Speech by Senior Minister of State for Education Dr Aline Wong at the Official Opening of East Spring Primary School (3 Aug 2001)

SPEECH BY DR ALINE WONG, SENIOR MINISTER OF STATE FOR EDUCATION AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF EAST SPRING PRIMARY SCHOOL ON 3 AUGUST 2001 AT 5.30 PM

1 It is my pleasure to join you today at the official opening of East Spring Primary School.

2 East Spring Primary started serving the Tampines community in January 1999. Within two years, the school's enrolment has increased more than four-fold, from 400 to 1630. This is indeed a good start for a new school in a relatively young estate.

3 Schools should inspire in their pupils a curiosity to learn about the world around them, and equip them with skills for independent and life-long learning. This is what East Spring Primary aspires to do. Its motto "Excellence for Success" embodies its goals for the children that pass through its portals. The pupils of the school will be trained and nurtured to become creative and life-long learners. They will excel academically and will embrace good values.

4 To help the teachers do their job, the school is fully equipped with the latest facilities and education resources such as a Science Room, Mathematics Room and Health & Fitness Room. The computer labs, IT-enabled classrooms, and computer free-access areas demonstrate the school's commitment to provide an enriched IT-learning environment to support creative teaching and learning.

5 East Spring Primary also recognises the importance of an all-round education and has rolled out many imaginative programmes to develop pupils holistically. I commend you for the many enrichment opportunities you have provided for pupils through Co-curricular Activities such as drama, choir and Chinese orchestra, and through other school activities such as creative writing and Community Involvement Programmes (CIP). CIP activities extend pupils' learning opportunities beyond the classroom, allowing them to experience the joy of giving and sharing, and provide them with opportunities to contribute to community life.

6 I am particularly pleased to note that since last year, a total of 80 East Spring pupils from Primary 4 and 5 have been taking turns to volunteer their services at Changkat Children's Community Library every Saturday. The pupils read to children who visit the library, teach young users how to take care of the books, and assist in shelving and wrapping books. Other CIP activities include visits to homes for the aged, and children's homes. The school choir has participated in community celebrations in Tampines on several occasions. And the school has extended the use of its field to the Changkat Sports Club for soccer practices. I am glad to know that East Spring Primary is among the many schools¹ which have allowed community groups to use their school premises for recreational, educational and training purposes. This sharing will surely help to build strong links between the school and the local community.

7 Parents can also do their part to contribute to school life. I am happy that East Spring Primary has actively involved parents in its activities. The school has a pool of 35 parent volunteers who help out in different school programmes. There is a Reading Mum Scheme where six mothers of pupils come to school every Wednesday afternoon to read to small groups of lower primary pupils who are weak in English. They monitor the pupils' progress and provide feedback to teachers. In May this year, East Spring Primary's Parent Support Group conducted a workshop for about 150 parents of Primary 3 pupils on how to help their children in Mathematics. Parents are also active in the school's Co-curricular Activities. They coach the school's soccer and basketball teams every Saturday morning. The Art Club, Cultural Dance groups, School Choir and Science Gardening Club have also benefited from parents' involvement.

8 East Spring Primary has indeed made a good start in enlisting parents' support through a comprehensive out-reach programme to parents. I understand that the school embarks on an active campaign during the annual Primary One Registration exercise to recruit parent volunteers. Teachers also follow-up with personal contacts with parents. The school organises tea sessions to meet parents who have indicated interest in volunteering, and to match parents' expertise to its needs. Most importantly, East Spring Primary recognises and acknowledges the efforts and contributions of parent volunteers during special school functions.

9 East Spring Primary's successful partnership with parents and the community is a good example of home-school-community collaborations that the national advisory council COMPASS (Community and Parents in Support of Schools) is working to promote. Through the work of COMPASS, many schools have established programmes which tap the talents, interests and expertise of parents.

10 I would like to thank parents and members of the community for putting in time, effort and other resources to help our schools achieve the Desired Outcomes of Education. The primary school years are a time when parents and teachers have more influence over a child's character development. I hope that parents of East Spring Primary pupils will continue to work closely with the teachers to provide an all-round education to the children. The partnership of the school, home and community is invaluable in our children's development. Together, you can help the young East Springians blossom and enjoy their years in school. Your partnership ensures that consistent values and sustained support are provided for the children's learning endeavours. Your example will become an inspiration to the pupils to also do their part for the community.

11 It leaves me now to wish the Principal, Staff and Students of East Spring Primary all the best on the official opening of your school.

¹ There are several schemes whereby school facilities are shared with the community. More than half of the schools currently have such schemes of sharing facilities.