Speeches
FY 2008 Committee of Supply Debate: 5th Reply by Minister of State RAdm Lui Tuck Yew on School Matters
Integration of Students
Let me first start with the issue of the integration of our students. I agree fully with Mr Hri Kumar that the integration of young Singaporeans of different races is very important.
We have structured programmes such as Social Studies and Civics and Moral Education, for our students to learn and appreciate the need for racial and religious harmony in a multi-ethnic society like Singapore. Students also have the opportunity to better understand one another’s culture through structured platforms like the Learning Journeys and the commemoration of Racial Harmony Day.
Our view is that these structured programmes must, however, be supported by everyday opportunities for meaningful interactions. Our children must learn to work and play together, share common goals and aspirations and in doing so, gradually come to know and appreciate one another more deeply. Our view is that CCAs provide a most natural platform for students of different races to come together as they stand shoulder to shoulder and train side by side. CCAs bring together students who share common interest, and allow students to spend long hours together through intensive and fulfilling interactions.
Let me provide a few examples. Several of our schools - including Hwa Chong Institution, a Special Assistance Plan (SAP) school, Greenridge Secondary, Telok Kurau Secondary, West Spring Secondary and Zhenghua Secondary - jointly organise a Harmony Cup Soccer Competition. Students compete in teams with members from different schools and different ethnic groups. This is an excellent way to develop real friendships beyond their usual circle of friends through sporting endeavour and achievement.
At Xinmin Secondary School, many non-Chinese students take part in Chinese Opera. At Raffles Girls’ School, many non-Malay students take part in the Angklung Orchestra and in Malay Dance. Such activities that bring together students of different races are increasingly common in our schools.
With time and opportunities for such interactions, the children can form deep friendships. Based on our latest National Education survey, we found that around 90% of students are comfortable with having friends from different racial and religious backgrounds. This is encouraging.
Thrift
Mr Chan Soo Sen talked about the importance of thrift. We agree that this is an important value not only for our children but also for adults. Through Civics and Moral Education, students are taught the basis for thrift, which is the need to safeguard the future for themselves and loved ones through proper management of finances. Students also learn the importance of appreciating what they have, living within their means and exercising responsible decision-making in financial matters.
During Social Studies, students have the opportunity to pick up practical financial management skills and are taught how to save money and to invest wisely. We have also worked with external organisations to deliver the MoneySENSE programme to schools. Primary schools have access to a performance on financial literacy education called “SAVING - the Sensible Habit”.
Our schools will continue efforts to help our children acquire the awareness and the skills to make the right choices in this regard. But as Mr Chan has so succinctly pointed out, these efforts to inculcate the values of thrift and hard work must ultimately be reinforced and supported by parents and the community.
Environmental Education
Mr Edwin Khew asked about efforts to educate our students on the environment. We agree that this is an important issue with wide-reaching and long-lasting consequences. Let me share briefly what we are doing.
In the formal curriculum, subjects such as Social Studies and Civics and Moral Education promote care for the environment and responsible behaviour. In subjects such as Geography and Science, we teach our students about climate change, pollution, resource depletion, environmental management and sustainable development.
Through the informal curriculum, many students participate in waste minimisation and nature conservation through the Community Involvement Programme. Schools also have Environmental Clubs where students undertake projects such as recycling. Our schools participate in activities such as the Clean and Green Week and Earth Day.
Resources are provided to schools to provide these activities, and schools can further apply for additional funds from MOE if they have special projects for which they require even more resources. The National Environment Agency also provides funding to schools to run their Environmental Clubs and to conduct environmental programmes and activities.
NUS and NTU also already provide scholarships for various engineering courses, including those that are relevant to future careers in environment-related industries. In addition, the National Research Foundation provides the Clean Energy Scholarships, which aim to develop technology and industry leaders in the Clean Energy industry in Singapore.
Update on FutureSchools
Dr Fatimah Lateef asked about the extension of the FutureSchools@Singapore programme.
To date, we have selected 6 schools as the pioneer batch of FutureSchools, including the School of Science and Technology.
In line with IDA’s iN2015 vision for Education and Learning, MOE plans to develop up to 15 FutureSchools by 2015. We will start the selection of the second phase of schools in 2009, with a view to implementation in 2010. We have adopted a phased approach so as to apply the lessons learned in the earlier phases and to ensure that the technologies that are applied will always be up-to-date.
On top of funding that MOE provides to all schools, each FutureSchool will receive a project grant from the National Research Foundation (NRF), IDA and industry partners over 4 years. The NRF will contribute about one-third of the project grant while IDA and industry will contribute two-thirds.
Successful models developed from these FutureSchools will be cascaded to the rest of the schools, so that the benefits of this programme will eventually be extended to more schools.
Conclusion
Let me reiterate what Minister has mentioned. Our schools are doing good work, beyond a simple focus on the academic development of our students. They are nurturing different types of talent to their full potential, providing our children with strong fundamentals, inculcating enduring values and helping them develop habits which define character and character which determines the men and women they will grow to become in the years ahead.
Thank you.