, and provide 1.5:1 matching for all universities for up to 20 years. For the new institutions, viz. Singapore University of Technology and Design and the new medical school established at Nanyang Technological University, the Government will provide 3:1 matching for up to the first 10 years, and 1.5:1 thereafter.

Non-endowed donations raised by the universities will continue to be matched at 1:1.

Extension of Matching Grants to ITE, Polytechnics, SIT

The Government will also extend the provision of matching grants to help build up the endowments of the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), polytechnics and Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT). This will provide for more financial assistance, scholarships, and enrichment programmes for students.

Similar to the universities, endowed donations raised by these institutions will be matched at 1.5:1 for up to 20 years, while non-endowed donations will be matched at 1:1.

The provision of enhanced matching grants for endowed donations to the universities, as well as the extension of matching grants to ITE, polytechnics and ITE, will take effect for donations received by the institutions from 1 September 2010.

Since 1999, MOE has funded places in diploma programmes in NAFA and Lasalle. These institutions provide a steady pipeline of skilled manpower for our burgeoning Creative Industries.

Opportunities in the Creative Industries will continue to grow over the next few years: the two integrated resorts, the new National Art Gallery, our film and animation clusters will generate more jobs. MOE’s plans to enhance the delivery of Art and Music related curriculum in schools will also require more Art and Music teachers. To meet the demand, we will need to train a pool of quality graduates in the arts, design and media fields.

NAFA and Lasalle have been invited to submit proposals to MOE on the new degree programmes and partners. In evaluating the proposals, MOE will consider the reputation of the overseas universities, the quality and rigour of their programmes, the alignment of the programme with the needs of the economy, and the standing of the universities’ graduates among employers. Potential students are expected to meet stringent entry requirements set by NAFA or Lasalle and its overseas university partner(s).

NAFA views this initiative as a positive step in the development of arts education in Singapore. Mr Choo Thiam Siew, President of NAFA, says, “This is timely and welcomed by NAFA as there is a steady increase in the demand by our Creative Industries for high-quality degree-level arts education that is conducted in Singapore. When fully implemented, this allows both fresh Diploma graduands and those who have already joined the workforce to upgrade their skills and knowledge and better serve the needs of the rapidly growing sector in Singapore and the region. NAFA is greatly encouraged by the opportunity to further promote quality arts education in Singapore.”

Lasalle also welcomes this move. Prof Alastair Pearce, President of Lasalle, says, “Arts degree programmes are indeed beneficial to raise the professional quality available in the Creative Arts. I am sure that they will be warmly welcomed by arts students who have the desire and ability to pursue higher-level studies in their specialised fields and broaden their creative experience. Lasalle is committed to finding a world-class foreign university partner who would work with us to deliver this new, high-quality degree programme in Singapore.”

Building up a pool of degree-level talent in these fields will fuel the growth of new economic activities in Singapore, and provide new opportunities and pathways for young Singaporeans with the passion in the arts, design and media fields.

Healthcare demands in Singapore are expected to increase with a growing and ageing population. The new medical school will augment healthcare manpower needs by producing top-quality doctors and medical leaders who are attuned to the needs of patients and Singapore. It will also introduce innovations to medical education in Singapore and provide more opportunities for Singaporeans to pursue a high-quality medical degree.

The new medical school, an autonomous school of NTU which will be jointly managed by NTU and Imperial College London, will see Imperial developing and delivering a course overseas for the first time. On the partnership, the Rector of Imperial College London, Sir Keith O’Nions, said, “We are extremely proud to be working with Singapore, a country we have long admired for its support and application of world class science, engineering and medicine. Our newest partnership with NTU is extremely exciting and we are delighted to be joining forces with an institution that embodies many of our own aspirations, to develop a new generation of Singaporean doctors.

“The partnership gives us the chance to work with Singapore’s talented students and also provides a rare opportunity to pioneer a new medical curriculum. Singapore’s healthcare system will face a range of challenges in the future and we aim to equip our students with the skills they will need to tackle them. I hope that this agreement will open the door to a range of collaborations across our disciplines.”

President of NTU, Dr Su Guaning, said, “Partnering Imperial College London, one of the top five universities in the world, our medical school offers a new curriculum that features the strength of Imperial College’s world-leading medical expertise with NTU’s core strengths in engineering and business. It will also offer young students the opportunity to get a joint Imperial-NTU medical degree here in Singapore. This new medical school, which will have the National Healthcare Group as its main clinical partner, will start out not just training the best clinicians but also make a deep impact on the innovation of medical devices and the healthcare system as a whole.”

Key Features of the New Medical School

The new medical school will be positioned to meet the healthcare demands and needs of the future. Building on NTU’s and Imperial’s strengths in Science and Technology (S&T), it will tap on the increasing interface between medicine and S&T to advance healthcare delivery and practice, and further transform the way medicine is taught in Singapore.

The new medical school will offer a five-year undergraduate medical degree jointly awarded by NTU and Imperial. At steady state, the School is envisaged to admit 150 students per year.

The founding Dean of the new medical school will be Professor Stephen Smith FMedSci, Principal of Imperial’s Faculty of Medicine and Chief Executive of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. Professor Martyn Partridge, who holds Imperial’s Chair in Respiratory Medicine, will be Senior Vice Dean and will work full-time on the project in both London and Singapore. (Please refer to the Annex (272kb .pdf) for their biodata.) An experienced team of Imperial professors will lead the curriculum development at the new medical school, together with NTU faculty. The curriculum will infuse the key elements of Imperial’s educational model and adapt these for the local healthcare context. Imperial will also be actively involved in the establishment and running of the School. Imperial senior faculty will form part of the core faculty of the new medical school, and students in the School will benefit from being taught by and interacting with top Imperial faculty.

As clinical training is an important component of a medical curriculum, the new medical school will work with healthcare institutions across Singapore’s healthcare system to provide students with a strong foundation in clinical training across multiple healthcare settings. The new medical school’s primary clinical training partner will be the National Healthcare Group (NHG). The NHG is a leader in public healthcare in Singapore, recognised at home and abroad for the quality of its medical expertise and facilities. With its integrated network of primary healthcare polyclinics, acute care hospitals, and national specialty centres, the NHG will provide good clinical training support to the new medical school. It will offer students access to a wide range of services and patients, as well as opportunities to accumulate experience in treating a variety of diseases during their training.

The new medical school will have its own governing board with representatives from Imperial College, NTU and other stakeholders such as the MOE, Ministry of Health and NHG. The partnership agreement between Imperial and NTU covers an initial term of 18 years.

Imperial College London as Partner

Imperial College London was ranked fifth in the 2009 Times Higher Education (THES) overall rankings and is renowned internationally for its excellent teaching and research quality in S&T. Established in 1997, Imperial’s Faculty of Medicine is one of the largest medical schools in the UK and Europe. It is known for its rigorous and innovative medical programme, as well as its ability to reap synergies between medicine and S&T, resulting in innovations and inventions in bio-medical engineering, bio-surgery and technology.

Both Imperial and NTU share a similar heritage, as well as a common vision for medical education. Imperial’s Faculty of Medicine built on Imperial’s long-standing strong reputation and foundation in S&T disciplines. These attributes make them a good partner for NTU, which has traditional strengths in S&T.

In its second year, the Fellowship programme is organised with the support of the Singapore National Commission for UNESCO and in partnership with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). The Fellowships aim to recognise the significant contribution of talented women to scientific progress, encourage young women to pursue science as a career and promote their effective participation in the scientific development of Singapore. Dr Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Education and Second Minister for Defence, and Chairman of the Singapore National Commission for UNESCO, said: “The Singapore National Commission for UNESCO is proud to support this meaningful programme which serves to nurture talented young women in science and research.”

The three outstanding women were awarded fellowships worth S$20,000 to support them in their doctorate or post-doctorate research. This year’s National Fellows are:

• Dr. Low Hong Yee, 2010 L’Oréal Singapore For Women in Science National Fellow and Senior Scientist at the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering. Her work in nanoimprint technology, an emerging technique in nanotechnology, focuses on eco solutions and brings to reality the ability to mimic and apply on synthetic surfaces the structure found in naturally occurring exteriors or skin such as the iridescent colours of a butterfly’s wings or the water-proofing of lotus leaves. This new development offers an eco-friendly, non-chemical method to improve the properties and functionalities of common plastic film.
• Dr. Madhavi Srinivasan, 2010 L’Oréal Singapore For Women in Science National Fellow and Assistant Professor at the Nanyang Technological University. Dr Srinivasan seeks to harness the power of nanoscale materials for the answer to the future of energy storage. Such technologies are vital for the future of a clean energy landscape. Its applications include powering electric vehicles, thus reducing overall CO2 emission, and reducing global warming or enhancing renewable energy sources (solar/wind), thus reducing pollution and tapping on alternative energy supplies.
• Dr. Yang Huiying, 2010 L’Oréal Singapore For Women in Science National Fellow and Assistant Professor at Singapore University of Technology and Design. Dr Yang’s fascination with the beauty of the nano-world prompted her research into the fabrication of metal oxide nanostructures, investigation of their optical properties, and the development of nanophotonics devices. These light emitting devices could potentially be an answer to the need for energy-saving and lower cost display screens, LED bulbs, TV and DVD players etc.

The recipients of the L’Oréal Singapore For Women in Science National Fellowships were determined by a jury panel which comprised eminent members of the scientific community in Singapore. The Awards ceremony took place today with key members of the scientific community present. Mr. Lim Chuan Poh, Chairman of A*STAR, was the Guest-of-Honour.

Mr. Lim Chuan Poh said: “It is heartening that the L’Oréal Singapore For Women in Science National Fellowships honour the work of these exceptional women in Singapore. In line with Singapore’s aim to be Asia’s Innovation Capital, their quest for knowledge and, more specifically, solutions to the world’s challenges is inspiring to the general scientific community, and to other aspiring women scientists.”

Mr. Christopher Neo, Managing Director, L’Oréal Singapore said: “The L’Oréal Singapore For Women in Science National Fellowships support female scientists pursuing research locally, and highlight them as role models for young women in science. The three award recipients have displayed passion and determination in finding solutions to important global issues – we’re pleased to recognise such excellence. Science is the bedrock of the L’Oréal business, and we pledge our long-term commitment to Singapore’s scientific progress through this programme.”

Professor Leo Tan, Jury President, L’Oréal Singapore For Women in Science National Fellowships 2010 and Member of the Singapore National Commission for UNESCO and Chairman of the Science Sub-Commission said: “The L’Oréal Singapore For Women in Science National Fellowships are a welcome boost for any young woman scientist. The members of the jury are particularly committed to recognising and encouraging young, talented women scientists in Singapore. The three young For Women in Science National Fellows now have the responsibility of being role models for the scientists of tomorrow. Their courage and vision may also one day find solutions to the world’s most pressing issues. Let’s congratulate them and urge them on.”

L’Oréal and UNESCO joined forces 12 years ago to create the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science programme built on the simple belief that the world needs science and science needs women. Today, this programme is available in 93 countries and nearly 1,000 women have been recognised.

Two new Special Awards are presented for the first time this year. They are the Lee Hsien Loong Award for Outstanding All-Round Achievement and the Lee Hsien Loong Award for Outstanding Bicultural Students. The other Special Awards are the Lee Kuan Yew Award for All-Round Excellence, the Prime Minister’s Book Prize, the Lee Kuan Yew Award for Mathematics and Science, the Lee Kuan Yew Award for Outstanding Normal Course Students, the Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship To Encourage Upgrading, the Lee Hsien Loong Award for Special Achievement, and the Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Book Prize.

The Guest-of-Honour for the ceremony, Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, Minister, Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Finance and Second Minister for Transport, presented the awards at the SEAMEO Regional Language Centre.

New Special Awards

The Lee Hsien Loong Award for Outstanding All-Round Achievement (LHL-OAA)

The Lee Hsien Loong Award for Outstanding All-Round Achievement (LHL-OAA) is funded by an endownment donated by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in 2009. The objective of this award is to recognise the outstanding academic and non-academic achievements of post-secondary students, particularly those who have made outstanding contributions to the community and demonstrated the spirit of innovation and enterprise. There are four awards to be given out each year, with one student from each of the following four groups – Junior Colleges/Millennia Institute, Institute of Technical Education (ITE), Polytechnics, and Autonomous Universities. The names of the awardees are given in Annex A (48kb .pdf).

The Lee Hsien Loong Award for Outstanding Bicultural Students (LHLA OBS)

The Lee Hsien Loong Award for Outstanding Bicultural Students (LHLA-OBS) is an award set up in 2009 to recognise the top two students in the Bicultural Special Programme (Chinese) [BSP(C)] and the top student in the Regional Studies Programme (RSP). The award underpins the strategic importance of developing a core group of students who are conversant in Chinese/Malay, and are able to engage China/our regional neighbours, as well as relate to the West. The award to the top two students in the BSP(C) will be presented for the first time this year. The award to the top RSP student will be presented in 2014, as the first batch of RSP students will sit for their A-levels in 2013.The names of the awardees are given in Annex B (40kb .pdf).

Other Special Awards

The Lee Hsien Loong Award for Special Achievement (LHL ASA)

The Lee Hsien Loong Award for Special Achievement (LHL ASA) is funded by an endowment donated by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. The LHL ASA was presented for the first time in 2009 and is given to one outstanding student each from Northlight School and Assumption Pathway School who has done well and progressed to ITE. The award recognises students who have exemplified positive character development and a positive attitude towards learning and self improvement. The recipients must have also shown strong leadership qualities and commitment to serve the community. The names of the awardees are given in Annex H (44kb .pdf).

The Lee Kuan Yew Award for All-Round Excellence (LKY ARE Award)

The Lee Kuan Yew Award for All-Round Excellence is a national-level award for achievement in education that was presented for the first time in 2005. It is a pinnacle award, which recognises well-rounded students who have excelled in both academic and non-academic spheres, and who exemplify positive character development, strong leadership qualities and commitment to service to the community. The award is presented at the end of Secondary education.

This award is part of the overall framework of Lee Kuan Yew awards, made possible through the interest proceeds from the principal fund of the Lee Kuan Yew Donation account of the Education Fund.

Eight students were presented with this Award. The names of the awardees are given in Annex C (52kb .pdf).

The Prime Minister’s Book Prize (PMBP)

The Prime Minister’s Book Prize, established in 1974, is an annual award for bilingualism given at the primary, secondary and pre-university levels. This year, 37 students are awarded the Prime Minister’s Book Prize – 12 in the Primary section, 14 in the Secondary section and 11 in the Pre-University section. The names of the awardees are given in Annex D (100kb .pdf).

The Lee Kuan Yew Award for Mathematics and Science (LKY Maths & Science Award)

The Lee Kuan Yew Award for excellence in Mathematics and Science was instituted in 1992. The awards are given under three categories – Secondary, Pre-University and Polytechnic. This year, of the 40 recipients, 15 are in the Secondary category, 10 in the Pre-University category and 15 in the Polytechnic category. The names of the awardees are given in Annex E (72kb .pdf).

The Lee Kuan Yew Award for Outstanding Normal Course Students (LKY-ONC Award)

The Lee Kuan Yew Award for Outstanding Normal Course Students was presented for the first time in 2004. This year, four awards are presented to top Normal (Academic) course students and five awards are given to the top Normal (Technical) students, based on their ‘N’ level examination results. The names of the awardees are given in Annex F (52kb .pdf).

The Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship to Encourage Upgrading (LKY-STEP Award)

The Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship to Encourage Upgrading (LKY-STEP Award) was presented for the first time in 2001. This award was made possible by Mr Lee Kuan Yew, then Senior Minister, who donated the proceeds from the sales of autographed editions of Volume Two of his memoirs to the Ministry of Education in October 2000. The awards are to encourage upgrading and life-long learning. Selection for this award is based on merit. The award is presented to outstanding Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and polytechnic graduates who have performed well academically and attained good co-curricular activity records. This year, 15 LKY-STEP awards are presented to ITE graduates pursuing full-time studies at the polytechnics and ten LKY-STEP awards are presented to polytechnic graduates pursuing full-time undergraduate studies at the local universities. The names of the awardees are given in Annex G (64kb .pdf).

The Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Book Prize (SHOAS book prize)

The Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Book Prize was made possible by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, who donated the honorarium he had received from the Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Foundation for delivering the inaugural Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Memorial Lecture in Brunei in February 2009. This award was presented for the first time in 2009 and aims to recognise the Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship to Encourage Upgrading (LKY-STEP Award) recipients who have achieved the most outstanding academic results at ITE. A total of up to six awards are given out each year. This year, there are six recipients of this award. The names of the awardees are given in Annex I (52kb .pdf).

Of the cases notified this year, about 65% occurred in children aged less than 5 years old. HFMD is generally a mild and self-limiting childhood disease. The majority of the cases seen so far were mild infections, with only 233 (1.3%) cases requiring hospitalisation mainly because of poor feeding. There were no cases with serious complications or deaths reported so far this year.

However, MOH’s sentinel surveillance has detected an increase in the circulation of Enterovirus 71 (EV71) among patients with HFMD in Singapore, with 12% of the patient samples testing positive for EV71 in July 2010. HFMD due to EV71 has been associated with a risk of increased disease severity and even death.

The current rise in the number of notified HFMD cases is in keeping with the regional situation. Other countries such as China, Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan, have recently experienced HFMD outbreaks involving EV71.

While HFMD is endemic in Singapore and periodic outbreaks can be expected, it is important to take early control measures to prevent escalation of cases. MOH has noted childcare centres and kindergartens with prolonged ongoing transmission of HFMD and is working with MCYS and MOE to control and prevent further cases from occurring in these centres. The names of childcare centres and kindergartens with more than 10 HFMD cases or an attack rate greater than 13%, and a transmission period of more than 16 days will be published on the MOH website from today. This is so that parents can be more aware of whether the centre that their child is attending has prolonged HFMD transmission, and can be more alert to watch out for HFMD symptoms in their child.

To break the chain of transmission, childcare centres and kindergartens with more than 16 HFMD cases or an attack rate greater than 23%, and a transmission period of more than 24 days will be mandatorily closed for 10 days. Parents of children attending these centres will be notified by the centres, and the names of the centres that will be mandatorily closed will also be published on the MOH website from today. Please see the MOH website for the list of these childcare centres and kindergartens.

Public advice

The Ministry would like to stress the importance of maintaining high standards of personal and environmental hygiene to minimise the risk of HFMD. Parents should ensure that their children adopt the following good practices:

• Wash hands with soap before eating and after going to the toilet;
• Cover mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, and throw the tissue away into a bin immediately;
• Do not share eating utensils.

Parents should consult a doctor early if their child has fever, mouth ulcers and rashes on the palms, soles or buttocks. Children with HFMD should remain at home until all the blisters have dried up. During this period, contact with other children should be avoided until the child recovers. The child should not be brought to any public or crowded places. Proper hygiene should also be practised at home so as to prevent transmission to other family members.

MOH, together with MCYS and MOE, will continue to closely monitor the number of HFMD cases, analyse the disease trends, provide guidance to childcare centres and kindergartens, and ensure that these institutions exercise high vigilance in their management of HFMD.

For more information on HFMD, please see the FAQs on MOH Website or the Infection Control Guidelines for Schools and Childcare Centres.

The Singapore team received two Gold medals and two Silver medals at the iGeo. This marked a significant achievement for Singapore since it was the country’s first time participating in the competition.

The Gold medalists are Wan Jian Yong Darren and Lim Yuan Zhi Martin from Raffles Institution (Junior College) [RI (JC)]. The Silver medalists are Koh Lock Leong and Kweh Ren Hao Clement, also from RI (JC). The team was led by Mrs Ong Wai Ling, Subject Head (Geography) at RI (Secondary) and Mdm Delphine Tan Su-Ling, Curriculum Planning Officer, MOE.

The iGeo consisted of written, multimedia and fieldwork tests. Students were expected to have good knowledge of topics ranging from physical to human geography. The team was also required to apply their geographical knowledge in new and unfamiliar contexts such as carrying out fieldwork on vegetation and water management in the Guandu Nature Park.

Background on iGeo

The International Geography Olympiad is an annual competition which is organized under the auspices of the International Geographical Union. It is a competition for the best 16 to 19 year old geography students who are selected from national geography competitions in their home countries. The RI (JC) team was the champion team of the National University of Singapore Geography Challenge in 2009. With the support of MOE, the team represented Singapore at the iGeo for the first time.

Organisations are invited to submit proposals that encourage the positive use of the Internet and mobile technologies among our youths, particularly in the areas of:

1. Promoting responsible use of mobile technologies; and
2. Managing and preventing cyber bullying on mobile communication and social networking platforms.

More information on these two possible project areas is in Annex A. (76kb .pdf) Successful proposals for cyber wellness efforts from the people, private and public sectors will receive seed funding.

The proposed projects should be scalable and sustainable for effective outreach. Assessment for the award of funding will be based on the merit and reach of each project. Interested organisations can visit the MOE website or the MICA website for more details. The closing date for the submission of proposals is Monday, 4 October 2010, 4:00 pm.

About the ICSC

The ICSC was formed in 2009 to coordinate the Government’s efforts in cyber wellness through working with people-private sector organisations. It aims to develop and implement a national strategy to promote cyber wellness among the youth. The ICSC is co-chaired by MICA and MOE and includes representatives from the following ministries and government agencies:

• Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports
• Ministry of Defence
• Ministry of Home Affairs
• Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore
• Media Development Authority

Ten projects were funded after the first call for proposals on 30 October 2009. They include a nationwide cyber wellness public education outreach campaign, as well as programmes for primary, secondary and post-secondary school students and their parents, such as cyber wellness camps and counselling services. A detailed list of ICSC-supported projects is in Annex B. (72kb .pdf)

The committees were led by school principals holding various posts in the SSSC and include Zone Sport Convenors, school personnel and MOE HQ officers. Where relevant, the committees also sought input from external experts to provide an assessment of the incidents. The committees reviewed incident reports submitted by the schools involved and conducted interviews with the players, teachers and coaches. Where available, video recording and photographs of the matches were examined.

Findings on Rugby Match between ACS(I) and SAS

MOE and SSSC do not condone unsportsmanlike behaviour and expect students and coaches to uphold good sportsmanship at all times during games and competitions. Following the National Inter-School Rugby Championships 2010 Police Cup Under-17 Final played between Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) [ACS(I)] and St Andrew’s Secondary School (SAS) on 12 Apr 2010, a discipline committee was set up to investigate the unsportsmanlike behaviour displayed by players and coaches after the match.

The committee recommended that the players who were found to have committed breaches of discipline be disqualified from National and School Colours Award 2010 for behaviour contrary to good sportsmanship. The schools will reiterate the importance of the right values and conduct in sports. They will also counsel the players and guide them in undertaking a project that shows care and concern for others. In the more severe cases, the players are also banned from rugby activities for a year. The Committee also found the actions of the SAS rugby coach at that match to be unacceptable of a professional coach. It thus recommended that SAS take disciplinary action against him.

Findings on Judo Championships between SJI and HCI

To investigate the cause of the injury sustained by St Joseph’s Institution (SJI) student Tan Ser Yung at the National Inter-School Judo Championships on 20 April 2010, a Committee of Inquiry (COI) had been set up. The COI had carried out a thorough investigation into the incident. The video recording of the entire judo bout was also examined. Experts from the Singapore Judo Federation (SJF), All Japan Judo Federation (AJJF) and Kodokan Judo Institute (KJI) were also consulted on the moves executed during the match.

The COI concluded that the match and bout in question were conducted in a structured and orderly manner. Ample safety measures were put in place and the rules and regulations were also found to be more stringent as compared to some international youth championships. There was no evidence of any illegal moves made by the players. The COI’s findings have been corroborated by the independent experts from SJF, AJJF and KJI Japan.

Findings on Rugby Match between Bedok Town Secondary and ACS (Barker Road)

A COI was also convened to investigate the National Inter-School Rugby Championships 2010 Police Cup Under-17 Round 2 match between Bedok Town Secondary and ACS (Barker Road) on 31 March. The COI had carried out a thorough investigation to determine the cause of Adhe’s injury. Experts from the Singapore Rugby Union (SRU), as the authoritative body on rugby in Singapore, were also consulted for their assessment.

Based on the evidence reviewed, the COI concluded that the organisation and safety provisions for the match were consistent with matches played at the National Inter-School Rugby Championships 2010 Police Cup Under-17. The COI also noted that the referee had carried out his duties in accordance with the protocols required, and was in control of the match. The COI is not able to conclusively determine the exact time and cause of Adhe’s injury. The COI’s findings are supported by the assessment provided by the experts from SRU.

Both SJI and Bedok Town Secondary have been providing care and support respectively to Ser Yung and Adhe and their families throughout this period. They have also carried out fund raising efforts to help the families with medical expenses. In addition, as this is the first time such serious injuries have happened during the inter-school games competitions, the SSSC decided that it would provide financial assistance to the affected families to help defray the medical costs incurred by them. The SSSC will give an ex-gratia amount of S$25,000 each to help the families with the medical expenses of Ser Yung and Adhe. MOE and SSSC will continue to work with the schools to provide the necessary assistance and support to both Ser Yung and Adhe.

The safety of our students is paramount in sports and any other school activities. MOE has set up the Committee on Safety in School Sports (CSSS) to undertake a systematic review of safety practices and issues in the conduct of school sports. In its review, the CSSS will survey the current guidelines and practices governing school sports, consider best practices in other countries, and tap on views from sporting experts and the community. To address the recent sports injuries, CSSS will also pay special attention to activities which may carry higher inherent risk of injuries, such as competitive contact sports.

Footnote

1. These are (i) National Inter-School Rugby Championships 2010 Police Cup Under-17 Final between Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) and St Andrew’s Secondary School on 12 Apr 10, (ii) National Inter-School Rugby Championships 2010 Police Cup Under-17 Round 2 match between Bedok Town Sec and ACS (Barker Road) on 31 Mar 10, and (iii) National Inter-School Judo Championships between St Joseph’s Institution and Hwa Chong Institution on 20 Apr 10.↵

Dr Ng will be accompanied by senior officials from the Ministry of Education.

21st International Biology Olympiad (IBO)

The Singapore team received one Gold medal and three Silver medals at the 21st IBO held in Changwon, Korea, from 11 to 18 July 2010. Singapore was placed 9th in a field of 233 students from 58 countries.

The Gold medallist is Daniel Lim Yan Zheng of Anglo-Chinese School (Independent). The Silver medallists are Yong Xianbin of Hwa Chong Institution; Zeng Tian Chen of Raffles Institution; and Kylie Goh Jin Ying of NUS High School of Mathematics and Science.

The Singapore delegation was led by Associate Professor Shirley Lim, Head of Natural Sciences and Science Education, National Institute of Education; Associate Professor Low Boon Chuan, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore; and Ms Wang Siew Ping, Curriculum Planning Officer, Ministry of Education.

41st International Physics Olympiad (IPhO)

The Singapore team received one Gold medal and four Silver medals at the 41st IPhO held in Zagreb, Croatia, from 17 to 25 July 2010. Singapore was placed 7th in a field of 367 students from 82 countries. The result this year is an improvement over our 8th placing in 2009.

The Gold medallist is Chua Lynn of NUS High School of Mathematics and Science. The Silver medallists are Lim Soon Wei Daniel and Lee Jie Liang of Raffles Institution; and Darryl Foo Chuan Wei and Goh Qi Xuan Benjamin of NUS High School of Mathematics and Science.

The Singapore delegation was led by Associate Professor Rajdeep Singh Rawat, Natural Sciences and Science Education, National Institute of Education and Mr Lim Kim Yong, Scientific Manager, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore.

42nd International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO)

The Singapore team received two Gold medals and two Silver medals at the 42nd IChO held in Tokyo, Japan, from 19 to 28 July 2010. Singapore was placed 4th in a field of 267 students from 68 countries. The result this year is an improvement over our 5th placing in 2009.

The Gold medallists are Fong Jie Ming Nigel and Lum Jian Yang of Raffles Institution. The Silver medallists are Tng Jia Hao Barry of Raffles Institution and Khu Boon Hou Derek of Hwa Chong Institution.

The Singapore delegation was led by Associate Professor Yan Yaw Kai, Deputy Head of Natural Sciences and Science Education at the National Institute of Education, Dr Zhang Sheng, Instructor at the Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore and Mr Foo Kok Wei, Curriculum Planning Officer, Ministry of Education.

51st International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO)

The Singapore team received four Silver medals, one Bronze medal and one Honourable Mention at the 51st IMO held in Astana, Kazakhstan, from 4 to 14 July 2010. Singapore was placed 22nd in a field of 517 students from 96 countries. The result this year is an improvement over our 30th placing in 2009.

The Silver medallists are Loh Yao Chen Ivan of Raffles Institution, Lim Jeck and Ang Yan Sheng of NUS High School of Mathematics and Science, and Ang Jie Jun of Anglo-Chinese School (Independent). The Bronze medallist is Gabriel Wong Ying Lin of NUS High School of Mathematics and Science. Vincent Brian Arifin Tjeng of Raffles Institution received the Honourable Mention.

The Singapore delegation was led by Associate Professor Wong Yan Loi, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, and Mr Lu Shang-Yi from Raffles Institution.

22nd International Olympiad of Informatics (IOI)

Singapore will be sending a team to compete with delegates from 80 countries at the 22nd IOI, which will be held in Ontario, Canada, from 14 to 21 August 2010.

The Singapore delegation will be led by Associate Professor Roland Yap Hock Chuan, Department of Computer Science, National University of Singapore, and Mr Cheong Hock Soan, Curriculum Planning Officer, Ministry of Education. The contestants are Raymond Kang Seng Ing, Chin Zhan Xiong and Shen Chuanqi of Raffles Institution; and Daniel Wong Lin Kit of Hwa Chong Institution.

A Joint Effort

Our students’ participation in the four International Olympiads is a joint effort between the Ministry of Education and the following organisations:

• Institute of Physics, Singapore;
• Singapore Institute of Biology;
• Singapore National Institute of Chemistry;
• Singapore Mathematical Society;
• National University of Singapore; and
• National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University.

Background

The International Olympiads for Science, Mathematics and Informatics bring together the best and brightest students from around the world, challenging and stimulating their minds in the spirit of competition. Through rigorous tests of theoretical knowledge, students demonstrate their mastery of scientific, mathematical and computing concepts. Their experimental skills are also put to the test in the Science Olympiads.

The Olympiads are thus global platforms to stretch some of our most able students in Science, Mathematics and Computing. By pitting their skills and knowledge against international peers, not only would our students be exposed to an enriching learning experience, they would also be motivated to strive for excellence in the international arena.

The 2010 School Placement Exercise for Returning Singaporeans (SPERS) is open for registration from 26 July 2010 for Singaporean children who are returning from overseas and wish to join our secondary schools, junior colleges (JC) or Millennia Institute (MI) at the beginning of academic year 2011.

SPERS is a centralised placement exercise held at the end of the year for returning Singaporeans (RS). With SPERS, Singaporean parents working abroad can look forward to easier re-entry into the mainstream school system for their children when they return to Singapore. RS children will only need to sit for one set of centralised SPERS papers for school admission and will no longer need to take multiple school-based tests.

RS children seeking admission to Secondary 1-3 or Pre-U1 in 2011 can participate in SPERS-Sec or SPERS-JC/MI respectively. The SPERS-Sec papers will be held on 14 Oct 2010 while the SPERS-JC/MI papers will be held on 24 Nov 2010. Applicants will receive their school placement results in December 2010 and will be able to join our secondary schools and JC/MI at the start of the school term in early 2011.

Supplementary Placement Exercise

For RS who are unable to return in time for the SPERS-Sec in October 2010, MOE will also conduct a Supplementary Placement Exercise in December 2010 to facilitate their admission into our secondary schools. The centralised papers for the Supplementary Placement Exercise will be held in late December 2010 and applicants will receive their school placement results in late January 2011 for school admissions from February 2011. Registration for the Supplementary Placement Exercise will open in October 2010.

Whilst RS can choose to take part in either the SPERS-Sec or the Supplementary Placement Exercise, RS are advised to register for SPERS-Sec if they are able to return in October as their children would benefit from starting the academic year 2011 in January together with their peers.

Information/Registration Website

Details of the 2010 SPERS-Sec and SPERS-JC/MI exercises and the Supplementary Placement Exercise can be found in the Annex. For more details and registration, please refer to the MOE RS website or contact us at the following:

RS who are unable to participate in the centralised placement exercises may also wish to refer to the MOE RS website or contact MOE for other options provided by MOE for school admission.

RS seeking admission to primary schools may approach MOE at any time of the year for assistance. MOE will offer the RS a place in a primary school with vacancies near his/her home at a level appropriate for his/her age cohort. The RS will not have to sit for any placement test for admission, although the primary school may conduct assessment tests after admission to ascertain the child’s current attainment level and provide the appropriate assistance to help the child settle into the school. As Secondary 4 and Pre-U2 are national examination years, RS generally would not re-join at these levels.