Speech by Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister for Education and Second Minister for Finance, at "A Very Special Walk 2006" - Fundraising Walkathon for Pathlight School, on Saturday 5 Aug 06 at 8.30 am, at Pasir Ris Park

SPEECH BY MR THARMAN SHANMUGARATNAM, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION & SECOND MINISTER FOR FINANCE, AT “A VERY SPECIAL WALK 2006” – FUNDRAISING WALKATHON FOR PATHLIGHT SCHOOL, ON SATURDAY 5 AUG 06 AT 8.30 AM, AT PASIR RIS PARK

Ms Denise Phua
Supervisor/Principal of Pathlight School
President, Autism Resource Centre,

1 I am very happy to be here this morning and I understand that many of you have been here much earlier, bright and early, at 7.30am. It is really heartening to see so many of you, families, corporate representatives, volunteers, staff and children, all geared up for the next part of the programme – the great walk which I am honoured to be part of.

2 To-day’s event, “A Very Special Walk”, is the second organised by Pathlight School to raise funds to support projects which aim to integrate students with autism into mainstream society. I am especially pleased that Chong Boon Secondary School and 01 Raffles Scouts/Gryphons Alumni have come together with Pathlight School to help raise $300 000 for Pathlight School’s Building Fund and the Poor and Needy Fund.

3 Pathlight is the only school in Singapore that caters to children with autism with the ability to take the mainstream curriculum. I had the privilege of opening the School in Nov 04. From an initial enrolment of 41 it has grown to almost 300 today. This is a clear sign of the confidence that parents have of the quality of education that Pathlight offers for children with autism.

4 Pathlight does not just teach its students for examinations. It is geared to help them develop life skills so that they can play a full role in the community. Pathlight set up 2 Enterprise Learning Centres – Café@Pathlight, which is supported by Starbucks, and the Pathlight Design Studio - to help its students prepare for future vocations and employment.

5 I am very happy to see how Chong Boon Secondary School has partnered Pathlight School. They call their collaboration Pathlight Satellite @ Chong Boon. It is an excellent initiative. For Pathlight, it has enabled it to teach its secondary curriculum subjects in Chong Boon’s Science Labs, Design and Technology Rooms, with its students attending classes alongside Chong Boon students. They participate in joint recess periods and meaningful activities such as International Friendship Day, Speech Day and Racial Harmony Day. For Chong Boon, the presence of Pathlight students provides opportunities for its students to interact with children with autism and to develop heartware – learning how to accept, include, support and make a difference in the lives of children with special needs.

6 To cater to the expansion of Pathlight School and the need for a specialised setting for its students, MOE has given approval to Pathlight School to develop a custom-built school.

7 The new school building will boast a full range of facilities that will allow Pathlight to deliver innovative and far-reaching programmes. Pathlight will move into the new school, to be sited at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10, at end-2008. It will be located adjacent to Townsville Primary School. This is good as it will enable Pathlight to work with Townville Primary to replicate the benefits that it has seen with Chong Boon, for its primary school children. It will once again bring benefits for the students of both schools.

8 Given the track record of Pathlight thus far, I am confident that the management, staff, students and parents alike will have exciting days ahead, preparing for the redevelopment of the school, watching it come up, moving into the new premises and enjoying the facilities of a purpose-built special school.

9 May I take this opportunity to congratulate all those involved in making Pathlight what it is today, and thank everyone here this morning for your support for its good work.