10 December 2003

SPEECH BY MR THARMAN SHANMUGARATNAM, ACTING MINISTER FOR EDUCATION, AT THE 2003 NTUC FAIRPRICE STUDY GRANT PRESENTATION CEREMONY AND DISTRIBUTION OF USED TEXTBOOKS AT YUHUA COMMUNITY CLUB ON WEDNESDAY, 10 DECEMBER 2003 AT 0940 HOURS

1 I am happy to join all of you today at the NTUC FairPrice Study Grant Presentation Ceremony and Used Textbooks Distribution Exercise.

2 NTUC FairPrice's social mission, from its very beginning, has been to help moderate the cost of living for low-income households in Singapore. 30 years on, it continues to fulfill this objective. Now a leading supermarket retailer, FairPrice plays an important role in setting benchmark prices for essential goods to let workers enjoy them at affordable prices. Through its house brand products with no-frills packaging and advertising, it achieves cost savings to offer a better deal to customers. Next year, FairPrice will absorb the one percent GST increase on essential items as it has done this year. FairPrice's efforts will go a long way towards lessening the load of the less well to do in our society, especially in the current difficult economic climate.

3 FairPrice's efforts to help low-income families with their children's education needs, through Study Grants and the Used Textbooks Distribution Scheme, are much valued in the community.

4 This year, despite the weak economic climate, FairPrice has not cut back on its study grants to the children of its members and employees. It has instead increased the disbursement of grants. About 500 students will benefit from FairPrice's $500,000 worth of study grants this year, a 5 per cent increase in recipients compared to last year. I am sure the study grants will provide relief to our students, especially for those whose families have been hit by the recent recession.

5 The Used Textbooks Distribution Scheme has played a relevant and helpful role to many families with schoolgoing children, across the island. I understand that this is the 21st year that FairPrice is organising the used textbooks project. The project has helped more than 100,000 students save about $6 million in expenses on textbooks over the last 20 years. I am told that this year, about 10,000 students from less well-off families have registered for the program's priority collection scheme (which is an 11 per cent increase over the number of registrants last year). Under this priority scheme, children from lower-income families get the first pick of the second-hand books that have been generously donated by the public at the various FairPrice supermarkets.

6 NTUC FairPrice has partnered several community organisations to make this year's project even more meaningful. With the help of the South East and South West CDCs, the project is offering not only free used textbooks but second-hand school uniforms and bags, following a successful pilot last year. This year, FairPrice has also organised a Back-to-School Fiesta with the support of its business partners. The primary objective of this bazaar is to offer essential items like stationery, assessment books, and even upgraded reconditioned personal computers at very affordable prices to these students.

7 The People's Association and two community centres, Kampong Chai Chee Community Centre and Yuhua Community Club, have supported this programme by sponsoring the venues for the sorting and distribution of the second-hand textbooks and providing volunteers to help out in this project.

8 Another important group of people that has contributed tremendously to this exercise is the student volunteers from Dunman High and Montfort Secondary schools. They have spent about 20 days of their school vacation sorting the donated books. These acts of volunteerism and community service by the various partners of NTUC FairPrice add new meaning and value to this project. I commend all those involved for giving your time and energy to this project.

9 I thank FairPrice and all its partners for their commitment towards helping Singaporeans, and especially our less privileged families. I would like to encourage all study grant recipients and beneficiaries of the used textbooks scheme to make good the assistance rendered to you by working hard. I am sure you will make your parents proud, and make the community proud of you.