Speeches
Speech by Mr Masagos Zulkifli BMM, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Home Affairs, at the CDAC Best Progress Awards Presentation Ceremony on Saturday, 16th August 2008, at 3.00pm, at the Republic Cultural Centre, Republic Polytechnic
CDAC Trustees and Directors,
CDAC Education Committee Members,
Award Recipients and their family members,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
I am very pleased to join all of you here this afternoon for the CDAC Best Progress Award Presentation Ceremony.
Today is a special day for the 182 students who have made good progress in their studies after attending CDAC’s tuition programme. I am glad that your parents, family members and, for some of you, your principals, are here as well to share this joyful occasion with you.
The Best Progress Awards
I understand that this is the fifth year that this Award has been presented. Indeed, it is a good initiative by CDAC, as it encourages and motivates our students to strive for their best in their quest for academic excellence. The CDAC Best Progress Award recognises tuition students who have worked hard and achieved good progress in their studies. All the award recipients today have improved by at least 10 marks in their subject after attending CDAC tuition classes.
Out of the 182 award recipients, 65 have improved by at least 20 marks. Karen Lim Wen Yan is one such award recipient. Karen is currently in Secondary Two. She used to hate Mathematics. Prior to joining CDAC’s tuition class for Mathematics, she had never scored a high mark in the subject, at most a marginal pass. She eventually decided to change her attitude towards the subject. Under the guidance of her tutor, Mr Lee Seck Kuang, Karen grew to love Mathematics, and became more motivated to excel in the subject. With Karen’s positive learning attitude and tutor Mr Lee’s inspiration, Karen’s Mathematics improved by 39 marks, from 50 to 89 marks in her year-end examination last year.
Karen is joined by another 11 award recipients who have achieved significant improvement in two tuition subjects. Their achievements are indeed remarkable. Let me share about one of these recipients.
Koh Hui Ping is a Primary 5 student who comes from a humble family. Her father is a delivery man and her mother is a housewife. She has two brothers, both studying in primary school. Their parents are aware that education is key to their children’s success. As private tuition is out of their reach, they enrolled Hui Ping into CDAC’s tuition classes for both English and Mathematics in 2007. Hui Ping scored only 35 marks in her Mathematics before she started tuition in CDAC. With CDAC tutors’ encouragement and Hui Ping’s determination to work hard, she passed her Mathematics at the year-end examination.
She also made good improvement in English. Most importantly, she has gained much more confidence in her studies.
CDAC’s programmes have benefited students
It is heartening to note that CDAC has been providing affordable, and more importantly, quality programmes to reach out to an average of 10,000 students every year. By partnering MOE, schools, other self-help groups and grassroots organisations, CDAC conducts about 1,300 tuition classes at schools and community clubs every year. Such partnerships enable organisations to leverage on one another’s resources, so that our students from less well-to-do families can benefit from a quality programme. Indeed, our education system seeks to provide equal opportunities for all students regardless of their family background. We encourage every child to do his best, and develop his strengths and talents to the maximum. We support every school with good teachers and resources, so that all our students can benefit from a quality education that is world-renowned.
Education has helped our people achieve social mobility. As long as we are willing to put in effort and determination, we can do well. The award recipients today know this, for they are enjoying the fruits of their hard work today. Bridging Programme
Together with other self-help groups, CDAC piloted the Bridging Programme for pre-school children in 2006. This Programme aims to help pre-school children who have either missed the opportunity to attend kindergarten or have attended but are still not ready for primary education. Through the 4-week intensive coaching and learning, it is hoped that these children will be more school-ready in both their literacy and social skills when they start their Primary One education.
I am pleased to learn that more than 200 pre-school children have benefited from the Bridging Programme so far. Self-help groups also followed up with children who were assessed to be needing additional help after attending the Bridging Programme.
Hong Huiling is one of our students who has benefited from the Bridging Programme. Huiling attended the Bridging Programme in 2006. She lacked proper coaching and guidance at home and she could not understand English at all. She had great difficulty coping with her primary school life. Due to her weak language skills, she was not able to understand what her teachers were teaching. She was too scared to raise her hands to ask any questions because she did not know how to speak in English. Her confidence level and self-esteem were very low. Consequently, she did not want to go to school.
CDAC took follow-up action by matching Huiling with a volunteer, Mdm Lau Mou Kum, a Magazine Editor, to help her build up her language skills. In the last one year, Mdm Lau met Huiling at CDAC Redhill Student Service Centre, which is near to her home, two to three times a week. Mdm Lau read story books together with Huiling and coached her in her school work. With care and help from Mdm Lau, Huiling is coping very well with her school life now. She enjoys going to school and is now reading English story books on her own. She passed her English language examination and has shown good improvement in her school work. Huiling, well done!
The self-help groups have set a target to reach out to 400 pre-school children this year. MOE will continue to support the self-help groups in this targeted approach to reach out to these needy children, as we want every child to be equipped with basic school readiness skills so that they have the opportunity to succeed in our schools.
Indeed our children are our most precious resource, and we will do all we can to support every child so that he can reach his fullest potential.
Building our children’s future is a concerted effort
Building our children’s future requires the concerted effort of schools, parents and the community. I am confident that the synergy of efforts will enable us to reach out effectively to all our children so that they can reach their fullest potential. I would also like to call upon all the parents today to show your support to your children. Encourage your children in their studies. Attend your children’s school activities. Make time to communicate with them. By doing so, you will greatly help your children stay in school, and even enjoy school. When your children see the importance of education for their future, they will automatically be motivated to do well.
Conclusion
It leaves me now to congratulate all the award recipients for their hard work and achievement. Do continue with your good work and inspire your classmates and friends around you to progress and excel with you. I wish you continued success in all your endeavours.
Thank you.