SPEECH BY MR THARMAN SHANMUGARATNAM, ACTING MINISTER FOR EDUCATION, AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF EDGEFIELD PRIMARY SCHOOL ON FRIDAY 2 JULY 2004 AT 6.20 PM

Ms Penny Low
Member of Parliament
Pasir Ris – Punggol GRC

Mrs Audrey Ng
Chairman
School Advisory Committee

Mrs Sabrina James
Principal
Edgefield Primary School

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

Boys and Girls

Introduction
1     It is a real pleasure to join you all at the Official Opening of Edgefield Primary School.

2     Setting up a new school in a new estate in a fast changing landscape is always a challenge.  Edgefield Primary School has risen to this challenge and established itself quickly in the community.  In just two and a half years, it has grown into a popular school with over 1600 pupils.  It has set the foundations for a strong future.

Innovation and Enterprise
3     Our schools are entrusted with the responsibility of preparing our pupils for the world of the future - a future that is constantly changing.  It is a less certain future than Singapore and the world has seen in recent decades.  But it is also a future with plenty of opportunities for Singaporeans.

4     There is no single way of preparing our children for this future.  What our schools know is that we will best prepare them by giving them varied experiences from young, to allow them to ask questions, discover their interests, build confidence in themselves, and develop character.

5     Put simply, through our primary schools, we want to nurture happy, confident and well-adjusted young souls, with an unshakeable curiosity about the world they see around them.

Holistic Education
6     I am glad to see that Edgefield Primary has the vision to provide an environment for its pupils to develop these traits, to grow and to excel.  It is doing so by putting in place programmes that develop its pupils holistically.  It has started to develop in its pupils the habits of mind that they will enable them, as they grow up, to stay nimble and responsive to new situations and challenges.

7     The school encourages a spirit of inquiry.  Pupils are given the opportunity to think beyond the obvious and to work in teams through opportunities like Project Work and Work Improvement Teams.  The school also has several enrichment programmes to help in its pursuit of excellence.  These include heuristics and higher order thinking for Mathematics, speech and drama, fun days for Mathematics, Science and language, and learning journeys for every pupil.

8     I am also heartened to see that the pupils are given a wide range of Co-Curricular Activities to choose from.  Besides the traditional CCAs, the school has also included others like triathlon, fencing, archery and ballroom dancing.  This greater choice in the scope of CCAs provides more opportunities for every child to discover their talents and bury themselves in something they love.  They also provide more opportunities for leadership development, with at least half of the pupils from each class holding a leadership portfolio.

Partnership with Stakeholders
9     Edgefield Primary is committed to imparting the values that make every child a good citizen and member of society.  The school consciously inculcates in pupils the school’s values of Integrity, Discipline, Compassion, Courage, Loyalty, Respect and Team Spirit.  It does this in various ways, including the school’s Community Involvement Programmes, Civics and Moral Education and National Education Programmes.  It emphasizes service to society.

10    The school has worked with the Punggol North grassroots organizations on its Community Involvement Programmes, as well as other activities like Family Day in the community.

11    I am also heartened to know that the school has been working closely with its parents.  This is a critical partnership for any school.  It allows schools to increase the range and quality of programmes they offer their pupils, by tapping on the talents and energies of parents  -  for example in CCAs, reading programmes and the arts.  It enriches pupils’ learning.  The schools in turn, like Edgefield Primary, often organise workshops and forum sessions to help parents.  This collaboration is essential if we are to succeed in education.

Conclusion
12    I am confident that the staff and pupils of Edgefield Primary will continue to innovate and build a community with a desire to learn continuously and contribute to society.

13    On this note I would like to extend my heartiest congratulations to the School Advisory Committee, the principal and staff, and the pupils and parents of Edgefield Primary, on the official opening of the school.

14    It is now my pleasure to declare Edgefield Primary School open.