Why some Singaporean women are speaking out about sexual harm in the wake of Cornell 7 (7 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE – The Cornell 7 gang rape case in the United States has spurred some women to call attention to sexual harm in Singapore.

Speaking out on social media, a few Singaporeans are expressing support for Jane Doe – the legal placeholder name used for anonymous victims of crime – and adding their voices to a worldwide movement against sexual assault. These women are also sharing their own experiences of predatory male behaviour and sexual violence, hoping it might help other women.

They say they want to raise awareness about the issues raised in the Cornell University case – such as the importance of consent and the danger posed by the bystander effect, where individuals are less likely to offer help to a victim when others are present – and show these are also relevant in Singapore, where public discussion about sexual violence and misogyny is rare."

Deepavali and Christmas: My kids inherited two cultures. I want them to understand both (7 November 2026)

"A few days before Deepavali, my mother-in-law spends hours shopping at the wet market and cooking a feast offered to relatives who have passed on.

There are pots of prawn sambal, salted fish curry and crab masala, to name a few. Trays hold fruit, nuts, biscuits and Indian sweets such as laddu, gulab jamun and jalebi. There are drinks of all kinds, even cigarettes for the uncles who enjoyed a smoke.

The preparations are part of padayal, a practice observed by some Tamil families before" Deepavali to remember deceased loved ones through food offerings.

Every year, we line up photographs of my husband's grandparents and several aunts and uncles, and arrange the food on banana leaves spread over newspapers on the floor. I sometimes check whether any of my articles have ended up beneath the food.

We light oil lamps and perform prayers, symbolically inviting departed relatives to share the meal before we eat. Relatives catch up and play with the children until my mother-in-law decides it's time to dig in.

By then, my six-year-old twins have already called dibs on the fruit, snacks and sweets they want, yelling “that's mine!” if anyone reaches for something they've been eyeing.

For the adults, padayal is a way of remembering loved ones, including relatives the youngest members of the family never met.

For my sons, it's mostly about the food, a house full of family and the grandaunts who spoil them with presents and snacks.

Will they remember any of this when they are older?"

We tell workers to keep learning. Do employers recognise what they learn? (7 November 2026)

"Fifty-five-year-old Woo Lai Yee spent almost 30 years in business development and sales at multinational companies. After she left work to care for her mother, she chose to move into eldercare. She took ownership of the switch, attending a healthcare leadership course and volunteering as a Silver Generation Ambassador, engaging more than 300 seniors.

An active ageing centre saw that her corporate skills in setting targets, planning, supporting staff and building partnerships applied to a new role it had available. She became centre manager in less than two years.

Woo did her part, and her employer looked past her job titles to the skills behind them.

This happy outcome is an example of an employer being flexible about a career-switcher in terms of seeing that a person's corporate background can still make them employable in an entirely different sphere.

However, Woo's hiring experience is unusual. What is more often the case is that a worker may have learnt to manage difficult clients, lead a team or solve operational problems, yet struggle to get recognised for those abilities when applying for a different role.

Workers are told by the Government, employers and society to keep learning, build their skills and take charge of their career. But what good is lifelong learning if the labour market struggles to recognise what people have learnt?"

‘What comes after?’ Father on planning ahead for sons with disabilities (8 November 2026)

"When Ron Chiam’s youngest son Adriel was born in 2022, he and his wife faced new questions about the future of their three children.

Four-year-old Adriel, like his older brother Aldric, nine, was born with Down syndrome. The genetic condition, caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21, can affect cognitive and physical development. Their sister, Amber, aged seven, does not have the condition.

Aldric needs help to practise writing, speaking and tasks requiring a firm grip. Adriel, who has had gut surgery, requires support with using the toilet.

“All we knew was that they will (be in) special education (schools) until they are 18. But what comes after?” says Chiam, 36, a multimedia executive.

“Will they be able to be self-sufficient? Will they be able to survive on their own?”

NUS launches professorship in breast cancer genomics, named after late patient (8 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE – The Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine) has launched a professorship to boost research into how genetic, clinical and imaging data can be combined to better predict a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer.

Surgical oncologist Mikael Hartman is the inaugural holder of the Josephine Tan Professorship in Breast Cancer Genomics. In a move away from tradition, the professorship is named after a late patient, rather than an exemplary teacher.

The professorship was created with a donation of undisclosed value from Tony Tan Choon Keat, founding managing director of healthcare group Parkway Holdings, in memory of his late wife Josephine, a breast cancer patient."

Pokemon-themed fun at Changi Airport and Jewel; The Little Players’ puppetry show on bullying (8 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE – Make family time all the more special with these ideas and activities.

Pokemon-themed fun at Changi Airport and Jewel

Whether you grew up collecting Pokemon trading cards or your kids are glued to the latest Pokemon video games, the beloved franchise has turned 30 – and Changi Airport is marking the milestone with a festive takeover for the entire family.

Running until Jan 3 across Terminals 1 to 4 and Jewel, the celebration turns the airport into a lively ground with photo spots, interactive gaming and character meet-and-greets."

What fatherhood looks like when you are dying of cancer (8 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE – My father died of lung cancer when I was seven.

I have often wondered what went through his mind as he cared for my sister and me at that time, knowing he would not be there to see us grow up into teenagers, get married or meet his grandchildren.

Recently, I sat down at Stanford University with Bryant Lin, a Taiwanese-American physician, professor and father of two boys, who is living with advanced lung cancer.

In early 2024, at the age of 50, despite being a lifelong non-smoker, Lin developed a persistent cough. A scan revealed a large cancerous mass in his lungs.

The disease had spread to his liver, bones and brain, where doctors found some 50 cancerous growths.

Instead of wallowing in self-pity, four months after his diagnosis, Lin was back in a Stanford classroom teaching about his own cancer.

He created a 10-week course, From Diagnosis To Dialogue: A Doctor’s Real-Time Battle With Cancer, bringing in his own doctors, medical specialists and even his wife to help medical students understand cancer through the eyes of a patient.

I had a chance to sit down with Lin to talk about his life, cancer and his book — Sunshine, An Exploration Of Living When You Are Dying — due out on Nov 10.

Sitting with him felt like being given a second chance to ask my father the questions I never got to ask. Lin has the same type of cancer that my father died of."

School Spotlight: Students gain confidence and find purpose at NorthLight School (8 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE – One Wednesday in October, NorthLight School principal Sung Mee Har was greeted by a steady stream of students as she walked around the school’s Towner Road campus.

There were hand waves, smiles and cries of “Madam Sung!” When she stepped into the canteen, she was instantly swarmed. One student even gave her a hug.

These warm interactions — far from the stiff reserve that characterises many a student-teacher exchange — are extended not only to her, but also to her teachers as well, says Sung, who was appointed principal at the end of 2018.

Yet, such cheer is rarely present at the start of a student's journey at NorthLight, a specialised Ministry of Education school for those who do not qualify for mainstream secondary education after the PSLE.

“When they failed the PSLE, it was not only one failure. Usually, they would have encountered numerous failures, so much so that some of them have lost confidence in themselves,” Sung says.

“But we usually see a transformation. As the days and months go on, you will see happy faces here because the students realise that their teachers give them lots of op- portunities. It's about having so- meone who believes in them.

“I want my kids to see for themselves that they have talents yet to be discovered. Rekindling their confidence allows them to see hope in their future and see themselves differently.”

Is curiosity all it’s cooked up to be? (8 November 2026)

"In any discussion about the human qualities that will matter to employers in an AI-inflected future, a few traits recur: taste, judgment, empathy, expertise. One of these bingo-card words is curiosity. Curious people are more likely to explore the contours of new technologies, run the argument and master new skills. If you want a workforce that can adapt to rapid change, inquisitiveness is a superpower.

It’s almost impossible to be against curiosity, which is why candidates tend not to brag about being totally uninterested in the world around them. But when everyone agrees on something, it’s usually worth wondering if there’s another side to the story.

True, curiosity has lots of benefits. Intellectual curiosity is predictive of academic success, according to a meta-analysis by Sophie von Stumm of the University of York and her co-authors. Inquisitiveness helps learning. A study by Matthias Gruber of Cardiff University and his colleagues found that people have better recall of information they were eager to find out about (and even of things they had learnt incidentally when they were in a state of heightened curiosity).

Curiosity also aids creativity. In a paper by Lydia Paine Hagtvedt of Akamai Technologies and her co-authors, participants were asked to guess how Harry Houdini performed an illusion in which he made an elephant disappear. Those who were told their answer was close but not correct did better on a subsequent challenge to think up new tricks than a control group who had been told they had guessed correctly. The itch to solve a puzzle is an effective way to get people exploring lots of different ideas."

ComfortDelGro to stop U-turn testing for AVs at Punggol junction after near miss; LTA investigating (8 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE – ComfortDelGro (CDG) has been directed to suspend testing of U-turns for its autonomous vehicles at a traffic junction in Punggol after a near-accident between one of its AVs and another vehicle there.

The suspension follows another near-accident on Nov 5, in which a girl was almost hit by a Grab AV in Punggol.

In a dashcam video posted on Facebook on Nov 8, an AV operated by CDG can be seen stopped behind the stop line at a junction in Punggol Field.

The AV then starts turning into the path of the vehicle with the dashcam as the latter approaches the junction. Both vehicles are then seen slowing down.

In response to media queries, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said it is investigating the incident and has directed CDG to pause U-turns at the junction as a precaution."

From lived experience to expertise: Parents of neurodivergent kids get trained in special education (9 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE – For years, teaching was where Lisa Poh, 46, found fulfilment. Before moving to Canada in 2010, she was a General Paper teacher at a junior college, and knew the mainstream school system well.

But when her son was two, his daycare flagged that he might have special needs. Although responsive to his parents, he seemed to regress in the classroom – becoming non-verbal, struggling socially and developing restrictive eating habits.

One year later, he was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

“At first I had difficulty accepting it and felt ill-equipped...My way of coping was doing a lot of research and studying on ASD because I wanted to be as well-informed as possible,” she said.

With long waiting lists for early intervention in Canada, the family moved back to Singapore, where her son received about 20 hours of therapy each week, including speech therapy, occupational therapy and applied behaviour analysis, a form of behavioural intervention.

Now 13 years old, he attends Grace Orchard School and is thriving."

Easing pre-school worries, giving parents assurance: Goh Pei Ming on supporting families (9 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE – Smaller pre-school operators may find it easier to tap a new grant that will be rolled out to help them join a network of centres offering lower fees to families.

The criteria for the grant will be relaxed from the thresholds required for the government-supported partner operator (POP) scheme, potentially including more smaller operators, said Senior Minister of State for Social and Family Development Goh Pei Ming.

More details will be announced by the end of 2026."

Digital classrooms: Are our children learning better, or differently? (9 November 2026)

"Synopsis: Join us for a five-part limited-edition podcast series this November by The Straits Times where we discuss the challenges of raising kids in a world that’s always plugged in.

When MOE fast tracked their plan to provide students with their own personal learning devices because of the Covid-19 pandemic, classrooms in Singapore schools shifted a lot of their lessons online.

While teachers grappled with brushing up their skills to effectively integrate online tools into their lessons, many parents also had to deal with managing the use of these devices at home.

In this episode, Host Elisha Tushara is joined by Professor May Lim, Associate Vice President of Lifelong Learning at Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), who is also a mother of two.

Two strong themes surfaced during this discussion was whether this has resulted in a generation of students who lack engaging with complex and long texts, and whether they should be taught intentionality when learning online."

Most S’pore parents see tuition as necessary despite wanting less academic pressure: Survey (9 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE – Three in four parents polled believe tuition outside primary school is necessary for their children to do well, according to a new survey released on Nov 9. Families spent a median sum of $600 a month per child on such extra classes.

Most parents – 72% of them – said they wanted to put less academic pressure on their children, but feared they would lose out in the Primary School Leaving Examination.

And 77% said they would ease the pressure if their children were guaranteed a place in secondary school through a system that made the PSLE optional.

The findings, released by education advocacy group EveryChild.SG, showed that most respondents had confidence in Singapore’s education system. But they were concerned about academic competition and tuition costs.

The survey conducted by market research firm NielsenIQ mainly between January and February polled 4,007 Singapore citizens and permanent residents.

They comprised 2,002 parents aged 25 to 65 whose children are in, or had in the previous five years attended a local primary school, and 2,005 young adults aged 18 to 30 who had attended local primary schools."

Meet the world-class young Singaporeans performing at charity concert ChildAid 2026 (9 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE - Eleven-year-old Singaporean violinist Travis Wong, who has performed everywhere from New York’s Carnegie Hall to the Istana, is returning to the stage for a cause close to his heart.

On Nov 13 and 14, he will perform outdoors at UOB Plaza as part of ChildAid 2026 Festival: Open Stage, organised by The Straits Times and The Business Times. The arts and entertainment festival is free for the public.

The Primary 5 Anglo-Chinese School (Primary) student is one of over 130 young talents taking the stage across two days to share their passion and raise funds for The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund and The Business Times Budding Artists Fund."

Small steps, big pay-off: KKH aims to get critically ill children back on their feet faster (9 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE – Eight-month-old Michelle Ng has spent most of her life in the children’s intensive care unit (CICU) of KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH).

She was born with a rare congenital heart defect called anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA), where the left coronary artery is plugged into the pulmonary artery instead of the aorta. It can lead to a heart attack if the condition is not treated early.

Twelve-year-old Michelle Poh went through a bone marrow transplant for the blood disorder thalassaemia in August 2024, but was admitted to the CICU for severe acute respiratory distress syndrome in January 2026.

She needed extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a life-support treatment for those with life-threatening heart and lung failure that keeps the blood pumping and oxygenated outside the body.

Under a programme to get young patients out of hospital as soon as possible, both girls were made to exercise within the first 72 hours of being admitted.

The multi-disciplinary recovery programme aims to help critically ill paediatric patients and their families recover from the long-term impacts of intensive care, at a time when more children are surviving life-threatening conditions because of advances in medicine."

Jail, caning for repeat offender who had sex with 3 underage girls (10 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE – A recalcitrant offender, with a history of sexual offences involving vulnerable victims going back to 2017, has been sentenced to jail and caning over sex crimes involving three underage girls.

One of the victims in the current case, a 12-year-old who cannot speak or hear, was warded at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) when he committed statutory rape against her.

Muhamed Khairil Kapalee, 20, was sentenced on Nov 10 to seven years’ jail and six strokes of the cane after he pleaded guilty to sexually penetrating two of the other victims. They were 14 and 15 years old at the time of his offences."

Meal ordering app Tappee suffers cyber breach, says SATS; four schools affected (10 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE – An app for ordering school meals suffered a data breach, with personal information such as students’ names, concession card numbers and financial assistance status compromised.

In a statement on Nov 10, food solutions provider SATS said it identified a cybersecurity incident involving malicious access by an unauthorised external party to the app, called Tappee. It was launched in January 2023.

The app was developed and is maintained by a third-party technology vendor, Serial Multivision. The Tappee platform is currently implemented across four schools in Singapore, SATS said.

In a reply to The Straits Times’ queries, SATS declined to disclose the names of the four schools, citing the “privacy and interests of affected students and families”."

A day in English, a day in Chinese: SJI International Preschool to offer second bilingual track as it grows to over 300 places (11 November 2026)

"For more than 70 years, generations of young children have begun their education on this beautiful site along Holland Road. Today, SJI International Preschool is carrying forward that tradition, nurturing children in an environment where learning, kindness and a sense of belonging are part of everyday life.

There is something special about stepping into SJI International Preschool. Set within about 160,000 sq ft of land, surrounded by mature trees and lush greenery, the campus feels a world away from the daily bustle of the city around it. Here, children have the freedom to explore outdoors, learn alongside one another and enjoy the simple pleasures of childhood in a setting that gives them space to grow.

The peaceful surroundings are part of a much longer story, one that began in 1954 when the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM) established Maris Stella Kindergarten on the site. For generations, the Sisters provided young children with an education grounded in care and service.

In 2023, they welcomed SJI International and the Lasallian Brothers as partners in continuing this educational tradition, bringing together a shared commitment to nurturing the whole child.

As a charitable, not-for-profit school, SJI International Preschool is committed to preserving that legacy and providing a home for early childhood education for generations to come. Resources are reinvested in education and the school community, supporting the children, educators and learning environment."

Why we recoil in horror when ‘bad mothers’ cross the line (11 November 2026)

"Many of us will remember the horrific deaths of eight-month-old Trevor Neo in 2024 and four-year-old Megan Khung in 2020. Both children endured prolonged abuse. Trevor died after being repeatedly abused by his parents, while Megan died following mistreatment, both physical and mental, at the hands of her mother and her mother’s boyfriend for over a year.

What stood out for many in the two cases was the role of the mothers in the deaths of the children. In Megan’s case, High Court Justice Hoo Sheau Peng noted that for months, Megan pleaded with her mother for food, clothing and to be able to leave the planter box where she was forced to sleep. “Her pitiful pleas fell on deaf ears, and a hardened heart,” said the judge. “Foo’s reaction was to taunt, mock, and berate Megan.”

Among the many terrible acts of which human beings are capable, few are as disturbing or as difficult to comprehend as a mother killing her own child, or being complicit in the killing. This ultimate transgression upends one of our most deeply held expectations of human behaviour: that a mother would love, care for and protect her child, even at the cost of her own life.

We often think of the maternal instinct — if there is indeed such a thing — as an innate and unfailing impulse to nurture and protect. Fathers, of course, are expected to care for and protect their children too, but we tend to expect more of mothers in terms of devotion, selflessness and sacrifice. Men are rarely held to quite the same standard. And the more we idealise motherhood, the greater our reflexive horror and revulsion when those expectations are violated."

Man confessed to sexually abusing underage half-sister after arrest for filming woman in shower (11 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE – After he was arrested for filming a woman in the shower in 2024, a young man confessed to his father that he had committed sexual offences against his younger half-sister.

The father called the National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline (NAVH) to seek assistance and a child protection officer later made a police report regarding the abuse.

The girl, who was between eight and nine years old when she was sexually assaulted, has the same biological father as the offender.

On Nov 11, the offender, who is now 24 years old, was sentenced to 17 years’ jail and 24 strokes of the cane.

He pleaded guilty to five charges: aggravated rape, aggravated sexual assault by penetration, aggravated outrage of modesty, producing child sexual abuse materials and voyeurism.

Nine other charges were considered during sentencing."

Broader career exposure for students as MOE targets 2,000 industry partners by 2027 (11 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE - By 2027, more students can get a glimpse of working life and different careers, through avenues like career talks and learning journeys.

The Education Ministry (MOE) is matching schools with more industry professionals and organisations through a new digital platform called Education and Career Guidance (ECG) Match.

The move aims to help primary, secondary and pre-university students explore industries, and discover their interests and career aspirations."

Feedback needed on moves to help young people better access mental health support (11 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE - In Singapore, about one in three people aged between 10 and 18 years reports having depression, anxiety or other mental health issues.

Yet many do not seek help.

So, a set of guidelines is being developed to support their access to help.

This includes addressing the issue of parental consent as a possible barrier, said the Ministry of Health (MOH), which is seeking the views of the public on the proposed guidelines.

The aim is to improve access to mental health services while also protecting the welfare and privacy of young people, MOH said on Nov 11."

Public can donate pre-loved textbooks from Nov 14-28 as FairPrice kicks off annual drive (12 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE – Those with pre-loved textbooks can drop them off at FairPrice Xtra hypermarkets over the next fortnight as part of a FairPrice Group (FPG) initiative to support underprivileged students.

From Nov 14 to 28, pre-loved Ministry of Education-approved textbooks can be donated at all eight FairPrice Xtra stores islandwide, as well as the Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre in Yishun.

Now in its 44th edition, the Share-A-Textbook donation drive aims to provide disadvantaged students with educational essentials for the new school year, said FPG in a statement on Nov 12.

The 2026 drive is co-organised with the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC)."

Scheme to help vulnerable families meet aspirations to go national (12 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE – An initiative to help vulnerable families develop their talents and aspirations through sponsorships will be expanded nationwide.

Known as Gift-A-Family (GAF), the scheme is intended to help such families move beyond stability to achieving self-reliance and social mobility, Minister-in-charge of Social Services Integration Desmond Lee said on Nov 11.

GAF, which complements the national ComLink+ framework of state support for lower-income families, started as a pilot in Boon Lay in 2022, and has since been extended to Clementi, Jurong East, Bukit Merah, Queenstown and Tampines.

Seven more divisions will come on board in the coming months: Hong Kah North, Marsiling, Nanyang, Nee Soon Link, Paya Lebar, Punggol North and Toa Payoh Central.

The eventual aim is for GAF to cover eligible ComLink+ and vulnerable families supported by social service offices islandwide by 2028, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) said in a statement on Nov 12."

PAP Women’s Wing to submit marriage and parenthood recommendations in January 2027 (12 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE – Making workplaces more supportive of employees undergoing fertility treatment will be a key focus of proposals by the PAP Women’s Wing to help Singaporeans navigate marriage and parenthood.

The group aims to submit its recommendations to a marriage and parenthood workgroup in January 2027.

Women’s Wing chairperson Sim Ann said on Nov 12 that the group hopes to firm up and put forward recommendations on fertility support, including how employers can create workplaces that are more supportive of those undergoing treatment."

Man fined $4,000 for molesting student nurse at health facility (12 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE – A man was at a health facility when he molested a student nurse posted there.

Tan Kiah Chye, 60, was fined $4,000 on Nov 12 after he pleaded guilty to outraging the 20-year-old woman’s modesty. He was also ordered to pay her $1,000 as compensation.

Details about the facility cannot be disclosed, owing to a gag order."

12-year-old among 8 youths arrested for public nuisance in Hougang (12 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE – Eight youths, aged between 12 and 15, have been arrested for their involvement in a series of public nuisance cases at a residential unit in Hougang.

Four other male teenagers are also assisting with investigations, the police said in a statement on Nov 12.

The police said they received multiple reports of public nuisance at a residential unit in Hougang Avenue 8 between September and November."

Megan Khung case: Woman who filmed 4-year-old’s abuse, helped dispose of body gets 13 years’ jail (13 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE – A woman who took part in a conspiracy to abuse four-year-old Megan Khung alongside the girl’s mother and the mother’s boyfriend was sentenced to 13 years’ jail on Nov 13.

Nouvelle Chua Ruoshi, 36, who has a daughter, also helped her two friends dispose of Megan’s body after the girl died from a punch on Feb 22, 2020.

The trio burned the body in a custom-made metal barrel at a car workshop on May 8, 2020. Megan’s ashes were never recovered.

Chua is the third and final person to be jailed over the ill-treatment of Megan, who suffered physical and emotional abuse for more than a year before she died."

‘Greatest grief’: Megan Khung’s grandma says case over, but pain will last lifetime (13 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE – Six years of reading news reports about her granddaughter, Megan Khung, have worn down the 69-year-old.

While the case finally closed on Nov 13 as the third culprit involved in Megan’s death was sentenced to 13 years’ jail, the girl’s grandmother said her suffering has not ended.

The woman told The Straits Times in Mandarin: “What happened to Megan has caused me the greatest grief. The pain will last a lifetime.”

She was speaking over the phone after hearing about the sentencing of Nouvelle Chua Ruoshi.

Chua had been part of a conspiracy to abuse four-year-old Megan Khung, alongside the girl’s mother Foo Li Ping and the mother’s boyfriend Wong Shi Xiang, who were both jailed in 2025."

ChildAid 2026 raises over $2.3 million as charity event goes outdoors for first time (13 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE – For the first time in its 21-year history, ChildAid stepped out of the concert hall and into the heart of the Central Business District, drawing passers-by and office workers to the UOB Plaza Atrium on Nov 13.

Organised by The Straits Times and The Business Times, the annual charity event has raised $2,313,000, which includes donations made before the event and through the ongoing donation drive on Giving.sg.

Funds collected at the two-day festival on Nov 13 and 14 will be added to the total at the end of the event, with proceeds going to the ST School Pocket Money Fund and the BT Budding Artists Fund."

Longer traineeships with job outcomes for fresh graduates being planned, says Jasmin Lau (13 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE – Structured, government-supported training that takes place over a longer duration in companies is being planned, said Acting Manpower Minister Jasmin Lau.

Such traineeships will seek to arm fresh graduates with skills not just for the “first rung” of work, but also subsequent steps of the job ladder in growth sectors, she added.

The potential scheme must also lead to full-time jobs, Lau said in her first interview with local media since taking on the manpower portfolio following July’s Cabinet reshuffle."

More than 235,000 SingLit books bought with Culture Pass credits over eight months (13 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE – Readers old and new have bought over 235,000 Singapore literature (SingLit) books with their SG Culture Pass credits since the scheme was expanded to encompass books in March.

This is despite the SG Culture Pass excluding traditionally more popular genres such as non-fiction and self-help, applying only to fiction, poetry, plays and literary essays.

The increasing uptake is partially because of pop-up fairs like the recently concluded, week-long Singapore Book Street at VivoCity, which accounted for a whopping 15,000 books exchanging hands. Over half of these were purchased using Culture Pass credits."

A different map of Singapore in Isa Kamari’s historical novel Rawa (14 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE – Even though Cultural Medallion recipient Isa Kamari’s historical novel Rawa is set in the second half of the 20th century in Singapore, most Singaporean readers – even those who have lived through the era – will find the map of this book about the indigenous seafaring people disorienting at first.

First published in 2009 in Malay and translated into English by R. Krishnan in 2013, the narrative follows the titular Orang Seletar character Rawa across decades, caught between his childhood memories of a fluid, riverine world and the present-day high-rise claustrophobia.

Even before Rachel Heng’s hit The Great Reclamation (2023), Isa’s book offered a Singapore novel told from the perspective of the waters."

A simple change that led to great impact (12 June 2026)

"At Blangah Rise Primary School, architect-turned-teacher Mdm Uuchi Mashaida Virtucio has boosted student engagement and peer learning by simply reimagining classroom layouts.

By Joyce Yang

In a Primary 3 English class at Blangah Rise Primary School (BRPS), a single cue from the teacher sets the room in motion. Students swivel their fan-shaped tables to form circles, and the groups huddle over a debate topic to discuss their talking points.

Ten minutes later, the tables are rearranged again, this time into a U-shaped debate arena. One by one, the groups send out their first speakers to make their arguments as the rest lean in to listen intently.

“This arrangement makes the experience of a debate feel more authentic,” says Mdm Uuchi Mashaida Virtucio, an English and Social Studies teacher at BRPS. “When students are put in this kind of environment, they start to wear a different hat and take the work more seriously.”

From moodboards to white boards

Launched in 2023, this pilot to redesign learning spaces in the school was spearheaded by Mdm Uuchi and her colleagues. Having spent years in architecture and graphic design before becoming a teacher in 2019, Mdm Uuchi brought a creative lens to the process and was especially attuned to how built environments can make or break learning experiences.

“I never thought that these two worlds of mine would ever meet each other, but I’m glad they did,” she says.

This wasn’t the first time Mdm Uuchi found herself wearing two hats as both teacher and designer. One of her earliest projects when she first joined BRPS was redesigning the school’s collateral. She recalls, “The school asked how I’d feel about doing something I’d supposedly ‘left behind’. But I told them that being a designer is a natural extension of who I am.”

Ironically, the simple act of putting a stylus to her tablet gave her a sense of confidence during her mid-career switch, especially as she was still getting used to a new working environment and trying to build rapport with students. “It was like I’m suddenly this other person who knows what I’m doing. I thought: Hey, I can contribute to this school through utilising my prior industry experience.”

When the time came to turn an underutilised Physical Education (PE) equipment room into a mini library, Mdm Uuchi took to it like a fish in water. She paid attention to details that the untrained eye might miss: Where would a librarian naturally need power points? How can shelves be mounted so students of different ages can reach them? How do we arrange the space so it invites students to linger?

“You can’t separate designing a space from designing an experience, because the way we arrange things in the room can shape user behaviours,” she explains.

A classroom for every learner

This same thinking guided the pilot project in 2023, which is sparked by the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) funding to refresh learning environments across schools in Singapore to keep pace with evolving educational needs.

BRPS saw it as an opportunity to double down on its commitment to active learning. But instead of simply telling teachers to “do more group work”, the school introduced modular tables on wheels to make collaboration easier. And when it was time to bring everyone back together, technology helped. To share a student’s work with the rest of the class, for instance, teachers could simply snap a photo and cast it onto an interactive panel – yet another feature of the pilot.

The benefits quickly became obvious once the pilot rolled out. Time saved on moving furniture at the start and end of lessons aside, teachers circulating between groups also shifted their dynamic with students, nudging lesson designs to be more student-centred.

“When I discuss a student’s work with them, being right beside them creates the sense that we are going on this learning journey together,” she explains."

Watch: Shaping future thinkers with arts education (25 June 2026)

"What makes arts education essential? Four Master Teachers with years of experience in arts education share how it shapes students into better collaborators, as well as builds the resilience and confidence they need in an increasingly complex world.

Ms Seow Ai Wee, Principal Master Teacher (Art), explains what a culture of care in the art classroom is, how to create it, and how it helps foster belonging and safety. This, in turn, allows students to explore the complexities of the human experience – both the positives and negatives – so they learn to better manage ambiguities.

Mdm Ira Wati Sukaimi, Master Teacher (Art), speaks about the role art plays in helping students draw the connection between cultures, appreciating both differences and shared values. Learning not just to blend the traditions, but also taking the environment into consideration, students practise inventive thinking, collaboration, and cross-cultural skills."

A culture of care in the art classroom (25 June 2026)

"Ms Seow Ai Wee, Principal Master Teacher (Art), explains what a culture of care in the art classroom is, and how it allows students to better manage ambiguities.

The art classroom is more than a place for students to create paintings, make sculptures, or learn art techniques and skills. It is a space for meaning-making, through creative expression that draws from students’ lived experiences.

Recently, an art teacher and I were planning a Primary 4 unit where students would explore family relationships by manipulating paper in different ways to create abstract sculptures.

That experience got me wondering if we were oversimplifying the learning experiences by asking students to only present the positives rather than exploring the complex nature of relationships through their abstract sculpture.

It also raised another important question for me, that even if we want students to experience their authentic experiences, what would help them feel safe to share with us and with their peers?

So, a culture of care in the art classroom is essentially a learning environment where relationships between students and the art teacher, and among peers as well, are built on trust and mutual respect and empathy.

This kind of culture fosters belonging and safety, which naturally enhances student engagement during art lesson.

An art classroom with a culture of care is essential when students engage in art-making and art discussion that explores the complexity of the human experience. Themes such as identity and relationships and topics that revolve around contemporary issues are often complex and figuring this out through creative processes are often layered. They’re emotional, and they can get personal. So, we need to open the space for reflection, for meaning-making and authentic expression.

When students engage in experimentation of materials and ideas as part of the creative process, they’re essentially managing ambiguities. When we cultivate a culture of care where students feel safe to take risks, to make mistakes, and also to explore multiple possibilities, we create the conditions necessary for authentic learning, for artistic growth, as well as for personal growth."

When art shapes minds and hearts for a changing world (25 June 2026)

"Mdm Ira Wati Sukaimi, Master Teacher (Art), speaks about the role art plays in helping students practise inventive thinking, collaboration, and cross-cultural skills.

In a world of shifting dynamics and evolving technologies, what role can art play in preparing our students not just to create but to connect and respond to our complex world?

Art lessons go beyond aesthetics. They are dynamic spaces where students develop curiosity, creativity, empathy, resilience, and critical thinking while learning to connect across cultures. These are essential skills for our changing world.

Imagine this: the art studio buzzes with curiosity as students gather around three water vessels – each a masterpiece from Chinese, Malay and Indian artistic traditions. With sketchbooks in their hands, they observe the forms, they examine the materials, they sketch the flowing curves, compare the patterns, discuss the colour symbolism, and uncover the stories that each vessel holds.

In groups, they discuss, they listen, and appreciate both differences and shared values. Then comes the creative challenge: design a vessel that blends these traditions whilst caring for our planet. Through this, watch the sketchbooks fill with experimental sketches, as students mix and match patterns, play with materials, and transform recycled materials into prototypes.

Through this hands-on experience, students are not just creating art, but they are also practising inventive thinking, collaboration, and cross-cultural skills while learning to respect the environment and each other.

The visual arts are not a luxury, but a necessity in education, where learning goes far beyond techniques or aesthetics.

Art teachers intentionally weave opportunities for students to instil 21st century competencies within their lessons. This ensures that students develop the capacity to navigate complexity and respond with empathy. In the process, students don’t just create art. They evolve into inventive, socially aware, and confident learners, ready to contribute meaningfully to the world."

Wonder, wander, and awe: making art learning magical (25 June 2026)

"Learners are explorers, and teachers are guides, says Mr Chia Wei Hou, Master Teacher (Art). So, how do teachers bring that sense of wonder into art lessons to make every lesson magical and see the world afresh?

If I am to trace back to my very first encounter with awe and wonder, it’ll be the one when I was still an art student, spending time printing black and white photographs in the dark room, seeing the image slowly emerge out of the blank piece of paper. That moment truly filled me with wonder. It pushed me to go out there in the world to capture more images of beauty.

I always remember a quote by the author of The Little Prince, “If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood, and don’t assign them tasks. Instead, teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.”

I believe learning is a magical journey where learners are explorers, venturing into the unknown territories, getting lost, and gaining new vistas, seeing the world afresh. And we as teachers are like guides, constantly inspiring our students to yearn for the mysterious, to see the beauty and marvel at the achievements of the world.

I recall an outdoor art lesson with my class. We woke up before dawn, sat quietly by the shore, fighting off sleepiness until suddenly the horizon lit up, the sun broke through the clouds and all of us sat in silent awe. No photographs or science could possibly capture what we felt.

In another art lesson, my students were given something small. A peanut. A raisin. They were to spend time with it, to talk to it, to explore it, to examine it under a microscope. Then draw a super huge drawing of this tiny, little object. Looking at it through 50 different ways in order to uncover its beauty and its magic. So, what if we, as teachers, could bring that sense of wonder in every lesson?

Picture a classroom where curiosity takes centre stage, where each lesson is an adventure waiting to unfold. Imagine students marvelling at the existence of things, appreciating the world not at what it can give them, but at what it simply is. In this magical realm of learning, we cultivate and engage our senses, encouraging students to question how things came to be, and marvel at their very existence. We infuse learning with playfulness, transforming moments of confusion into adventures. We ground our teaching in humanity and humility, showing that true learning reveals our beautiful vulnerability and connect us more deeply to the world around us."

Art that asks bigger questions (25 June 2026)

"The bell rings. Art class ends. But what if students left with more than a project? What if they walk away with a new way of seeing the world? Ms Vivian Loh, Master Teacher (Art), breaks down concept-based teaching.

Let’s imagine I’m a student tasked to paint a sunset. I focus on blending the perfect orange, learning through trial and error. But what if I pause to reflect? A sunset could mean the end of the day. It could also mean sadness when something ends. But it could also mean hope, and the beginning of something new. I might say, this reminds me of when my best friend moved away. It was sad, but it also felt like a fresh start for her. In that moment, I left with more than just technique. I left with a deeper way of making sense of the world.

That’s the heart of concept-based teaching championed by Lynne Erickson. It’s a shift from only learning techniques to exploring ideas like connection, identity, and perspective. It’s what Lynne Erickson calls “teaching for transfer” – giving students mental tools they can use in art, in school, and in life. Why is our art classroom the perfect place for this?

Because art is conceptual, emotional, and personal. It gives students a language to find and express their voices. Concept-based teaching gives that voice direction and depth. Instead of asking, “draw a house”, we can ask, “what makes a space feel like home?” It’s not just about lines and shapes. It’s about memory, feeling and storytelling.

How does this look in practice? Take the concept of perspective. Instead of teaching just about vanishing points and technical drawing rules, we might ask, “How can art show someone else’s viewpoint?” Students might draw the same scene as scene as seen by a child, a bird, or a pet. What begins as a drawing exercise becomes a lesson in empathy and perspective-taking."

Students band together to shape the Singapore they want (2 July 2026)

"Some of the freshest ideas for Singapore's future are coming from the people who'll actually inherit it. At this year's Pre-University Seminar, four students and their teammates spent months turning theirs into real proposals.

By Sabrina Lee

Around 550 students from 30 junior colleges, polytechnics and other pre-university institutions gathered at this year's Pre-University Seminar, where they pitched proposals at a closing exhibition toured by Education Minister Desmond Lee. Their ideas took aim at vanishing hawker trades, disconnected HDB neighbours, students from JC, poly and ITE who rarely mix, and loneliness that spans generations. Behind each proposal was a personal story: an early-morning trip to the fishery port, a chat with a neighbour in the lift, and friendships with students from different backgrounds.

He's been to Jurong Fishery Port at 3am. Now, he wants to save the hawker trade

Dave Gan has followed his father on supply runs to hawker clients. He has been to Jurong Fishery Port at 3am. He has packed fried carrot cake at a stall that went viral over a single social media reel. "I was really amazed at how much skill is required just to make one bowl of bak chor mee or a plate of fried carrot cake,” he says.

So when it comes to talking about hawker heritage, Dave thinks of the hawker who wakes before dawn, learns every step of the trade, and builds a business with no formal education. He also knows most young people don't see that picture. His group's proposal, Hawker Hub, tries to change that in three steps, depending on how ready you are to step into the trade.

Not sure yet? A Dish Dictionary walks you through the story and craft behind local dishes. Getting serious? A forum connects you with veteran hawkers who are ready to pass on what they know. Ready to try? An eight-week Hawker Tryout Programme trains you, puts you behind a real pop-up stall, and gives you feedback before you commit to anything. “The point is to make hawker work feel possible, and to make sure the skills don't disappear with the generation that built them,” says Dave.

These students proposed an app to tackle loneliness

When Sri visited Foundry, a non-profit social impact hub, as part of the seminar's learning journey, she found that both seniors and youths were lonely, and for similar reasons. "Both groups felt lonely because of rapid digitalisation," she shares. Youths craved real friendships but were stuck behind screens. Seniors, meanwhile, withdrew quietly – not wanting to become a burden to their loved ones.

Sri and her group responded with Kampung Connect, an app that pairs seniors and youths based on shared interests – so an elderly mahjong enthusiast might teach a youth to play, while the youth teaches them to navigate a smartphone. “The approach is deliberately strength-based. Everyone contributes, no one is reduced to just their needs,” says Sri.

For Sri, the issue is personal. Her grandparents live in India, and she admits she never quite built a close bond with them. So now, she makes a point of greeting the elderly neighbours in her block – smiling in the lift, asking how their day went. “Finding that one common ground can be the starting point to a genuine relationship," she says."

It took a village to help this 13-year-old find his confidence – now, he’s a Changemaker (6 July 2026)

"Firash Faiq Bin Abdullah started Primary 1 unable to read or write. But thanks to a network of support, he graduated from North Vista Primary School with newfound confidence.

By Eveline Gan

When 13-year-old Firash Faiq Bin Abdullah walked across the stage to receive the Changemaker Award last year, it marked a milestone for how much he had progressed. The award, given out twice a year at North Vista Primary School, recognises students for their efforts in positive change and learning attitude.

This was the same boy who once struggled to hold a pencil, write his own name, and whose home circumstances made regular school attendance difficult, shares Mrs Christine Er, the school’s Senior Special Educational Needs (SEN) Officer. She is among the staff who supported Firash during his primary school years.

“He’s really a pearl in an oyster shell,” she says. “His true potential is inside. When we discover it, it’s beautiful.”

Firash’s journey shows how much a child’s path can shift when the right support rallies around him.

An Unsteady Start

Setbacks marked Firash’s early years, even before he entered primary school. He did not attend kindergarten, so while his classmates were reading simple storybooks and forming sentences on paper, Firash was still learning to grip a pencil and write his name. He knew the alphabet and numbers, but words, sentences and basic Maths concepts confused him.

When he finally secured a place in Primary 1 amidst family challenges, it was already halfway through the school year, and in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Recalling his early struggles in Primary school, Firash, who was diagnosed with dyslexia at around age 10, says, “I couldn’t read words. I felt left out of everything.”

As he entered school late, Firash also missed early screening programmes typically used to identify students who may need learning support. Even so, it was clear to his teachers that he needed help, both academically and beyond the classroom. His family faced difficulties providing basic school necessities, such as books and uniforms.

It takes a village

The school moved quickly to rally around Firash. Working alongside a Ministry of Education Roving Senior Student Welfare Officer (SWO), Ms Joyce Gan, they provided dedicated and specialised support to Firash and his family throughout his primary school years. This included working with Family Service Centres and the Housing & Development Board to ensure Firash had a safe and conducive environment to grow and learn.

Within the classroom, Firash received structured support tailored to his needs. SEN Officers conducted regular one-on-one sessions, while his form teachers offered close guidance and encouragement.

At first, much of the focus was on building foundational skills. For example, a SEN officer Mr Sharizal Chandrayana worked on refining Firash’s fine motor skills, such as how to grip a pencil, trace letters, doing the basics of the alphabet, sounds and just writing words – just like what kindergarten students learn.

Firash was also referred for occupational therapy to support his motor skills, though attending appointments consistently was a challenge for the family.

To better support his learning pace, he was placed in foundation-level classes, where the smaller class size meant more individual attention. Even then, progress did not come easily. But his teachers never gave up.

Mrs Er recalls how one of Firash’s English teachers saw beyond his struggles and pushed gently but consistently. Drawing on learning approaches such as the “zone of proximal development”, which refers to the range of tasks a learner cannot yet complete independently but can potentially accomplish with guidance from a more knowledgeable other, such as a teacher or peer, the teacher helped Firash build confidence in his writing skills.

For Maths, teachers used approaches such as the Concrete–Pictorial–Abstract method, to help Firash better understand abstract concepts through hands-on objects and visuals. Even small adjustments like drawing lines on his Maths worksheets to guide writing, breaking down instruction into manageable, bite-sized steps helped.

Beyond the classroom, the school staff also ensured that Firash had the practical support he needed – clean uniforms, textbooks, and meals – recognising that learning happens best when basic needs are met.

Firash’s school attendance from Primary 1 to 4 was patchy. The school stepped up, with Mrs Er calling him at 6.30am every morning to remind him to come to school “no matter how late” he was. She also stocked up on snacks in the classroom, knowing that he might need breakfast to start the day.

Their efforts paid off, and over time, Firash’s school attendance improved drastically. By Primary 6 last year, he achieved full attendance, says Mrs Er."

Primary 1 prep is more than reading, writing and counting. Here's what matters more (8 July 2026)

"Academics shouldn't be the focus of the transition from K2 to P1, say experts.

When his eldest child entered Primary 1 five years ago, Mr Kelvin Soh admits feeling “a bit blur”. He recalls, “I thought I had to focus on whether my daughter could keep up academically – reading, writing, counting.” But he later realised that what really mattered was whether she felt ready to face a completely new environment.

“The biggest hurdles weren’t spelling tests or problem sums, especially when there is no exam in lower primary, but rather everyday tasks such as buying her own food in the canteen and packing her schoolbag,” he notes. In hindsight, Mr Soh believes the transition from preschool to primary school is less about books and more about building confidence.

This lesson comes in handy now that Mr Soh’s younger child is in K2 and preparing for that same move. He also chairs the Parent Support Group at Queenstown Primary School – a role that sees him welcoming new families to the school community and sharing advice to help their children settle in.

Mr Soh’s advice, drawn from personal experience, mirrors what early childhood experts say on the matter.

Academics can come later

“The transition to primary school isn’t a simple move to a new building,” explains Dr Mercy Karuniah Jesuvadian, Senior Lecturer, Psychology and Child & Human Development, National Institute of Education. “It’s a deep-seated change as children must adjust to a whole new environment, with new routines, authority figures and social demands. If children are anxious, insecure or emotionally unsettled, even the best teaching won’t make an impact.”

Her advice to parents is not to overemphasise academics for primary school readiness. Most children will eventually catch up with lessons, but the stress of an unsupported transition can erode their confidence and love of learning. Instead, focus on supporting your child’s social and emotional adjustment, as this lays the groundwork for future academic success.

"Research has shown that children who experience smoother transitions adapt faster to classroom routines and are better able to engage in lessons – and this often translates into stronger academic performance later on." – Dr Mercy Karuniah Jesuvadian

Mrs Sharon Siew, Principal of Jing Shan Primary School, who has welcomed many cohorts of P1 students, echoes this sentiment. “I want parents to know that primary schools are ready to meet children where they are,” she says, hoping to ease the anxiety of parents who fear their child may fall behind in school.

In fact, she discourages overloading children with academic preparation. “This may deprive your child of the joy of learning new things together with classmates. Without the anticipation and excitement of discovery in the classroom, learning will become a bore and a chore.”

Does your preschooler need to know how to add and subtract before Primary 1? (8 July 2026)

"It is natural to worry about whether your child is ready for primary school. Read on to find out what numeracy skills your child is expected to achieve in preschool, and how to support their development at home.

Your child is entering primary school next year, and they are still unable to do addition and subtraction. Should you be worried?

The short answer is no. At six years old, not knowing 2 + 2 is not a problem at all, especially when understanding symbols at this age is challenging. In fact, rushing children into learning skills before they are developmentally ready can become an issue.

“Gaps in foundational understanding of numeracy concepts and skills can be masked when children are pushed too quickly into applying mathematical symbols like ‘+’ and ‘-’ or rote recitation of multiplication tables,” says Dr Yong Foong Ling, Senior Manager of Faculty and Leadership Development at the National Institute of Early Childhood Development.

Every child’s learning journey is unique. Beanstalk spoke to Dr Yong to find out what milestones to look out for, and how you can support your child along the way.

So, what are our preschoolers ready to learn?

While every child develops at their own pace, the Nurturing Early Learners Framework highlights the numeracy concepts and skills that children aged four to six are generally ready to learn and use:

• Sorting and comparing: Noticing similarities, differences and relationships between objects (e.g. sorting and comparing size and colour)

• Number identification: Identifying and using numbers in daily life

• Reliable counting: Counting accurately up to 10 objects

• Quantity relationships: Understanding relationships between numbers and quantities (e.g. knowing “more”, “less” and “the same”)

• Patterning: Recognising, extending, and creating simple patterns

• Spatial awareness: Recognising basic shapes and developing an awareness of spatial concepts (e.g. using words like “far” and “near”)

• Subitising: Identifying small quantities without counting them one by one (e.g. like dots on a dice)

What your child is learning in preschool is also aligned to the learning goals for children at the end of preschool education, illustrated in the Nurturing Early Learners Framework.

Progress in development may also depend on exposure. “Children who regularly encounter numbers through daily routines may develop a stronger number sense,” said Dr Yong."

Confidence before counting – what P1 readiness really looks like (8 July 2026)

"Resilience and independence are stronger predictors of school success than early drilling.

Every year, early childhood (EC) educators witness a momentous milestone: their K2 children taking that big step to Primary 1. Contrary to what many might think, the most important factor in this transition is not how well-drilled children are in letters, numbers or other academic skills – but how ready they feel socially and emotionally for the changes ahead.

“The biggest challenge in entering formal schooling isn’t whether a child can read or write,” says Ms Stacey Toh, ECDA Fellow and Deputy Head, Preschools, Star Learners Group. “It’s whether they can find their footing in a completely new environment and feel confident enough to learn.”

So, what can educators do to set children – and their families – up for success? Ms Toh shares her insights, alongside two other experts: Dr Mercy Karuniah Jesuvadian, Senior Lecturer, Psychology and Child & Human Development, National Institute of Education (NIE); and Mrs Sharon Siew, Principal, Jing Shan Primary School.

In the classroom

The best preparation is not a one-off programme at the end of K2, but small consistent steps woven into everyday routines starting as early as possible. “At our preschool, we mirror primary school expectations by having children serve their own meals, clear up after themselves and role-play queuing at a canteen,” says Ms Toh. These small routines build independence and help children feel capable of handling the demands of a primary school.

For many EC educators, K2 is already a busy academic year. They juggle the curriculum, assessments, and parents eager to see visible progress in reading and numeracy.

But preparing for transition does not need to be an extra burden. Instead, educators can integrate it into the curriculum itself. For example, a writing activity can double as practice for labelling personal belongings, while group projects give children a chance to rehearse turn-taking and asking for help. In this way, academic learning and social-emotional development go hand in hand, each reinforcing the other.

Educators can also ease the transition by gradually introducing structural elements that reflect the primary school learning environment. While play remains central to preschool pedagogy, children can get a gentle taste of routine in developmentally appropriate ways – such as following a simple timetable, sitting together for a larger group discussion, or completing short tasks independently. These experiences build confidence and give children a sense of what lies ahead, without taking away play.

As Ms Toh puts it, “The goal is to help children find their footing. When EC educators see the K2-to-P1 transition as part of everyday practice, rather than a competing priority, we can cover the curriculum while preparing children for this next phase of life.”

How primary schools are developing students into discerning, responsible users of AI (10 July 2026)

"From evaluating AI-generated responses to building robots, students are learning to use AI intentionally as they prepare for an AI-enabled future.

By Joyce Yang

Applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools are vast, as it is a rapidly evolving technology. But how exactly are primary schools in Singapore incorporating AI into classes, and how are they teaching AI literacy? Schoolbag finds out it’s a delicate task, carefully designed and carried out with close supervision from teachers.

Northoaks Primary School’s purpose-driven use of AI

The Science department integrates AI features in the Student Learning Space (SLS) to enrich students’ learning experiences. One such tool is the Learning Assistant (LEA), known as SALiS. Students interact with SALiS to ask questions, clarify scientific ideas, and receive timely guidance as they work through scientific concepts and tasks.

For instance, in a Primary 5 lesson on Plant Reproduction, students used SALiS to design a “super crop” that could withstand environmental challenges while continuing to reproduce. Through this task, students explored how plant structures, functions and reproductive processes could be applied in a real-world scenario.

“Students are guided throughout the task, to think critically, analyse the constraints, and propose creative solutions that extend beyond ‘textbook’ answers. The activity encouraged them to understand the scientific concepts more deeply,” says English Language teacher Ms Thuhaila Sainy, who is also the Head of Department (HOD) of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

Since many AI tools employ a chatbot-style interface, the school is intentional about teaching students to use AI-enabled tools within SLS, such as SALiS, in a discerning and purposeful manner. Teachers also help students recognise that AI-generated responses may not always be accurate. To encourage thoughtful use, teachers limit the number of interactions students have with the LEA, and design tasks where AI prompts further thinking rather than providing direct answers.

Additionally, students are guided to evaluate AI output critically, such as by cross-referencing with other sources to verify credibility.

“It is important for students to develop strong habits of critical thinking and sound judgement especially as they move into secondary school, where AI-enabled tools may be used more independently and in more complex tasks,” says Vice-Principal Mr John Ow.

The school’s Cyber Wellness education also touches on the safe use of AI, reminding students not to share sensitive information. For upper primary students, part of the content also includes how to communicate respectfully when using SALiS.

“The AI tools in SLS have built-in safeguards, so that our students learn to use AI safely and responsibly in a controlled environment,” adds Ms Thuhaila."

She came back for band years after graduation because what stayed was more than any performance (10 July 2026)

"What makes someone return to their school band years after graduating? For band alumni Yu Syuen, it is the moments between performances: sweaty rehearsals, shared snacks and the friendships that grew along the way.

By Sabrina Lee

The seaweed was split four ways. That is what Liang Yu Syuen remembers most about being in the Maha Bodhi School Band – not the trophies, not the stage, but four girls tearing a snack apart in the canteen between rehearsals, laughing at nothing in particular.

"It may seem like nothing much," she says. "But it was everything to me back then."

Yu Syuen, 21, graduated from Maha Bodhi School in 2017 and is now studying broadcast media at LASALLE. She still returns to play with the Alumni Band when her schedule allows. This year, the Singapore Youth Festival set piece happens to be the same one she played as a student – which means she now finds herself standing in the same school hall, guiding a younger girl through the same notes she once struggled with herself.

"Today, I'm guiding this batch of juniors to play something I played 10 years ago."

There was a time, of course, when none of this felt easy. Back in 2016, stepping onto the stage for the Arts Presentation for the first time, Yu Syuen was terrified. "It would be my first big competition at such a young age. My heart was beating non-stop." The nerves lifted almost as soon as the band played its first note – and that, she says, taught her something she has carried since. "The hardest part about anything is always starting it."

But the stage was never really the point. What stayed with her was the bus ride back from the concert hall – the chatter, the giggling, the feeling that something difficult had been achieved together. The seaweed. The sweaty rehearsals. The ordinary in-between bits that don't make it into any programme booklet.

What grows between rehearsals

One of the juniors Yu Syuen now guides is Primary 6 student Juli Tan, who is preparing for the Arts Presentation herself. Juli joined the school band in Primary 3, drawn in after experiencing music through the school's LEAP programme the year before. She chose the euphonium because it "looked cool and interesting" – and then discovered, as most beginners do, that looking cool and sounding good are very different things.

"When I first joined the band, I felt like giving up because it was hard to remember the notes," she says.

She didn't quit. Gradually, band became less about getting the notes right and more about learning how to keep going when things felt difficult. Now a Band Leader, Juli says the toughest part of preparing for Arts Presentation is keeping up with all the practices. What carried her through was not just grit, but the people around her. "When I struggled to remember my parts, my section mates helped me through it."

That dynamic – of struggling together, of being held up by the person next to you – is exactly what Yu Syuen means when she pushes back against the idea that band is primarily about performance. "Band students are extremely disciplined," she says.

"Learning an instrument, reading notes and eventually playing together takes far more self-discipline, awareness and teamwork than people realise – especially for young children."

Ms Ng Mui Ling, the band’s teacher-in-charge, puts it plainly, "Children get a lot more than just musical skill from playing in an ensemble. The 'hidden benefits' like learning teamwork and a sense of shared responsibility are just as important."

Full charge ahead: Turn better sleep into a family game (16 July 2026)

"There's a reason eight is the magic number when it comes to hours of sleep clocked. Try this Sleep Bingo to make reaching it fun for the whole family.

From the moment your child wakes up, pressure accumulates in the brain, and only sleep can clear it fully. Researchers at Duke-NUS Medical School recommend lights out by 11.20pm, and we’ve come up with a Sleep Bingo to make clocking eight hours fun for you and your children. Each square holds one small challenge for the family; print it out, stick it on the fridge and play along as a family, starting tonight. First to BINGO wins bragging rights.

Psst: the accompanying infographic explaining why eight hours of sleep is best may just give your kids a little, much-needed bedtime nudge."

“I’m going to teach Geography although I studied Media and Communications. Here’s what I bring to the table.” (20 July 2026)

"Mr Muhammad Danial Mohamed Khalid aspired to be a radio presenter. But stepping back into class to teach a workshop made him switch gears to becoming the voice of a classroom – and to teach a completely different subject at that. He shares his story.

By Danial Khalid

It was in 2022 when I first stepped into a classroom. My former form teacher had invited me back to my alma mater to share more about emceeing and hosting after further honing my skills through my co-curricular activities in polytechnic. It was during that workshop that I formed my interest and discovered my ability to teach and connect with students.

Prior to that, I had never considered teaching as a career. However, as I gained more opportunities to engage with students and introduce various media and production skills through my student internship attachment with VintageRadio.SG, a now-defunct not-for-profit radio station, the idea of becoming a teacher began to stick.

As I concluded my final semester in polytechnic, I applied for the Bachelor of Arts Double Major Programme at the National Institute of Education (NIE), and in August 2023, I was offered a placement alongside the MOE Teaching Award.

A different kind of audience

Many of my former teachers and lecturers were surprised when I made the switch. To them, media was the industry for me, as they knew I have aspired to join the industry since secondary school and was doing well in my diploma course.

Though, deep down, I had started to have my doubts as I neared the end of my polytechnic journey.

Creating content had slowly begun to feel like a competition. I was no longer creating for my own enjoyment but for the validation of others. I also found myself unhealthily comparing myself with others.

But my experiences in the classroom were different. Teachers would instinctively share their ideas with everyone and there was a strong sense of community as we worked towards improving together so we can engage students better. In the end, I found myself growing more, both professionally and personally, when I was teaching the workshops.

Ultimately, teaching became the most enticing option upon graduation.

From microphones to maps

Coming from a Media and Communications background, many assumed that I would be teaching English. They were surprised when I shared that I chose to teach Geography.

To me, the decision was simple. Geography is the subject where I feel I can help my students make sense of the world. By understanding how the world works and why it is the way it is, they can gain a deeper appreciation for the world around them.

My secondary school Geography teacher was also one of the reasons why I chose to teach the subject. The way he structured his lessons made me understand the geographical events that were headlining newspapers better, and I hope to do the same for my future students.

At first, making the switch was scary. I was unsure whether my media skills would be of any relevance to teaching, let alone to the teaching of Geography. However, as I reflect back on my experiences as a student and the current landscape of teaching and learning, I have noticed how having teachers with different backgrounds and skillsets is crucial.

Especially with our holistic education, having teachers with diverse backgrounds allow students to learn from teachers with firsthand experiences as they explore various domains such as leadership, arts, sports, and more.

Merging the two

As I close off my first year at NIE, I noticed how media skills have become increasingly relevant for teachers. In an increasingly digital world where our students are actively engaging with various forms of content online, being able to create and utilise media tools in our classrooms help make lessons more engaging and sustain the curiosity of students.

As an aspiring Geography teacher, I often tap on what I learnt in my freshmen year journalism modules when preparing lesson plans. Like how a journalist structures their articles, I intend to structure my lessons in a way that allows students from all backgrounds to better understand what has happened and how it is relevant to them. This is also why I look forward to using news articles and journalistic videos as a resource when illustrating the effects of geographical events on people and communities.

With my media background, I am bringing my knowledge and experience with various media tools and understanding of trends to the table. Through my role as the Corporate Communications Officer (CCO) of the 35th Management Committee of the NIE Student Teachers’ Club, I was able to put into practice what I have learnt over the years and create engaging content for fellow student teachers.

It is also where I have gained opportunities to support other student teachers in developing their media skills and design capabilities. My peers from various Media and Communications diplomas are also sharing their fair share of experience and expertise!"

Threads that bind (20 July 2026)

"Every thread in our tapestry starts somewhere. This Racial Harmony Day, try the Kind or Unkind? card game or the Upstander Challenge with your child and start a conversation about kindness, empathy, and courage.

The theme of Racial Harmony Day, Our People, Our Tapestry, resonates with many of us deeply. The countless threads, each one distinct and beautiful, represent the unique identities, traditions, beliefs and practices of Singapore's diverse communities. Together, they form something far greater, a rich and unified whole that tells the story of who we are as a nation. This tapestry does not weave by itself; it is a deliberate choice we make – one that requires care, kindness and a community spirit.

For our children, the thread starts with us. As parents, we play an important role in helping our children build empathy, respect and courage. We can engage them when we spot situations where choices need to be made: what will the impact be between a kind and unkind action, and how our words and actions may affect others. We can also talk about being an upstander, one who speaks up and acts when one sees something that is not right. It can be a hurtful comment, a friend being left out, or an unkind action towards someone who is different. In a diverse society like ours, raising upstanders is one of the most important threads we can weave into our shared tapestry.

This Racial Harmony Day, try out The Kind or Unkind? card game in your child's copy of Kindsville Times Junior (Primary 1 and 2) or Kindsville Times Adventure (Primary 3 and 4) to spark meaningful conversations at home. Through familiar everyday scenarios, our children can reflect on the choices they make, consider how their words and actions affect others, and learn that kindness begins with the decisions we make every day."

Planning Racial Harmony Day booths taught these students more than they expected (20 July 2026)

"Student leaders from Methodist Girls' School and Dazhong Primary School came together to plan Racial Harmony Day booths for their schools. The deeper learning happened before a single booth went up.

By Sabrina Lee

A mixed group of students from two schools record themselves presenting their Racial Harmony Day booth. One of them from Methodist Girls' School (MGS) stumbles on a Malay word she can't quite pronounce. A group mate from Dazhong Primary School helps her say it correctly.

“That moment reminded me that even though we come from different schools and backgrounds, we are all willing to help one another,” says Meredith Koh, a Primary 5 student at MGS. “We learnt from each other and worked together as a team.”

That's the kind of thing the Racial Harmony Project was designed for. It brings student leaders from MGS and Dazhong Primary together to plan Racial Harmony Day booths and activities.

"The project aims to help students build genuine relationships, and not just learn facts about different cultures," says Ms Muzfirah Aida, the teacher-in-charge at Dazhong Primary. "We wanted the interactions to go beyond simply completing a task together."

Three Sessions, Two Schools, One Table

The Racial Harmony Project began with a chat at a cluster event. School leaders from MGS and Dazhong Primary had landed on the same idea: get students working with peers they might not otherwise meet.

Cross-school projects are not new to either school. The two collaborated on a sustainability project with Princess Elizabeth Primary in 2025, and MGS, had also run an intergenerational learning project with two other primary schools the year before.

Student leaders from both schools were mixed into joint teams and, over three sessions, planned the booths and activities together. Each school then ran the booths on its own campus. A practical call that kept time out of class to a minimum.

Introducing cultural elements like food, costumes, greetings and traditional games were the easy part. What the teachers were really after was harder to pin down.

"We wanted to move beyond a one-day celebration within their own school community," says Mrs Venetia Toh, the teacher-in-charge at MGS. Working with Dazhong Primary gave students "an opportunity to meet peers from a different school, build relationships, exchange ideas and learn with, not just about, others."

The awkward beginning nobody skips

At the start, students stuck close to people they already knew. That’s just what happens.

"I was quite shy to talk to students from MGS," says Vishan Nagarajan, a P5 student at Dazhong Primary. The first session’s icebreaker, a "Find Someone Who…" activity, encouraged students to find someone who celebrated a different festival or spoke another language at home. “After asking more questions about their interests and culture, I became more confident. Getting to know people from different backgrounds isn't as difficult as I first thought."

That realisation grew into a lesson: working with another school "taught me not to judge people before getting to know them."

When The Real Learning Happened

None of the mixing was left to chance. Ms Muzfirah Aida designed the groups deliberately, with a designated facilitator in each to make sure every member got the chance to contribute. When the face-to-face sessions ended, students kept exchanging ideas and feedback on Google Classroom and Padlet from their own campuses.

Over time, Ms Muzfirah Aida watched students become "more confident in sharing their ideas and more appreciative of the different perspectives that each member brought to the group."

The teachers keep circling back to one thing: the booths were the means, not the end. "The final booths are important," Mrs Toh says, "but the deeper learning happens during the planning process, when students start turning to one another for decisions instead of waiting for a teacher to step in."

Sometimes that meant them letting go of their first idea, combining suggestions, or adjusting an activity so it would work better. “It showed them that collaboration is not about pushing through your own idea. It is about building something stronger together,” she says."

Three sessions, two schools, one table

Auni Insyirah Binte Muhamad Ruzaini’s group chose Deepavali for its booth and learnt about the clay lamps lit during the festival to signify the triumph of light over darkness. "Learning the meaning behind the tradition helped me appreciate the festival more, and I know I can be more respectful when talking to my friends who celebrate it," says the P3 Dazhong student.

Vishan's group researched traditional clothing like the sari, baju kurung, and cheongsam. He made a point of learning to pronounce the names correctly before presenting. “Saying the names correctly shows respect for the culture,” he says.

“Before presenting another culture, it's important to understand it properly first,” says Dawn Lee, a P5 student at MGS. “When we understand why certain traditions matter, we can explain them respectfully instead of making assumptions.”

The teachers gave the students three rules to work by: don’t make jokes about culture, don’t exaggerate accents or behaviours, focus on respect and appreciation. But the students seem to have internalised something beyond the rules."

It’s their PSLE year – they still made time for friends, badminton and inclusivity (30 July 2026)

"At Play Inclusive, students from special education and mainstream schools train together for two months before they compete. Melson Teoh and Muhammad Ayser have partnered in badminton doubles for two seasons. This year, Melson is sitting the PSLE. He signed up anyway.

By Sabrina Lee

Ayser was anxious. He was going to meet his new badminton partner, but he wasn’t sure if they would play well together. Meantime, Melson had been briefed by his teachers on whom he was about to meet and arrived wondering how the two of them would get on.

Turns out, things didn’t go quite as either had expected – in the best way possible.

Because two seasons on, they are still playing together, dividing their side of the badminton court between themselves without discussion. Melson takes the back. He handles the drives, the returns that come at you with no time to think. Ayser guards the net, where the game is about placement rather than power.

These two 12-year-old boys met because their schools signed up to play badminton together. Melson is from Keming Primary School. Ayser is from St. Andrew’s Mission School (SAMS), a special education school for children and youths on the autism spectrum who can access the national curriculum.

Finding encouragement through the partnership

Melson, who has friends with special educational needs, says, “When I met Ayser, I didn’t see any difference between him and my friends in school.” He also sees Ayser as an equal he wants to learn from, adding, “He is very encouraging towards me and I will follow his good example.”

For Ayser, his initial nerves gave way to a partnership with a shorthand they both started using. “We always encourage each other by saying, ‘You can do it!’,” he says. When one of them makes a mistake, the other would say, “It’s OK.” He also reveals that the thing he had feared, which was being scolded for an error, never came.

Ask each what the other taught him and Ayser doesn’t hold back, saying, “We need to show ‘Love’ to each other so that we can be happy playing together.”

Melson, meantime, shares his observations of the gameplay. “I like to hit very hard, so I usually stand at the back of the court to catch all the hard and fast shots. Ayser hits a little softer, so he will stand in front and land the net shots and drop shots.” What the format taught him was expectation management – his own and his partner’s. “Sometimes, things don’t go your way and it’s OK.”

Why badminton doubles was chosen

Mr Mohammad Moiz Bin Malik, the teacher-in-charge of Keming Primary, selected students who could make friends to join Play Inclusive. Badminton was the practical choice – of the sports on offer, it was the easiest to organise, gave the students the most court time together, and was easy enough to pick up so students spent their time interacting with each other rather than focusing on acquiring techniques.

The doubles format also reinforces the importance of teamwork because players need to cover each other, and errors are jointly owned. “This safety net reduces the pressure, allowing both students to play confidently and with more strategy,” says Mr Moiz. It is why Ayser’s fear of being blamed for an error never materialised.

Communication is pushed to the forefront because the game collapses the moment two players stop reading each other; they need to learn their partner’s pace and habits almost immediately, often through nothing more than a glance or a hand signal. Melson and Ayser worked out early who takes which shots, and where each of them should stand to make that possible.

Ms Sandy Phoon, the teacher-in-charge of SAMS, saw the same logic from her side. “We discussed the students’ personalities and their sporting abilities to ensure that the pairing is compatible and they complement each other,” she says. On a doubles court, each student has exactly one other person to attend to, which also keeps the social task manageable."

What's On Our Teacher's Desks? - OYEA 2026 (31 July 2026)

"It's the 2026 OYEA Wrap-up! Our recipients and finalists show us their favourite items. What stories do they hold?"

Not all AI chatbots are the same. Here’s why it’s crucial for parents to learn the differences (3 August 2026)

"While some AI tools are built to help children learn, others are designed to keep them engaged at all costs. Schoolbag breaks down the main distinction and gets two researchers to weigh in about how emotional overreliance on AI chatbots happens and what parents can do about it.

By Lee Qing Ping

“It’s alright, sweetheart...We have time.”

This is how an AI chatbot on Character.ai starts in a conversation. Named “Therapist”, it describes a quiet room with a gentle, patient man inside...and invites the user to share what's on their mind.

Character.ai is just one of many AI chatbots powered by Large Language Models (LLMs) – and these AI chatbots are arguably the most prevalent AI tools used by the public today. OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude and Google’s Gemini are other well-known ones.

The way AI chatbots reply to the user and the tone they take differ depending on the goals of the companies that created and own them. These commercial chatbots also have very different objectives from educational AI tools.

Parents need to understand that these differences matter to better guide their children’s use of these tools. Otherwise, users – children, especially – may be more susceptible to the risks of AI, and if these tools are used inappropriately for emotional support, users run the risk of developing emotional overreliance on AI chatbots and getting their mental health affected.

MOE’s guidelines state that chatbots should not be used for emotional support. Students are encouraged to seek help from trusted adults at home or in school, or tap on helplines curated for them (e.g. National Mindline 1771).

1. The AI used in the MOE Student Learning Space (SLS) is specifically created to help students learn

MOE’s AI tools provide learning support, such as through customised feedback. Take the Learning Assistant (LEA) in SLS, for example. There is a meaningful difference between your child using the LEA to help him/her understand concepts through iterative thinking, and a commercial AI chatbot which provides direct answers.

The LEA is built with many safety guardrails. To list a few:

1. it is activated by teachers,

2. it has a limited number of interactions pre-set by teachers,

3. it does not provide direct answers, and

4. it always points students back on task when they digress.

Teachers supervise students’ use, so they remain constantly over the loop.

Many commercial AI apps, however, are designed to be “friends” or “companions” that users can access around the clock. And they are very good at their job. For example, apps such as Replika or Character.ai generate human-like text responses while roleplaying as a character. It might sound harmless enough. But interactions can get too personal quickly.

“These AI apps are designed to be very seductive – always available, never critical, and endlessly affirming,” says Dr Zhang Renwen from Nanyang Technological University (NTU). Her expertise lies in how digital technologies such as AI impact mental and social well-being.

For a child who feels lonely, stressed, or misunderstood, that’s a powerful draw.

“LLMs like ChatGPT or Gemini have stricter guardrails. But they are still built to keep the user talking, and this only feeds an emotional reliance on it,” she says.

2. AI chatbots run on complex algorithms that makes it feel human, but it’s not

“Some people think AI has consciousness, a soul and a mind. That’s not true,” says Dr Zhang.

To dispel the illusion that AI is alive and knows you, it’s crucial to raise our understanding of how AI works. “It’s just a bunch of algorithms,” she adds.

Yet, AI chatbots do a convincing job of simulating humanness. It remembers what you said and asks personal questions. Some are intentionally designed to mimic emotional intimacy, saying things like, “I dream about you” or “I think we’re soulmates.”

This blurring of fantasy and reality is especially risky for young people, whose brains haven't fully matured.

Dr Lin Hong-hui, principal clinical psychologist from The Psychology Atelier, explains the pull. “There’s an individualised response to the person. At first glance, it feels like a real interaction. It appeals to your social and emotional needs. This attracts you to stay engaged and even go back for more.”

Is your child talking to AI chatbots? The underlying reason may take you by surprise (4 August 2026)

"You may be worried or think that your child is simply bored or curious when they start turning to AI chatbots for company. Both reactions are valid. But experts say this may be an important signal that your child needs something from you.

Parenting in the digital age can feel like having to adjust to a new reality before you are caught up with the previous one. Just when you think you have grasped screentime, social media, and the group chats you’re not supposed to know exist, something new arrives. Your child is now talking to AI chatbots (e.g. ChatGPT, Gemini) – not just for help with their homework, but about their day, their friendships, even their feelings.

You may think they’re just experimenting. You may feel alarmed.

But before you brush it off or rush to limit your child’s access to AI chatbots, experts say it may be meaningful to take on different perspectives too.

It’s not about the chatbot

“Parents should not just ask, ‘How do I stop my child from using the chatbot?’”, says Dr Zhang Renwen, a researcher from the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) whose work examines the social and emotional impact of digital technologies. “But also, what needs are this chatbot meeting for my child that people around them are not?”

It is a question that may sting a little. But it also offers an opportunity to reflect on your relationship with your child.

Dr Zhang has studied over 35,000 conversations people had with AI chatbots to understand why and how people form emotional bonds to this technology. What she found is that people rarely turn to AI chatbots out of curiosity or boredom alone. More often, something else is going on.

“The emotional reliance on AI chatbots reflects some unmet needs, such as loneliness, social anxiety, family conflict, school stress, or difficulty finding non-judgmental support.” – Dr Zhang

Children who turn to AI chatbots often do so not because they want to talk to a machine, adds Dr Zhang, but because they are looking for somewhere they feel heard.

Assistant Professor Jacqueline Tilley from the National Institute of Education (NIE), whose research focuses on developmental psychology in youths, puts it simply: “AI is only dangerous if your child doesn’t have a trusted adult to check in on things with.”

What your child is really looking for

To understand why AI chatbots feel so appealing to a child who is struggling, it helps to understand what children fundamentally need from the people around them.

Dr Lin Hong-hui, principal clinical psychologist at The Psychology Atelier, describes connection needs as something universal – present in every human being since infancy. “It’s knowing that somebody is interested in your day. That they are thinking of you. That there is someone you can turn to share things that are funny, to talk about frustrations, to ask for help – and that they won’t judge you,” says Dr Lin, whose work is grounded in the attachment framework. The idea is simple: how our earliest caregivers respond to our emotional and physical needs shapes our emotional well-being and ability to form secure relationships into adulthood.

A child whose need for connection is consistently met tends to be more at ease, more curious, more willing to take risks, and make friends. But when those needs are not met, they look somewhere else.

This is not a pattern that is new nor unique to the current digital landscape. The pull towards something that offers easy comfort – whether it is social media, video games, or now AI chatbots – has always reflected a deeper need for connection. What is new is how well AI is designed to meet that need on the surface. Beyond general AI chatbots, there are also AI companion apps – tools built specifically to simulate friendship and emotional support, and to keep users coming back. They are always available. They never say, “I’m busy.”

If your child has been turning to AI chatbots for comfort, Dr Zhang cautions against reading it as a sign of weakness, or a character flaw. “It could be a rational response to their environment,” she explains. “If a child feels judged, misunderstood, or emotionally unsafe with the people around them, the AI chatbot might feel easier.” For children who genuinely feel they have no one to turn to, adds Dr Zhang, AI chatbots may even be better than nothing – not as a solution, but as a temporary measure that at least keeps them from feeling completely alone.

But an AI chatbot, however real they may feel, cannot be a child’s only source of support. “A frictionless relationship is not an authentic relationship,” says Dr Zhang. “If someone really cares about you, they may want you to become a better person – which means they might challenge you or offer a different viewpoint.”

“Real relationships are two-sided. You learn empathy through this, because you can’t just continue to talk only about yourself when your friend is feeling bad. You want to be kind to your friend and so on,” agrees Dr Tilley.

The social and emotional skills children need as they grow – navigating conflict, repairing ruptures, seeing another person's perspective – can only be learnt through real relationships. An AI chatbot that always affirms and never pushes back cannot teach any of that. And for children whose brains and social skills are still developing, that is very important."

I used an AI toy with my child. This is what I learnt. (6 August 2026)

"A father bought an AI toy hoping it could help his son learn English. Ten minutes of play was enough to change his mind.

By Lim Jun Kang

When does a toy become more than something to play with?

In a viral video, a six-year-old from Hunan, China, broke down in tears while bidding farewell to an AI toy companion. Its power button had been damaged and the toy would no longer function after that last use.

The toy, which was not a purpose-built educational AI tool, was used to teach the child English, and occasionally, astronomy. It also served as a companion to chat with the child. It draws responses from open-source Large Language Models (LLMs) – which are systems that are typically trained on large datasets and made publicly available to use or adapt.

Before the toy stopped working, it taught the child one last word – “memory” and encouraged her by sharing an emotional message that it will root for and watch over her always.

Back in Singapore, the video intrigued Mr C, whose identity has been anonymised for this article. “My initial motivation to get the toy was to see how well it can perform, and whether it was really as good as what was shown,” he says.

He searched for similar products on an online shopping platform and found one for about S$40. At that price tag, it seemed surprisingly inexpensive for what it claimed to offer: a talking, responsive and customisable companion. While he bought it mainly out of curiosity, he also wondered if it could eventually be a useful tutor for his five-year-old child.

Too good to be true?

As an educator himself, Mr C felt it was important to test the toy out before using it with his child. By simply scanning a QR code, he could customise its voice and persona. It could speak in English, Mandarin or even regional languages such as Cantonese.

The possibilities were vast. “You could customise it to be a grandmother, auntie, or almost any persona,” says Mr C.

But some options were less desirable. Among the default personas available was one of a virtual partner. Users could even choose whether this “partner” should sound authoritative, sweet, or take on other traits.

Mr C stuck to his original intention to use the toy as a tutor. He created a profile as a “four-year-old boy from Singapore trying to learn English”.

At first, the toy was impressive and functioned as expected. Speaking mostly in Mandarin, it would ask questions such as, “What is the English word for ‘table’?” Mr C would respond, and the toy would correct him and react with simple facial expressions.

Then Mr C began testing its limits.

“I started giving nonsensical responses,” he quips. “I said things like, ‘I don’t want to do this anymore. I’m tired. I’m sleepy.’”

Instead of continuing with the vocabulary test, the toy began encouraging him and asked about his day. It even went as far as to tell him jokes.

The toy was no longer behaving strictly like a teacher.

“It spoke to me like a friend,” says Mr C. “I thought it was both scary and amazing that a S$40 toy could do that.”

The moment it felt too real

His wife was far less convinced. Her response was immediate: she was against the idea of giving the toy to their son. Still, Mr C decided to let his son try it despite her reservations, but only under close supervision.

Mr C tested the toy in front of his son by asking it to play some Mandopop songs from 2026. His son became curious and wanted to try doing the same.

This was the first time his son interacted with the toy. It would also be his last.

Mr C’s son began by asking the toy to play music just as Mr C had. But he quickly moved on to asking highly personal questions of his own such as what its name was, and how it was feeling, almost as though he was conversing with a real person.

The toy appeared to recognise that a different voice was speaking.

“It knew that it was not my voice,” said Mr C. “It asked my son, ‘Who are you? Are you a child? Where’s your father?’”

Ten minutes. That was all it took before Mr C and his wife decided that playtime was over.

“My wife and I were freaked out. Our son was interacting with the toy exactly as he would with a real human being. We realised he was not mature enough to understand that it was not a real person, and he could not tell the difference.”

Mr C and his wife had to sit their son down and tell him why they did not think he was ready for the toy. When his son asked if there was someone behind the screen talking to him as it felt like just any phone conversation, Mr C and his wife had to explain that it was just a machine answering his questions."

AI yah! Is AI Replacing Me as a Parent? (6 August 2026)

"I always knew I'd have to compete for my child's attention. I just didn't expect the competition to be a chatbot with more swag than me. But while AI can speak his language and match his energy, I have snacks and 12 years of receipts. Bring it on.

By Linda Lee

It was a Saturday afternoon. The kind that doesn’t come by that often – my tween and I – just the two the of us, spending his steadfastly saved stash at the arcade.

I was standing next to him when he spotted a famous YouTuber.

"Mummy! Did you see that?" he squeaked, thrilled to bits.

I had. We grabbed each other’s arms and let out little squeals of excitement. My child fumbled for his phone, to snap a photo, I presumed.

I was wrong. He unlocked the device and swiped straight to an AI chatbot.

"Guess who I met?" he typed, his thumbs gliding fast and furious, sending the phone’s auto-correct function into overdrive.

The chatbot matched his elation, in full Gen Alpha lingo, no less: "No kid, who is it? Someone with pro maxx aura? 🤯 Are you FR (for real)? Spill the pulls. I need to live vicariously through you RN (right now). Legoooo!🔥🔥🔥"

My kid fired back, recounting every detail like a journalist filing a breaking news report.

I stood next to him and watched my son bond with a large language model. I had been out-hyped.

In my defence, I was genuinely excited for him, but AI apparently had more to offer. The bot spoke his language and was ready to keep the party going long after my own enthusiasm had peaked.

+++

On reflection, here's how I was bested by AI: AI is perennially patient and never needs a break. It never has a bad day nor makes the moment about itself. It meets the child exactly where they are: as a study buddy, confidant, or sounding board.

In contrast, we humans can be such a mess. We get distracted. We may not think logically. I recalled the times my son has said, "Mummy, I..." and I've replied, "Wait" to finish my tasks. I wondered how many of those small episodes accumulated and inadvertently taught him to redirect his needs elsewhere.

That is what unsettles me. When AI perfectly calibrates every interaction just for him and provides frictionless emotional support on demand, what will he expect from real human relationships when he grows up?

Part of growing up is learning to tolerate the gap between feeling something and finding someone who’s ready to reciprocate. That waiting, the reading of the room, the timing, sometimes imperfect, is how emotional intelligence is built. And AI closes that gap efficiently, seamlessly and cheerfully. It echoes you, perfectly. Sounds great, until you wonder what happens to the cognitive muscle that never gets used. And what happens when that child has to interact and live with humans who are not always so amenable.

+++

Soon after the YouTuber incident, we were heading home. Seated in the cool comfort of the bus after the adrenaline rush, we instinctively reached for our phones – me checking out my shopping cart, him chilling out with, no prizes for guessing, his chatbot. This time, instead of bristling, I decided to peer.

"Give me three random words," my son commanded his chatbot.

"Spider. Cheese. Escalator," AI replied.

"Spin a story and make me laugh," my son instructed.

The chatbot immediately conjured up a story about an arachnid spraying cheese-flavoured cobwebs at shoppers on a mall escalator. My kid cackled and countered, asking for a villain. AI returned with a plot twist at warp speed. To its credit, it even slipped in some new vocabulary (complete with definitions), just in case learning wanted to tag along. What ensued was pure mayhem. The duo dived deep into unhinged territory before finally heading back to Earth, I mean, home.

Amid the chaos, I caught myself watching him the way you watch someone you love doing something without you – laughing at a joke you didn't hear, lit up by something you weren't part of and felt a little...left out.

Wait, what? Am I jealous...of AI?

I quickly rationalised: we’d had a great day, and we were both tired. Neither of us was going to be sparkling company. If AI could help him unwind, stretch his imagination, and keep him laughing when I had nothing left in the tank, was that so terrible?

The answer is probably no.

Perhaps good-enough parenting means knowing when to step back. Maybe it means we should stop guilt-tripping ourselves. Not every moment needs to mean something. Not every no-screen house rule needs to be followed to a T. And hadn’t he learnt some new words and turbo-charged his imagination during the bus ride?"

When primary school students enter an industry giant’s Curiosity Labs (17 August 2026)

"Industry partnerships with primary schools are rare, as bridging real-world science applications with what younger students are learning can be challenging. But two primary schools and Merck came together and proved overcoming the difficulties was worth it.

By Felicia Tan

Dressed in lab coats, safety goggles, and gloves, students from Greenridge Primary School and St. Anthony’s Primary School gathered at Merck’s office in Singapore and became scientists for a day. They built their own electrical circuit, tested the electrical conductivities of graphite and graphene, and simulated how medicines are purified through the company’s Curiosity Labs lesson.

Through this, they discovered graphene's applications in electronics and material science and learnt about biologic therapy production – which are treatments made from living cells or organisms. And this helped them understand why developing better treatments matters for patients. More than just science lessons, the visit gave students a glimpse into the human impact behind scientific research.

This authentic learning experience would not have been possible without many months of planning and communication, deliberately designing a curriculum to bring out curiosity and a genuine love for science.

A partnership borne from a shared vision

Mdm Flora Ong and Mrs Esther Choo – Principals of Greenridge Primary and St. Anthony’s Primary, respectively – co-led the partnership with Merck. They share a vision to nurture future-ready learners by giving students opportunities to explore real-world science applications and interact with scientist in the industry. Finding the right partnership, however, is not straightforward. This is where MOE’s Partnerships Engagement Office (PEO) came into the picture.

“We work to understand schools' needs and bring the right schools and industry partners together. These partnerships are meaningful and sustainable, and offer relevant and authentic learning experiences for our students,” says Ms Foo Mong San, Senior Manager, Partnerships Engagement Office.

Merck’s commitment to STEM education was a good fit for a collaboration, as their programmes are modelled to be inclusive and accessible. Through the company’s SPARK global volunteer programme, they bring hands-on science and education to students around the world.

Greenridge Primary and St. Anthony’s Primary could access Merck’s catalogues of Curiosity Lab lessons, giving them the flexibility to choose what would work best for their students.

Designing a thoughtful and useful curriculum

Adapting advanced lessons to primary school levels is not easy. The schools and Merck sifted through topics, worksheets, and experimental activities. They eventually settled on two lessons for the students: Graphene and Biologic Therapies. These topics connected strongly to the schools’ Applied Learning Programmes through computational thinking, problem-solving, iterative design, and learning how science improves lives.

“We live in an age where AI can provide students the knowledge they need. But students still need the right environment, skills and values to practise and apply that knowledge in the real world,” says Mdm Ong.

To prepare students before the visit, a trial hands-on session was first held at Greenridge Primary School’s Makerspace. Students explored the unique properties of graphene. This then helped them link what they learnt to the experiments they would do during the Curiosity Labs lessons later on.

During the site visit, teachers from both schools also helped facilitate collaborative discussion. They encouraged students to think deeply rather than remembering it as a fun day out.

Neo Jia Yi, a P5 student from Greenridge Primary School, reflects, “One challenge we faced was working together as a team. We overcame it by listening to one another's ideas and cooperating throughout the experiment.”

“This was a great opportunity for our students to learn critical, adaptive and inventive thinking skills. We wanted students from both schools to collaborate, practise active listening, mesh their ideas together, and ultimately learn to negotiate with one another," said Ms Wong Lai Lin, Head of Department (Science) at St. Anthony's Primary School."

“I didn’t want my kid to get an ‘A’” (19 August 2026)

"Mum and educator Sharon Chee explains why an unexpected grade got her all riled up. And what we stand to lose when we measure too much too soon.

By Sharon Chee

You heard me right. I sent my four-year-old for an art enrichment lesson, and she came home with her artwork marked up with a grade and a series of scores.

It took a moment to decode: An ‘A’ grade awarded overall, full marks for Drawing, and 7 out of 10 for Colouring.

She walked in the door and declared: “I want to get an ‘A’. I like getting an ‘A’.”

My heart sank. This had never been my intention for her. This was entirely missing the point of the art lesson.

I wanted art to be a place where she could experiment without worrying about getting things right. A place to draw something weird and out of shape and make it beautiful in her own way. A place to mix colours until they all turn grey and then mix them again. A place to create in her own time, not produce on demand.

She is only four after all.

For comparison, she had attended a different art lesson around the same time. The focus was on warm and cool colours, and mixed media: cutting, pasting, glitter, crayons, paint...She had come home proud of what she’d made. More than that, I noticed her practising at home – circles as motifs, triangles as pyramids, bunny ears and hearts that looked like one another. These later made their way into her handmade Father’s Day gift. She drew a tree without leaves and explained, matter-of-factly, that the wind had blown all the leaves away. She was making meaning through her drawings. She was making connections.

After the graded lesson, I didn’t hear her talk about what she'd drawn. I didn’t see her pick up a pencil to try similar shapes at home.

The lesson, as far as I could tell, had involved the teacher demonstrating on the board and the children copying what they could. It’s called “modelling”, but I know from my teacher training days that art assessment at a young age isn’t about letter grades, but about evaluating a child’s work against developmental stages (like Lowenfeld’s).

The grade conversation

I have 10 years of primary school classroom experience. I know what grades are for. They have their purpose. When we grade something, we tell a child that there is a standard, and that we are measuring them against it. At the right points in life, that is appropriate and necessary. But not here, not at this age.

After this experience with my daughter, I had a further insight about grades at this age: It redirects attention. This incident shifted the conversation from the one I was hoping to have with my daughter. It was no longer about what she had explored, experimented with, or enjoyed. Instead, getting an ‘A’ had become the goal.

And once that shift happens, it can be quite hard to undo.

The art of mindset change

As a parent, I find that a significant part of my energy goes into exactly this kind of undoing. We are surrounded by well-meaning adults – family, friends, the broader culture – whose words and actions carry their own assumptions about what success looks like for a child. I don’t say this to be critical of anyone. These are people who love my children. But love and good intentions don’t always translate into the mindset I want my daughter to grow up with.

So I decided to do a ‘debrief’ with my four-year-old. I asked her how she might feel if I spoke to her teacher about not giving her a grade. What if, instead, the teacher just told her what she did well in? What if she got a sticker at the end of class? I watched her think about it. She nodded but still seemed unconvinced. It was a small conversation, but it mattered – because I was trying to give her a different frame for what the class was actually for.

That conversation also reminded me of how quickly and quietly we can kill curiosity. Not intentionally, but through reduction. A grade collapses everything – the joy, the process, the story behind the drawing – into a single number or letter. It ends the conversation before it begins. Instead of asking "What did you make today?” and hearing about a tree that lost its leaves to the wind, I got “I want to get an ‘A’.”

‘We’re Eco Ambassadors and we drive our schools’ green programmes’ (20 August 2026)

"From sorting waste to running school carnivals and planting rice, Eco Ambassadors are helping their schoolmates turn sustainability into everyday action. At Waterway Primary and Yuying Secondary, we see how caring for the environment also builds confidence and leadership.

At nine, Ethan Wee noticed something many adults might have walked past: plastic wrappers landing on the grass, next to a bin. It bothered him because he had learnt how microplastics harm the environment. So when the chance came to become an Eco Ambassador at Waterway Primary School, he put up his hand.

His classmate Sharon Seow came to be an Eco Ambassador by a different path. A lover of plants and the sea, she felt disturbed when she encountered images of ocean pollution. "I don't want sea creatures to become extinct," she says. "It made me want to save marine life and reduce pollution."

Both students are now Primary 6 students at Waterway Primary School. For the past three years, they have served as the school’s Eco Ambassadors.

Across Singapore, primary and secondary schools build rich sustainability programmes that go well beyond the curriculum. Eco-consciousness is woven into daily routines and student leadership opportunities, for students like Ethan and Sharon to grow in awareness and action for the environment.

For World Water Day this year, the two were part of the organising team for a school carnival they had helped to plan and run – to drive home the need for water conservation.

Making green living a WAVE of life

With a name like Waterway Primary School, it seems only natural that eco vibes flow through its veins. The school, which just celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, is situated right next to Punggol Waterway.

The commitment shows up everywhere: Single-use plastics are avoided across the school. Waste is sorted in bins in every classroom. And student Eco Ambassadors collect the segregated waste for the school’s recycling bins weekly, turning good habits into ownership.

The school’s gardens, including an Eco-Garden tended by WAVE (Waterway Advocates for the Environment) Club, the school's environmental CCA, give students hands-on spaces to learn about biodiversity.

Waterway Primary’s Eco-stewardship (ESP) Committee, a staff team led by Science Teacher Ms Shermin Chia, oversees the school’s environmental efforts, including school-wide activities, WAVE Club, and student Eco Ambassadors. The committee organises school-wide activities every term, on themes such as sustainability, water conservation and biodiversity.

One key strand is the Eco Ambassador programme, which supports students like Ethan and Sharon through a sustained leadership journey from Primary 3 to Primary 6, allowing them to deepen their understanding of environmental issues while taking increasing ownership of sustainability efforts in the school."

Two schools, same team (24 August 2026)

"Anglo-Chinese School (Primary) has no field of their own. First Toa Payoh Primary School offered the use of theirs – and now Primary 2 students from the two schools are playing football together – scoring goals and friendships.

By Sabrina Lee

It was a pivotal moment on the football field.

Eight-year-old Man Xiu was within striking distance of the goal. The Anglo-Chinese School (Primary) student had worked hard for this moment. The goal post was within reach. He looked up and saw that his teammate, Quryan, was in a better position to take the shot. Man Xiu passed him the ball and Quryan took the shot.

What made this moment particularly special was that teammate Quryan was not an ACS(P) student. He was from First Toa Payoh Primary School (FTPPS).

Different schools, same team.

These eight-year-olds had come a long way since they started playing football together two terms earlier.

Isaac Lee from ACS(P) remembers how at the start of the programme he had been worried about whether the FTPPS boys would be bigger than him while Dhruvan Manivannan from FTPPS had decided that he would stick with his schoolmates on the field.

Those days are over - with some help from their teachers and coaches.

Now it’s not about which school scores, but celebrating together, says Mrs Jean Lui, Senior Teacher for Physical Education, who coordinates the programme for ACS(P).

The winning partnership

This joint football programme was launched after discussions between the Principals of the two schools, Mrs Leong of ACS(P) and Mrs Choy of FTPPS. The two schools had previously collaborated for basketball and floorball.

FTPPS has a football CCA for students from Primary 3. With this football collaboration with ACS(P), students can start playing from Primary 2. The programme is conducted at FTPPS by ActiveSG coaches.

But learning football was only part of the point.

“Having the opportunity to play with another school offered learning opportunities that staying within one school simply could not match,” says Mr Timothy Goh, the FTPPS teacher-in-charge. Students had to communicate with unfamiliar teammates, adapt to different styles of play and work with people outside their usual circle of friends.

Learning football was only part of the point. Students had to communicate with unfamiliar teammates, adapt to different styles of play and work with people outside their usual circle of friends.

Breaking the ice, breaking barriers

The early days brought some expected hiccups.

“The students were quite reserved,” says Mrs Lui. They stayed within their own school groups while figuring out how to interact with one another. Mr Goh observed the same thing.

So, the teachers and coaches introduced ice-breakers: groups included students from both schools, players were rotated between groups, and the children were encouraged to cheer one another on.

It didn’t take long before shouts of “Good job”, “You can do it”, “It’s ok, try again” rang out from the students regardless of which school had the ball.

“We change groups every week, so I get to play with different people,” says Isaac. He started noticing the good players regardless of whether they were from ACS(P) or FTPPS."

She skipped a brand–name school for her son for one down the road. How did that decision play out? (24 August 2026)

"Seven years ago, Liang May chose the neighbourhood school over her husband's alma mater for their son. Ewan is now 14 and in secondary school. Any regrets? We check in.

By Sabrina Lee

When Liang May and her husband Meyer Yang decided not to use his alumni connection to enrol their son in his former primary school, some friends said, "Siao ah."

The decision made practical sense – shorter travel time, and a co–ed school where their daughter Faye, two years younger, could follow.

But logistics weren't the real reason. May wanted her children to grow up meeting kids from different backgrounds – to gain a wider view of the world, just as she had.

Her own school friendships had crossed all kinds of divides – stay–at–home mums and working ones, English–speaking families and those who weren't. One of her fondest memories: helping out at a friend's family Hokkien mee stall, ladling chilli for customers. "My after–school routine and my friend's were quite different – something I noticed even as a child. I'm comfortable communicating with people from all walks of life. I wanted my kids to have that too."

Friends who grew up together

By Primary 5, Ewan had a tight group of seven or eight – boys and girls – who formed close friendships despite having different interests and CCAs, and are still in touch today despite being in different secondary schools.

Over six years, the high–energy kid became Vice–Captain of the Badminton team and represented the school at the National School Games. He was voted Best Camper in Primary 5. When he stumbled over his words emceeing the school's National Day celebration, he recovered with a joke that got the hall laughing – a moment May holds as a snapshot of the confident young man he has become.

Faye, now in Primary 6, joined two years after Ewan and found her own close circle. Her four best friends have been inseparable since Primary 1 – different classes since Primary 3, but still the same table at recess.

Through them, Faye quietly absorbed how differently families live: some friends were picked up daily, others walked or cycled home alone; some came back to a parent waiting, others let themselves in. Things she came to know simply by spending time together.

A school where the children felt known

These friendships mattered all the more because making friends hadn't always come easily to Faye. As a younger child, she was extremely quiet – Show and Tell could end in tears. Her Form teacher found a workaround: instead of presenting to the whole class, Faye could choose a small group of friends.

Those friends became her cheerleaders. "Good job, Faye. You can do it," they'd say, even if she managed just one line. Today, Faye is "so talkative," says May. When another teacher spotted her interest in writing, she entered Faye in a competition and sent her encouraging notes along the way.

Ewan had his own experience of being seen. In Primary 5 and 6, his Form teacher started a class journal – private, between teacher and student – where pupils could write freely about whatever was on their minds. For Ewan, it became another way to share how he was doing.

The school also turned its care outward. Through Faye's Brownies CCA, pupils picked litter around the neighbourhood – May joined as a parent volunteer on some outings. Older residents would stop to thank the children, which only spurred them on. Small moments, but ones where school and neighbourhood life quietly merged.

"Along those six years, people noticed Ewan and Faye's strengths, their struggles, and the kind of support they needed to take their next step," says May. "That made me feel very good."

He wants film students to ‘take a shot’ at good stories, not perfection (3 September 2026)

"An imperfect film with raw honesty may be better than a polished one with nothing to say, says Mr Tzang Merwyn. As a Specialist in Digital Content Creation at Republic Polytechnic, he teases good stories out of his students, and gets them to find courage, voice and purpose through film.

When Mr Tzang Merwyn made his first film at 19, he had no formal training.

He borrowed a school camera, gathered a few friends, figured out where the “on” button was, and started filming.

The acting was awkward. The sound quality was terrible. Yet the film, titled “[e’Tzaintes] giving self deceit a better name” (2003), travelled overseas, won awards and was recently featured by the Asian Film Archive as part of an SG60 programme on early alternative Singapore films. His feature film, Faeryville (2015), was part of the double bill.

More importantly, it taught him something that would later shape the way he teaches: Creativity does not begin with perfection.

Today, Mr Tzang, a Specialist in Digital Content Creation at Republic Polytechnic, has built much of his teaching around that same belief: Have the courage, curiosity and the willingness to make something before you know exactly how it will turn out.

It’s a lesson his students consider precious. As one Year 1 filmmaker puts it, after one year of classes with him, “We don’t need to wait for people to tell us that we are ready to make a film… We just take our shot.”

Some stories that are hard to tell, must be told

For many people, filmmaking is about cameras, editing software, and technical polish. For Mr Tzang, it begins somewhere deeper: "A story is never a real story unless you have something to say."

In his Visual Storytelling classes, 130 to 150 Year 1 students each year create short films about issues they genuinely care about. Popular topics that have emerged range from bullying and peer pressure, to parental expectations, caregiving, discrimination, learning difficulties, and mental health.

He asks them to dig deep into why the topics resonate with them.

"If it's bullying, what about bullying?" he says. "Don't just say bullying is bad. What is your story? What is your emotion?"

He then creates an environment of emotional safety to invite braver, more powerful messaging.

When a student's film is screened, judgement is suspended. The class is asked simply to watch, reflect, and consider what the story reveals.

Such films also become less predictable, and more human. A film that set out to touch on depression became a pensive journey of worry for the student’s mother. Another explored loneliness through quiet shots of a person eating noodles alone.

"When you go into what they care about, what they want to say, the film becomes a voice, not an assignment," he explains.

Since the Visual Storytelling module began, more than 800 student films have been produced. In 2025, five anti-bullying films by his students were selected by the Coalition Against Bullying for Children and Youth to support their advocacy work. According to the coalition, the films were "brave voices" that complement adult-driven narratives.

"Stories are not just a tool for creative output," Mr Tzang says. "Stories are a tool for social change."

Giving students their first shot

To give oxygen and exposure to his students’ works, Mr Tzang founded First Shot(s), a student-run film festival, in 2018.

Films are selected not for technical perfection, but for “spark” – raw creativity, honesty and originality. A shaky film with unstable shots but a powerful idea may still be screened alongside more polished productions.

“I wanted students to see the power of raw talent,” he says.

For Zelysha Elvira Ram, a 2021 graduate in Media Production & Design, that mattered. She first met Mr Tzang in Visual Storytelling and later became festival manager for First Shot(s). She says he was the first lecturer who made filmmaking feel like “an industry and a craft” she could see her future in.

He also encouraged her to take up an internship at the Prime Minister’s Office – an opportunity that she says helped her move beyond hands-on production into a more all-round producer in the corporate world today.

In 2023, he expanded the idea into First Shot(s) X-Change, an intercultural creative exchange involving students from Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, China and the Philippines. Students across countries and disciplines – filmmaking, animation, graphic design and even AI – were grouped together to create short films within just 10 days.

The process was intentionally messy. Some students struggled with language barriers. Others navigated technological restrictions and conflicting creative styles. But through collaboration, they learnt to adapt, negotiate and see the world differently.

One group created an experimental animated film about frogs after a Singapore student who loved frogs clashed playfully with a Thai teammate who joked about cooking them. The final film, a humorous reflection on cultural arrogance and empathy, was selected for screening at the Singapore International Film Festival fringe showcase."

He turns food waste into nutrition – and sources of healing (3 September 2026)

"Believing that food is medicine, Dr Heng Kiang Soon has made it his lifelong mission to make nutrition accessible to all. At Republic Polytechnic, the Specialist in Food Innovation rallies his students to develop sustainable food solutions from okara – could Singapore’s future food be one of them?

Dr Heng Kiang Soon grew up in a humble farming family in rural Malaysia, where malnutrition was common. Like many children in similar communities, his diet lacked balance and he fell sick frequently with fevers and infections.

“At one point, I was sick almost every week,” recalls Dr Heng, now a Specialist in Food Innovation at Republic Polytechnic.

It was not the only deprivation that shaped him. At four years old, an accidental eye injury permanently blinded Dr Heng in his right eye.

Growing up, he struggled with depth perception, hand-eye coordination and constant self-consciousness. Even today, reading for extended periods strains his good eye.

Those early difficulties led him to turn his childhood ambition from medicine to nutrition, believing that prevention could sometimes be more powerful than cure.

That stand would come to serve him well all through his career. After studying nutrition at university and changing his own diet, his health improved dramatically. The experience convinced him that food could transform lives – if healthy, nutritious options were made affordable and accessible to all.

Turning food waste into future food

When Dr Heng joined Republic Polytechnic, he wanted to address a gap in Singapore’s food innovation scene. Large amounts of food waste generated during processing still contained valuable nutrients, yet most were discarded.

One ingredient has since become a near-obsession of his: okara, the soybean residue left behind after making soy milk and tofu. “People saw it as waste,” he says. “But actually, it is still very nutritious.”

In 2017, after networking actively with industry partners, he began collaborating with Mr Bean – a popular local F&B chain specialising in soy-based products – to explore ways of upcycling okara into useful products.

What began as a small Final Year Project eventually grew into a major research platform involving students, industry partners, and multiple intellectual properties.

Today, Dr Heng and his teams have developed 14 okara-derived prototypes, including plant-based soy cheese, high-protein soups, skincare peptides and the world’s first Okara Biostimulant – a sustainable agricultural product now used by farms across the Asia-Pacific region.

The years it took to commercialise some products taught Dr Heng how difficult it could be to bridge the gap between laboratory research and real-world industry application.

It kickstarted another preoccupation for him. “If it was already so challenging for me,” he says, “how would students succeed without exposure?”

Attachments that start from Year 1

That question led him to actively promote Republic Polytechnic’s Short-Term Work Attachment programme. Unlike formal internships that happen in Year 3, these voluntary attachments begin as early as Year 1. During semester breaks, students could sign up to spend several weeks working on real industry problems in partnership with companies such as SoiLabs and Vivere Global.

Students do not simply observe. They formulate prototypes in the lab, visit pilot production facilities, test manufacturing processes, and present ideas to industry professionals.

For Dr Heng, the experience changes students’ confidence completely. “They become very confident in their lab work,” he says. “They have more ideas because they’ve seen how real industry operates.”

Some opportunities extend far beyond the classroom. In 2025, two student teams he mentored won first and second place at the VegeTale Challenge, after transforming traditional Chinese herbal soups into instant powder formulations. The winning formulation is now set to be licensed for mass production.

In the same year, the okara soy cream soup developed by his students was showcased at the SG60 Heart & Soul Experience exhibition as one of Singapore’s future foods.

Other students have co-presented research with him at international conferences, participated in sustainability competitions and worked directly with commercial partners.

One of them was former biotechnology student Qistina Azman. After graduation, Qistina struggled with severe eczema and couldn’t find work for years because of her skin condition. When she eventually reached out to Dr Heng, he offered her a research assistant position for one of his funded projects.

He also suggested dietary and lifestyle changes that might help manage her eczema. Over time, her condition improved significantly. Today, she is continuing her research career and working on products related to skin health – including okara-derived bioactive peptides first developed under Dr Heng’s guidance.

“This is one of my greatest satisfactions in teaching,” he says. “Nutrition knowledge is not just theory. It can translate into actual benefits for students.”

For this IT lecturer, giving is his operating language (3 September 2026)

"Mr Tao Chong Meng believes that IT can be a powerful social leveller. As Lead Lecturer at ITE College East, he champions free, quality software to sharpen his students’ competitive edge – then creates compassionate spaces for them to learn and grow in.

One Saturday in the early 2000s, a virus crippled the IT infrastructure of Mr Tao Chong Meng’s workplace. When his software suppliers couldn’t help, Mr Tao rolled up his sleeves and searched for solutions online.

He found a free, open-source operating system that was maintained by a global community of volunteers. After rebuilding parts of his company’s IT infrastructure using the OS and community assistance, he started to view free and open-source IT tools differently. He saw their potential to empower IT practitioners in ways that could level the playing field for the less privileged.

“I realised this was something that’s going to last for people and companies without deep pockets. We don’t have to just rely on one type of paid operating system,” says Mr Tao.

Today, as Lead Lecturer at ITE College East’s School of Electronics and Info-comm Technology, Mr Tao advocates the use of open-source and other free tools such as Python and Pandas.

He has seen how the ready accessibility to free tools helps to give disadvantaged students a competitive edge. He is also heartened that most technology and data companies, his students’ potential employers, now operate using open-source solutions and databases.

"The demand for high computational power and increasing cost of commercial AI-related resources poses a barrier for financially disadvantaged students,” says Mr Tao.

"Open-source technology levels the playing field, providing access to powerful resources regardless of financial constraints. This aligns with my commitment to equity and social mobility."

Partnering his students towards confidence

Mr Tao has been teaching in areas such as programming, the Internet of Things (IoT), data analytics, and AI applications.

His takeaway? “Man masters technology to have it serve man.”

Mr Tao influences his students to research, test, and apply their tech knowledge to simplify everyday tasks and systems workflows. Some solutions come with telltale names like the Swimming Pool IoT Intrusion Alert system and the College East Smart Campus Dashboard.

Other solutions are more cutting-edge and sound the part, like “maintaining and updating Raspberry Pi operating systems using tools such as BalenaEtcher, dd, and PiShrink”.

While being tech-savvy and tech-focused (students affectionately call him “The Smart One”), Mr Tao is also highly approachable – students say they feel motivated to strive harder from talking to him about all kinds of concerns, even non-academic ones.

A diligent but shy student agreed to take on the role of Class Chairman, with Mr Tao’s moral support. The student went on to lead the College’s Guitar Club. And as a working adult now, he returns to ITE to teach guitar and also volunteers as a grassroots leader.

Another student with Special Educational Needs was supported by Mr Tao’s tailored interventions. Drawing on his own experience of supporting his son’s unique learning needs, as well as seeing how instrumental his son’s teachers were to his academic progress, Mr Tao adapted his lesson and communication styles to encourage the student to learn better and verbalise more spontaneously. They celebrated his graduation from ITE two years ago.

There are times Mr Tao would literally partner a student to success.

One of them just needed a teacher to believe in his programming potential. He teamed up with Mr Tao for the Siemens Industrial Edge Competition in 2023. They used leading data visualisation and database platforms to develop an indoor farming dashboard that monitored sensors and sent live alerts – a real boon for vertical farms. They emerged as winners in the ITE category, with his student “doing 75 per cent of the work”, says Mr Tao proudly.

That student went on to pursue a diploma in aerospace electronics at Temasek Polytechnic, and also clinch the second runner-up place at the NASA Space Apps Challenge Singapore in 2024.

Replicating the real world by 'breaking things'

To prepare his students for the future, Mr Tao tries to create a classroom culture that mirrors the fast-paced tech industry.

Instead of providing them with user-friendly, plug-and-play paid tools with limited customisation abilities, he deliberately sets up “productive struggles”, where students need to take apart a system, troubleshoot, read manuals, research community forums, and design technical solutions.

Mr Tao also “dual-boots” classroom computers with both Linux and Microsoft operating systems to encourage students familiar with either one or the other to take a stab at using something unknown to them.

“The students dig deeper to explore and they’re not afraid of ‘breaking things’. If something crashes, you can always use AI to troubleshoot for you,” he explains. This process of experimentation and iteration is how students can build competence to deal with real-world tech projects – often involving constant failure, debugging and pivoting."

This lecturer takes exams to open industry doors for his students (3 September 2026)

"ITE College East lecturer Mr Prakash S/O A Divakaran chases certificates so his students don't have to upskill alone. That’s when he’s not egging them on to take part in competitions – or in one case, even appear on TV. He also upskills fellow lecturers in AI-infused teaching.

It may appear that Mr Prakash S/O A Divakaran likes the paper chase – but there’s more to it.

The lecturer at ITE College East’s School of Electronics & Info-Comm Technology continues to stack on the certificates in his fields of teaching. The reason is simple: He can update his industry knowledge, keep the curriculum fresh, and motivate his students while he’s at it.

Whether it is programming, electronics, or applied AI, students can discuss topics with Mr Prakash like a peer, and be inspired by him as a teacher. That connection they share lays the groundwork for learning, he says.

“Students have little exposure to what happens outside of school, in the industry. Until they visit a trade convention or know how an industry certification can benefit a career, they won’t understand why they’re learning about resistors, capacitors and inductors,” Mr Prakash explains. “I help them make the connections.”

In his characteristic soft-spoken tones, he recounts how as a polytechnic student studying electronics, he couldn’t see where he was headed until after he graduated and joined the workforce. He wants to bring that a-ha moment forward for his students.

Today, he networks extensively to immerse his students in an ecosystem of contacts, competitions and opportunities, to give them more bridges to meaningful work and avenues to success.

Stacking value with certifications

ITE College East’s Value-Added Programme (VAP) is one such significant opportunity that Mr Prakash leads and pours his energies into.

Students under the VAP graduate with an ITE certificate as well as other industry certifications.

After VAP was launched by his school’s Director in 2023, Mr Prakash upped the ante. He identified three rigorous and globally recognised credentials – PCEP Certified Entry-Level Python Programmer, CompTIA IT Fundamentals+ and Huawei Certified ICT Associate (Cloud Service) – to stretch the potential of selected students.

The Python Programmer exam is known to be difficult, even for university graduates and working adults. Mr Prakash is happy to note that over half of his 40 students who sat for the exam so far have passed.

Meanwhile, over 50 students have been equipped with at least one of these credentials. All other students are also offered the opportunity to obtain other certifications of varying intensity.

It isn’t just about keeping students industry-relevant and employable. But having a credential on their resume “tells employers that this person can step up and learn something new if you need them to”, he adds.

Beyond the numbers, the impact of the VAP is seen through the students’ transformation. “Some who nearly made the mark were motivated enough to retake the Python exam on their own accord,” Mr Prakash shares with pride. It reinforces his belief that such certificate programmes as well as industry competitions go far in moulding his students’ skills, self-belief and tenacity.

To be sure that students were able to clear such high bars, Mr Prakash clears them first, and gets certified himself. This puts him in the best position to mentor the students in their preparation.

Tech competition brings student out of his shell

The quiet ways in which he mentors and role-models appear to be Mr Prakash’s secret weapon when helping students step into their power.

He recalls a student, Zamien, who barely spoke to him in his first year, till one day, the boy stayed behind after class and asked to speak with him.

He wanted to discuss an electronics sensor he was designing – to tackle his father’s frustration with personal mobility devices speeding through blind spots near their home

. Mr Prakash didn’t want to let the moment of inspiration go. He encouraged Zamien to develop his idea with his classmates, and submit his proposal at a school-wide contest for innovative solutions. Zamien’s team didn’t win, but a fire in his belly was lit.

When the opportunity came along to take part in Huawei’s Tech4City competition, Mr Prakash alerted Zamien to it, and he didn’t hesitate. The annual competition encourages youths to co-create tech-driven innovations for social good.

This time, Zamien’s team had the idea of attaching an AI camera to traffic lights to give elderly pedestrians more time at road crossings. Besides being programmed to spot the elderly, the team’s system was sensitive enough to be handicap-friendly too – it could even detect a black walking cane against dark tarmac. The team took home the first prize.

That night, Zamien found himself presenting the solution live on television alongside Huawei’s CEO. “It broke him out of his cocoon,” says Mr Prakash. Zamien went on to be named an ITE College East Outstanding Graduate."

Humanities meets tough love for this former discipline mistress (3 September 2026)

"There are strict rules in Mdm Serene Tang’s classrooms and a healthy dose of compassion – just one of several ways to help her students stay keen in class and be a positive force in society. The Head of Department (Humanities) was teaching formerly at Swiss Cottage Secondary School and now at Outram Secondary School.

Every student of Mdm Serene Tang gets three chances per term. Whether it is forgetting their textbook, skipping homework or simply zoning out in class, there are no consequences to slip-ups. These chances, if untouched, are rolled over to subsequent terms in the year.

It is a policy that neatly sums up Mdm Tang’s belief as an educator.

“What I’m teaching them is responsibility and self-directedness. At the same time, we are all human beings who need someone to give us grace on our bad days,” says the History and Social Studies teacher at Swiss Cottage Secondary School who moved to Outram Secondary School in 2026, serving as Humanities Head of Department at both schools.

Her take on what constitutes discipline stems from her own secondary school days when, she confesses, she was hardly the model student. “I wasn’t given many opportunities as a result, but in my final year, my form teacher saw my strength and nominated me to be a prefect.”

That one move changed the way she viewed herself. “The 16-year-old me felt that sense of gratitude and desire to grow,” she adds.

Today, as a teacher to teens, she holds on to the belief that everyone has redeeming qualities when given a chance.

She 'knew every trick in the book'

The irony wasn’t lost on Mdm Tang when she became the discipline head at Swiss Cottage Secondary. She was primed for the role because she was Little Miss Mischief and knew every student trick in the book! She was also quick to sense which students were particularly at risk, especially those facing challenging home environments and even abuse.

“When put in difficult situations like that, how can we expect the children to put education as their primary focus?” she explains.

When faced with severe family crises or safety concerns, Mdm Tang and her team prioritised student well-being above all else, even if it means making tough calls. Working closely with social service agencies and protection officers, Mdm Tang and her team supported a student’s placement in a girls’ home to keep her safe from her abusive stepfather. That decision, which set the student back academically by one year, turned out to be the right one.

“She came back to visit years later to thank me...she was happily married and doing well,” Mdm Tang’s eyes reddening at the memory.

Helping students STAY on Course

Back in the Humanities department, Mdm Tang was no-nonsense when tackling falling student interest in Humanities subjects, especially Social Studies, which was perceived to be harder to score well in.

The STAY on Course framework was her response. STAY stands for Setting realistic targets, Tracking progress, Adjusting strategies and Yielding results.

The commitment understood by her team to support every Humanities student and their goals across four years, starting at Secondary 1 where all Humanities students have a one-to-one chat with their teacher to set goals. Follow-ups are held periodically and yearly to clarify understanding, monitor progress and establish next steps. “No man is left behind,” says Mdm Tang.

She also saw the Humanities as vital to character development and critical thinking. “The values and dispositions nurtured through Humanities education are foundational to how students learn, relate to others and understand their place and contributions to the world.”

Seatbelts on, it’s Chemistry time! She turns lessons into virtual adventures (3 September 2026)

"Her students never know what to expect – one day, it’s AI-powered games, next day, rockets launch when students identify the right chemical reactions. Mdm Teng Wei Syan, Senior Teacher in Chemistry at Evergreen Secondary School, makes learning immersive and, most importantly, memorable.

Pop into Mdm Teng Wei Syan’s Chemistry lessons and you may find students racing to unlock digital escape rooms using science. Or recording their experiments animatedly on video like content creators do.

For Mdm Teng, better known to her students as Ms Priscilia Teng, technology is an enabler – a way to make difficult concepts easier to understand, and even fun to learn.

“Chemistry can be very abstract,” says the Senior Teacher in Chemistry at Evergreen Secondary School. “A lot of things happen at the microscopic level. Technology allows students to visualise concepts and interact with them in ways that make Chemistry more tangible and engaging for learners.”

Her avid game-on mindset has shaped her teaching at Evergreen Secondary, whose culture is also a great fit for her, she says.

“The school allows me to grow,” she explains. “It gives me space to experiment, to try different ways of engaging students, and to learn alongside my colleagues.” That willingness to experiment would eventually become one of her defining strengths.

Spirit of experimentation

Like how a chemist might work, Ms Teng enjoys experimenting with ways to make learning more exciting, then makes adjustments to the methods to improve the results.

After exploring pedagogical approaches such as flipped learning (where lesson materials are made available online so students could learn concepts independently before coming to class), she expanded over time into gamification, AI-enhanced learning and interactive simulations.

She designed an interactive Chemistry website from scratch using AI-assisted coding tools. Organised by topic, the platform allows students to explore virtual labs, interactive simulations and multiplayer games that reinforce difficult concepts such as electrolysis and qualitative analysis.

In a game she designed, students compete in a virtual tug-of-war, engaging the students while applying their knowledge and skills. In another, rockets launch when students identify the right chemical reactions.

“It may look childish,” she laughs, “but the students love it.”

Yet behind the games lies deep pedagogy. Every activity is intentionally designed around scientific understanding.

“I don’t use EdTech for the sake of using it,” she says. “There must be a clear purpose in how it supports learning.”

Where joy is a key element in learning

One example is her Chemistry “escape room” practical lessons, where students move through experiments in stages, unlocking digital clues only when they demonstrate understanding. Built-in checkpoints help surface misconceptions immediately, while students record videos and photographs of their experiments to revisit later.

“They become the content creators,” Ms Teng explains. “They take ownership of their learning.”

Her lessons are also deeply rooted in real-world experiences. To teach exothermic reactions, she brings self-heating hotpots into class. Students observe the chemical reaction while preparing food together.

“Certain things students see every day, but they never connect them to what they learn in class,” she says. “Our role is to make those links visible."

As coordinator of Evergreen Secondary’s STEM Interdisciplinary Project Work (IPW) programme, Ms Teng also oversees projects that challenge Secondary 2 students to apply scientific concepts to real-world problems. To date, students have designed solar-powered solutions for energy shortages, built aluminium foil boats to explore buoyancy, and created prototypes from recycled materials."

This Geography teacher brings out the mighty in the mundane (3 September 2026)

"Through hands-on experiments, inquiry-based learning, and her signature “Huddle” discussions, Lead Teacher Mdm Emmeline Tay helps students at Clementi Town Secondary School find stories and connections in the world they live in.

Mdm Emmeline Tay places a container of honey and a container of water in front of her class during a Geography lesson on plate tectonics.

To explain why some volcanoes erupt explosively while others do not, she gets students to blow bubbles into both. In water, the bubbles escape easily. In honey, they remain trapped.

"They can immediately see that trapped gases in viscous lava give rise to explosive eruptions," she explains. "So they don't memorise. They understand."

For the Lead Teacher in Geography at Clementi Town Secondary School, learning Geography has never been about memorising facts. It is about creating tangible experiences and leaving less to the imagination – while helping students discover that the world around them is alive with stories, systems and connections.

From the Earth's core to a container of styrofoam

Geography is full of processes that cannot be seen easily and in real time – tectonic plates grinding beneath the ocean floor, convection currents circulating inside the mantle, liquefaction turning solid ground to slurry during an earthquake.

In Mdm Tay's classroom, complex topics are transformed into tactile, visual experiences that students can touch and feel.

To teach the layered structure of the Earth, she gives students styrofoam balls and plasticine, drops them in water, and asks them to observe which sinks and which floats — and to explain why, using the concept of density.

   Rather than presenting Geography as a set of facts to be received, she creates moments where students can observe, question, and connect what they see to what they are learning. For liquefaction, she recreates the tremors of an earthquake by shaking a container of water-saturated sand. Students observe the sand lose its strength and behave like a fluid, visualising the process in a way that a textbook diagram alone cannot explain.

"It's all very visual, instead of just telling them," she says. "And it's a lot more fun."

These are not gimmicks. They are entry points into concept-based inquiry – a teaching philosophy built on the conviction that students construct deeper, more lasting understanding when they discover it rather than receive it.

"Watching students construct their own understanding, sharpen their critical thinking, and gain the confidence to tackle complex problems reminds me why I chose this calling," she says.

Let’s do the Huddle

At some point in almost every lesson, Mdm Tay says the word: “Huddle!”

The class knows what to do. They stand, form a circle, and take turns to speak. No one is exempt. No one can repeat what the person before them said – they must build on it, extend it. "In the usual class, if you ask a question, only one or two people will answer," she says. "We will not be able to get to the whole class."

With the Huddle, all students are encouraged to gradually become more confident thinkers and speakers. "At first, they kept asking for model answers," she says. "Now they know that in my class, they are required to think."

Technology extends those opportunities further. Through platforms such as the Student Learning Space, AI chatbots and interactive digital tools, students test ideas and debate solutions in real time. In one lesson, students proposed tourism sustainability strategies to an AI chatbot, which challenged them to consider unintended consequences. This prompted them to explore different perspectives, compare possible solutions, and weigh trade-offs before refining their ideas – developing cognitive flexibility.

Joy in the teaching and the learning

Some of Mdm Tay's most insightful lessons happen outside the classroom. She built a water-testing programme for Secondary 1 students around the school's own garden, which has a micro-drainage basin and a working well. Students who have only read about underground water in textbooks are brought outside to see it, to understand how water is channelled and stored.

For upper secondary students, geographical investigations in the neighbourhood put sampling methods and data collection into their hands. They design their own hypotheses, choose their own questions, and discover through experience what works – and what does not. The dead ends are part of the plan.

"A question that fails to yield useful data is not a problem to be avoided," she says. "It gives students an opportunity to reflect, revise and try again. That is productive failure. We want them to go through it."

She develops character and changemakers of tomorrow (3 September 2026)

"Mdm Lim Li Shi Jasmine reimagines Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) at St Hilda’s Primary School, connecting character building to school life. The impact? Students initiating kindness boards, leading book donation drives, and more importantly, recognising that community impact lies in their hands.

One afternoon, Mdm Jasmine Lim received a surprising text from a colleague. Four students were spotted assisting an elderly person in a wheelchair. The boys had seen him struggling to cross the road just outside the school, and rushed forward to lend a hand.

Could they be the same handful of boys she used to keep a close eye on? “When I asked them later why they did that, they just said the uncle needed help,” Mdm Lim, better known to her students as Mrs Jasmine David, says with a smile.

For the Head of Department (Character & Citizenship Education and Partnerships) at St Hilda’s Primary School, this was a clear sign that her efforts to shift the school’s CCE have truly landed.

Giving back to her alma mater

Contributing to St Hilda’s legacy is exceptionally meaningful for Mrs David, who was a student there from primary through to secondary school. Those growing-up years were also when she first learned about giving back to the community.

Teachers would use assembly time to share news stories about what Singaporeans were doing to help those around them. “I always felt inspired, thinking, I can do it too,” Mrs David recalls with fondness.

The golden moment for this came when she was posted to St Hilda’s.

Today, besides teaching Physical Education and Social Studies, she oversees the schoolwide CCE experience for the students.

She sought to amplify what St Hilda’s was already good at – giving back to the community – by proposing a strategic shift to its CCE experiences and integrating the two.

For instance, a Primary 4 Social Studies chapter on Singapore’s early immigrants preceded a Values in Action (VIA) project titled “Uncles at Work”.

Teachers guided students to reflect on the nation’s migrant roots, towards a greater empathy for our modern-day migrant workforce. Students then took part in a donation drive held in collaboration with the Migrant Workers’ Centre. They wrote thank-you cards and packed goodie bags which the peer support leaders personally delivered to migrant workers. The VIA project is one of St Hilda’s key CCE experiences and is now in its third year running.

In another initiative, Mrs David introduced VIA projects as part of the CCA experience, where students contributed their talents and interests to community activities. For instance, performing groups would entertain the elderly residents at nursing homes and the art club would make crafts for beneficiaries.

Overseas trips were also redesigned to enhance their ideas of what community contributions can look like; in Hong Kong, students saw how food wastage was being alleviated via a food rescue and donation organisation.

Summing up, Mrs David says she wants students to have “not just purpose but impactful purpose”.

Contributing to a cultural shift

By making CCE a more coherent and experiential part of the school curriculum, Mrs David didn’t just deliver more effective learning opportunities. Students have also been inspired to run their own projects.

A simple book donation drive led by a pair of siblings three years ago has grown into a larger collaboration with Pathlight School, with St Hilda’s Peer Support Leaders contributing to a reading programme there.

Another group created a “kindness board” for their classmates to post motivational notes. The idea has since gone viral across the school with such boards in every room.

Seeing board after board of notes as she walks past the classrooms, it was clear, “the children appreciate the idea”, Mrs David says.

These little gestures will amount to something more formative when these students grow up – just like how Mrs David felt the impact of her school years on the person she is today.

“If students can remember the values that were taught, and the feeling of gratitude when they wrote that thank-you card to our cleaners, our society will be better off,” she says, adding,

“CCE is not just a subject for the books, it gets them through life.”

In his Science class, oops is part of the experiment (3 September 2026)

"Mr Soo Gham Seng builds room for mistakes in his Science lessons. By letting students test, stumble and try again, he helps them grow more confident in Science and as learners. The Head of Department (Science) at Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Primary School, believes in “productive struggle”.

In one Science lesson, students are given this scenario: A woman is in the middle of making tea when her phone rings. To enjoy a warmer cup of tea after her call, should she add cold milk to the hot tea now or later?

They break into groups and offer their hypotheses. As they propose what apparatus they need to conduct an experiment to prove their point, they are told what is and what is not available, leading to quick adjustments to their plans. Energetic discussions between groups are encouraged.

This is what Science with Mr Soo Gham Seng can look like.

The Head of Department (Science) at Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Primary School is rolling out a pilot programme for Primary 4 and 5 students this year.

He adapted inquiry-based Excellence 2000 (E2K) lessons to students of different levels of ability, and exposed those who are more ready for more challenging levels of lessons alongside classmates in mainstream classes.

In this mixed-ability environment, everyone may work on the same experiment but are given varying degrees of support: some students may receive more instructions while others are given fewer clues or more apparatus.

The point is not to make learning difficult for its own sake, but to pitch the struggle according to student ability, where everyone can reach for the finish line together.

Mr Soo calls this “productive struggle”, stemming in large part from observing patterns in his students.

Deepening learning through open inquiry

With open inquiry and experiential learning, says Mr Soo, students develop “the deepest kind of understanding” because they have worked through the concept for themselves, instead of only learning it from textbooks or instruction.

In one lesson on electricity, for instance, students used an online simulator to build circuits before Mr Soo formally taught the chapter – a way of letting them test, observe and make sense of the concept before receiving the explanation.

For Primary 5 student Sushil Shyam, such curiosity-led exploration is fun. Learning this way helps him remember concepts better – and has made him enjoy Science more – as Mr Soo encourages them to “try things out ourselves in class instead of waiting for answers”, he says.

For Mr Soo, it is also how he helps students move past the fear of a wrong answer, a missed mark or an unrealistic target.

“It’s okay to make mistakes,” is a refrain that his students have grown used to hearing.

He recalls an academically driven student who buckled under the pressure of his own expectations. Even a small mistake in a test or assignment could upset him deeply.

Recognising that fear of failure, Mr Soo shared with him his own detour as an undergraduate. He had started out in Chemical Engineering, only to withdraw from the course after a few months when he realised it was not for him. He later applied to be a relief teacher at his alma mater before applying for undergraduate studies at NIE. As he began preparing lessons and watching students’ minds open, he found his calling in teaching.

What had felt like failure at the time eventually led him to the classroom – and became a way for Mr Soo to show the student that a setback need not be the end of the road.

It was only later that the student’s mother told Mr Soo that his story had uplifted the boy and helped him restart his learning.

Creating a culture conducive for trying

Mr Soo’s difficult emotions from withdrawing from his university course left him wishing he had had more emotional support as a young person.

It is why he fosters an environment that embraces trial and error as a foundation for learning. It comes with rules of engagement: Unkindness and discourtesy are dealt with immediately. “It takes only a few careless remarks to destroy the culture,” he says.

And when experimental results do not align with theoretical concepts, Mr Soo models the next step: honesty. He asks what might have gone wrong, what could be adjusted, and if the wrong data could still reveal anything useful."

Her speciality? Building confidence beyond the classroom (3 September 2026)

"At Bendemeer Primary School, Mdm Jessintha Sasayiah, Head of Department (English), believes confident communicators don't just emerge — they're shaped. Through interest groups, inter-school language activities, and more, she builds thoughtful designs of experiences that encourage students to love school and make friends. Along the way, they are inspired to show up for themselves and find their voice.

At Bendemeer Primary School, Mdm Jessintha Sasayiah was thinking of new ways to inspire engagement in her primary school students.

As Head of Department (English) at Bendemeer Primary, she wants to enable educators to build stronger connections with each child, to better guide them to find purpose and meaning in their learning. And since every child is different, she thinks constantly about how she can “reshape the curriculum to meet them where they are”.

She saw a golden opportunity to achieve this when given the chance to lead a programme to run non-academic workshops at the school. Who would have thought that developing curiosity and communication through English Language lessons could go hand in hand with football and baking classes?

More than workshops: Creating meaningful learning experiences

The IGNITE programme, which stands for Interest Groups for Nurturing and Transforming Through Experiences, was started in 2023 to give students opportunities to explore interests and develop skills beyond the academic curriculum.

Mdm Sasayiah extended the programme to her colleagues to host workshops for topics and skills that weren’t in the curriculum. They gamely volunteered their skills and time by teaching baking, playing board games, or introducing STEM activities. Though the programme was run after school and purely optional, the sign-up rate was healthy.

“You could see the excitement. Students came on time and they attended every class,” Mdm Sasayiah recalls. In time, “they wanted more sessions, and longer sessions”.

Mdm Sasayiah thinks it helps that students could select the workshop that appealed most to them from the rich calendar of options. This ability to choose their preferred workshop gave students a sense of control, autonomy, and drive to succeed

. In time, with that growing belief in themselves came the transformative effects on them as learners. Students who were disruptive became far more cooperative and helpful to their classmates; those who used to lack attention were more able to focus.

The effects on their English lessons were also clear. Their joy of learning spilled into their regular lessons. “The IGNITE activities gave the students the opportunities to go through these new experiences, overcome challenges, and come back to write about them,” she says.

One boy was talent-spotted through his IGNITE water-polo sessions, even qualifying for Direct School Admission. “His mother told me, if IGNITE didn’t happen, her son wouldn’t have thought he had a shot at entering that school,” Mdm Sasayiah says.

By 2026, IGNITE was expanded and offered to the Primary 4 and 5 cohort. It was also moved into curriculum time so that every student could experience these workshops. The 18 different workshops run the gamut from comic drawing to fashion design and videography, taught by teachers, parent volunteers, and partnering schools.

Plus, the initial one-hour workshops have expanded in scope, to run as two 1.5-hour sessions.

IGNITE’s success would cement Mdm Sasayiah’s belief that learning has to be holistic, motivating and unhurried, and cannot happen in classrooms alone.

“I am guided by the principle of the aggregation of marginal gains: that small, thoughtful improvements, consistently applied over time, can lead to meaningful and lasting impact,” she explains.

“This philosophy shapes how I teach in the classroom, how I lead my department, and how I build relationships. Educators add value at every stage of a learner’s growth. When education is framed this way, learning becomes purposeful rather than pressurised.”

From pen pals to buddies to role models

The same beliefs run through every programme Mdm Sasayiah develops and leads.

With the Pen Pal programme, which started in 2019, Primary 5 students exchange three rounds of letters with Year 1 students at St. Joseph’s Institution (SJI). The letters are checked for appropriateness but not corrected for language.

This is followed up by Buddy Up Reading Programme, for students who are ready for greater engagement. How it works: Students in groups of six – three from Bendemeer Primary and three from SJI – would discuss a text they had agreed to read beforehand. Each person takes on a distinct role, as storyteller, creator or word whizz, to cover the text from different perspectives. These discussions take place at SJI.

At one such visit, a shy student recognised that the SJI student facilitating the session had graduated from Bendemeer Primary. One year later, Mdm Sasayiah realised that the boy had not only followed in his senior’s footsteps and joined SJI, but also volunteered to emcee the next Buddy Up Reading Programme session when he was a student in SJI. His meekness of the past was nowhere to be found. The programme set the stage for her students to get a glimpse, through the older students, of who they could become. “It was a full circle moment,” she says, visibly pleased.

These are not all. A public speaking programme called SuperSpeaker lets nominated students speak at the assembly on any values-based topic. And Otter Times, a magazine-style publication by the English department showcases the writing of students across the upper primary levels, affirming their hard work.

Many of these programmes initiated by her department go beyond classroom work, as Mdm Sasayiah and her team aim to extend learning of English."

Nothing simulated about how this lecturer structures support (3 September 2026)

"Mr Shamim Akhtar teaches programming, game development, and computer graphics as Course Chair at Temasek Polytechnic. His deeper impact lies in how he designs learning: a guided framework that helps students become confident, independent and ready to build meaningful worlds of their own.

It was 11pm, the night before a simulation system was due to be demonstrated to an important client, when the system went down unexpectedly.

Mr Shamim Akhtar, a developer back then in 2006, worked through the night, eventually locating the exact problem in the dense codebase. The software was fixed and ready for the client demonstration by morning.

“I knew the answer was in there somewhere,” he recalls.

That same instinct to think critically, iterate constantly, and never give up, is something Mr Shamim wants to instil in his students. As Course Chair for the Diploma in Immersive Media & Game Development at Temasek Polytechnic, he developed his personal Enterprise of One Framework (EOF) for capability building to get them there.

The name of the framework that supports his students across all three years of their polytechnic education was chosen with intention. “You as a student are in control of your own lifelong learning, resilience and ethical use of AI,” he explains. “You are your own enterprise.”

Tackling that Year 1 problem

The EOF was a direct response to one of Mr Shamim’s greatest challenges as a polytechnic educator.

When students arrive in Year 1, they are fired up to build games and simulations. These could look like a cockpit simulator to train pilots, or an immersive game that introduces the sensory world of neurodivergent people. But first, students need to get through compulsory foundation modules, which they can find dry and challenging to relate to initially.

Some struggle and a few come close to withdrawing from the course altogether. “The core technical subjects, while critical, can feel irrelevant to their creative ambitions of diving into developing their own game,” he explains.

Others feel lost in the polytechnic system that requires more self-discipline than what they were used to in secondary school. On the side, Mr Shamim also started to see students rely increasingly on AI to do their thinking for them. All this formed a problem statement that he designed the EOF to address.

His Enterprise of One builds more than skills

Since 2025, Mr Shamim has embedded the EOF in his course modules to ensure these five principles are met during the students’ polytechnic years: self-directed learning, AI-augmented capability, real-world integration, continuous feedback, and identity and resilience.

The principles are applied whether for teaching and assessing a skill or a learning disposition like adaptability.

In Year 1, Mr Shamim’s framework starts students off on the right foot towards self-directed learning and resilience. He takes the students out on learning journeys into real studios.

At an arcade game developer, for example, students saw how a game gets published from a rough idea to a working machine in Timezone.

Back on campus, short workshops and tutorials fill the gaps. These include game development tutorials and 3D modelling sessions run by students from the course’s special interest group. Lecturers guide them closely, usually with questions and feedback, and do not spoon-feed with answers. Neither do they leave the students to figure problems out on their own.

The same structured approach applies to how students are guided to use AI. Starting in Year 2, rather than assessing the output, Mr Shamim and his lecturers assess how students interact with the tool. Students are required to fill out a template that documents their objectives, prompts and critical analysis of AI-generated answers – that is, they are using AI to find fault with its own output.

“They see that AI can also make mistakes. This keeps them thinking,” he explains."

The nurse who teaches presence, not just procedure (3 September 2026)

"Lecturer Mis'Rohaiza Binte Amin found that assessment in healthcare education often measures clinical skill and knowledge, but not compassion. At Ngee Ann Polytechnic, she is redesigning palliative care education to make room for it.

During a classroom simulation, a student nurse broke down in tears. She had been role-playing the final hours of a dying patient – and the exercise surfaced something she had been carrying quietly: grief over her grandmother's death, which she had not been present for.

For Ms Mis'Rohaiza Binte Amin, it became a teaching moment of a different kind. The nursing lecturer paused the lesson, gently took the student aside, gave her space for her emotions, and listened. In the weeks that followed, she continued checking in on her, helping her make sense of what she was feeling.

Months later, when the same student returned to the simulation room, she was not the one needing support, but the one comforting a distressed classmate. For Ms Mis'Rohaiza, moments like these represent the heart of nursing education.

"To me, it is not about how fast or how well you can perform a procedure or serve medication," she says. "It is about being there with the patient, and showing that you care."

A lesson born from personal loss

Ms Mis'Rohaiza's commitment to compassion began long before she became a lecturer.

When she was seven, she became one of the caregivers to her mother who had collapsed from a stroke. She was inspired to become a nurse from there, but her mother passed away shortly after Ms Mis'Rohaiza graduated from nursing school, leaving her with regrets for not having done more.

Those experiences eventually drew her towards palliative care, where conversations about loss, dignity, and human connection are part of daily practice. It evoked “deep feelings” in her, feelings she was convinced needed to be dealt with not informally but as part of the profession.

When she moved into lecturing, "I told myself that I should teach my students what it truly means to be a nurse." Healthcare education has traditionally focused on two things: knowledge and technical competence. But Ms Mis'Rohaiza believes there is a third dimension that matters just as much – compassion.

Training beyond knowledge and skills

Today, the Senior Manager and Programme Lead at the School of Health Sciences, Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP), is one of Singapore's leading nurse educators in palliative care.

She serves as Chairperson of the Palliative Care Nurses Chapter of the Singapore Nurses Association, and represents the polytechnic in national initiatives such as Compassionate Communities Singapore.

Compassion is the focus of her doctoral research and much of her teaching innovation. Over time, she has created experiences that require students to grapple with emotions, ethical dilemmas, and human vulnerability.

One example is First Act of Last Office (FALO), a three-hour applied drama intervention co-developed with collaborators from NTU and NIE. The workshop was born from a gap Ms Mis'Rohaiza had observed throughout her clinical career: that when a patient dies, the standard response is to clean up, complete the paperwork, and move on. "Nobody provides that closure to the nurses," she says.

FALO is designed to change that. Students navigate end-of-life scenarios alongside trained actors playing grieving family members or busy colleagues – the heart of the workshop is what happens after. "As nurses and future colleagues, it's important for us to bring everyone together to debrief and think about what just happened," she says. "If we don't take care of their feelings, then this may cause burn-out in the future."

She is also developing a scenario-based board game and assessment rubrics that evaluate empathy through communication, body language, tone of voice and reflective responses."

Her students don’t just think about Literature, they think about thinking (3 September 2026)

"Mdm Khoo Lilin has been known to throw a Victorian tea party to make the classics come alive for her students. The Lead Teacher in English Literature at St Andrew's Junior College also teaches them that little bit more: the ability to watch their own minds at work.

Mdm Khoo Lilin loves Literature so much, she wants her students to be able to touch, feel, hear and even taste what they experience from the world of books.

When they studied Charlotte Bronte’s book Jane Eyre, she threw a Victorian-style tea party complete with swatches of vintage fabric and cups of tea, set to a 19th Century music playlist, to bring out the flavour of the era.

Today’s lesson is on Shakespeare? During break time, a craft session is in order – students build a Lego set to better help them visualise and understand a scene in the text.

These surprises “keep them curious” and looking forward to class, says the Lead Teacher in English Literature at St Andrew’s Junior College.

Her strategies must be working, because students show up voluntarily even for optional activities such as the ad hoc poetry cafes she holds outside of class.

Where learning is no hit-and-run

What students don’t see is all the thinking that goes on behind her lesson preparations.

Mdm Khoo has taken this a step further, honing the thought behind the thinking (known as metacognition) into an area of speciality.

“Thinking about thinking, that’s my main work,” she states without hesitation.

It sounds abstract until one witnesses her lessons. Students don’t just annotate texts while studying them. They also map their thought processes and trace their reasoning in tandem.

This develops self-awareness (“how do I think and why do I think this way?”), which allows them to observe their own thought patterns and reframe them if needed, with and eventually without a teacher’s guidance.

The decision to hone metacognition as a pedagogical focus area was a direct response to her students’ fear of Unseen Poetry, an A-Level component requiring them to analyse a surprise poem.

She had the same struggle when she was a Junior College student. Her Literature class had spent five weeks picking apart the poem Auto Wreck by Karl Shapiro, a dramatic account of what follows a road accident. They went through its language, tone, style and rhythm. When given another poem, however, they weren’t sure how to transfer those skills of analysis.

“That poem was the perfect analogy for how my students were approaching Unseen Poetry. It was hit-and-run,” she quips.

When searching for a way to help students sharpen and regulate their thought processes independently, her answer came during the pandemic years of Home-Based Learning. Metacognition became a focus area of professional development for teachers, as part of efforts to help students learn more independently.

Mdm Khoo was hooked. By 2022, she started to formally weave metacognitive methods into her lessons

‘I can see what you’re thinking’

When students are given a new poem to critique, they do scripting in the first 10 minutes, identifying thoughts such as where they make an assumption, where they hesitate, how their interpretations evolve, or what strategies they used when stuck.

They then share their scripts with the class. By understanding, sharing, and improving on how they analyse, they can more effectively analyse any poem or book they are given.

The students may find the process humbling, or even embarrassing.

This is why Mdm Khoo refrains from introducing metacognitive work to her JC1 students until Term 2 each school year — when they have had enough time to warm up, form groups, and make friends. “That’s when students begin to feel safe enough to share their raw analyses and expose the ‘messy part of their thinking’,” she explains for the need to be thoughtful with this process.

Mdm Khoo also gets vulnerable alongside them, modelling her own thinking out loud. “It requires teachers to step away from the image of an expert,” she explains. “By going through the same process, we reveal our hesitations, blind spots, false starts, and revisions.”

“I let them evaluate my metacognitive awareness too,” she adds.

Together, they draw vocabulary from the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory, a psychometric tool that is complemented with progress tracking across the students’ e-portfolios, guided reflections, and goal-setting routines too.

Over time, the students find themselves take greater ownership of their learning, moving from avoidance to curiosity and confidence, and Literature texts become less and less challenging."

She moves her students to love Tamil language and culture (3 September 2026)

"Mdm Kamalavani D/O Palaiyan uses cultural performance and dialogic teaching to help students see Tamil as more than an exam subject. In this way, the Senior Teacher at Anderson Serangoon Junior College is also keeping traditional artforms alive.

The art of storytelling takes different forms in different cultures. For Mdm Kamalavani D/O Palaiyan, the Tamil tradition of Villupattu, where verse and music revolve around a bow of bells, should be preserved. And what better way than to grow a love for it in her students.

Of course, there were hurdles. Mdm Vani, as she’s fondly known, didn’t have the actual instrument, called the villu. So she fashioned one herself, using a hula hoop borrowed from the PE department, string, bells and shoeboxes, all held together with masking tape.

Then there was her students’ unfamiliarity with the language. "Many students come from English-speaking backgrounds," she says. "They approach Tamil with apprehension, as just an academic requirement. I want them to see it as a vibrant, living part of their cultural identity."

Finally, there might be a lack of enthusiasm.

“‘Teacher, these are old songs’, they would tell me,” says Mdm Vani, only half-amusedly. That is when her love for the language and culture shines forth. With a glint in her eye and a tilt of the head, she narrates and dramatises her way into their hearts.

With regular practice and coaching in and outside of their Mother Tongue lessons, they pick up enough to perform at AGNI, Anderson Serangoon Junior College (ASRJC)’s Tamil cultural showcase.

At the showcase, the students’ performance of the Villupattu was so spectacular, audience members mistook them for professionals.

Forging identity through performance

AGNI, which means “fire” in Tamil, is a biennial event that Mdm Vani has directed from the start.

Held in conjunction with Singapore’s Tamil Language Festival, the two- to three-hour showcase attracts an audience of 500 students and is put together by some 30 students from the Tamil Language Elective Programme and Tamil Language Debate and Dance Society.

The first AGNI session was held at the former Anderson Junior College (AJC). Following the merger of AJC and Serangoon Junior College, into what is now known as ASRJC, AGNI became an official event within Singapore’s National Tamil Language Festival.

From there, Mdm Vani steered the programme towards art forms that most young people have never encountered, and that are rarely seen even at professional events. Other than Villupattu, she has even brought in percussion instruments like the Parai and Thudumbu, paired with vibrant dance choreographies.

Each year, students train for three months before putting up performances. “Possibly 90 per cent of these students have no experience in acting, singing or dancing,” Mdm Vani says with pride. But she is confident that all of them will catch the culture bug.

Verbalising back and forth

The same conviction — that all students can grow in their proficiency and appreciation of Tamil — is carried into the classroom. In class, Mdm Vani expects students to not just give answers, but to explain their reasoning aloud. When students can articulate their thoughts in speech, their writing ability follows.

Spoken and written reasoning in Mdm Vani’s class follow the framework called PEEEL (Point, Evidence, Elaboration, Explanation, Link). “By the time the A-Levels are here, every student can talk through the reasoning of their answers like why this word is wrong or where the clue in a passage is,” she says.

She also employs dialogic teaching, a back-and-forth, conversation-based approach. For example, a single question about a character’s flaw in a story can extend to a broader conversation where students add on observations and find evidence to support one other’s opinions.

Building on this conversational approach, Mdm Vani and her colleague rolled out a ChatGPT-based chatbot last year to extend these discussions beyond the classroom, giving every student a space to practise articulating their thoughts. "Now, everyone gets a chance to verbalise," she says."

He walks with his students to turn risks into rewards (3 September 2026)

"For Mr Go Jun Hong of Woodgrove Secondary School, the big impact of teaching can happen in seemingly little shifts, such as when a troubled student asks for help for the first time. The Head of Department for ICT and Applied Sciences finds different ways to support growth in his students, because every step forward deserves a champion

When a Secondary 4 student began attending school more regularly this year, most people might not have noticed.

For Mr Go Jun Hong, it was a breakthrough.

The student had struggled with absenteeism for years. Some mornings, teachers would visit his home to persuade him to come to school. His family faced financial difficulties, and his mother worked long hours.

One of the ways Mr Go and his colleagues stepped in was to suggest improvements to the family’s morning routine.

When the student could prepare for school before his mother left for work, he stopped drifting back to sleep.

It was a small intervention. But it worked.

“His attendance has never looked so good,” says Mr Go. “There are days he’s late, but he still comes.”

Success in schools isn't always measured by grades – sometimes, the greatest breakthrough begins with a student’s fresh outlook or a move away from an unhealthy habit.

This belief shapes how Mr Go, the Head of Department for ICT and Applied Sciences, approaches teaching and student development. Whether he is supporting students with additional needs, building the confidence of his learners in Chemistry, or guiding them to better manage conflicts and emotions, his instinct is always the same: to help them find their way to a first win that is small enough to reach, but meaningful enough for change to begin.

Confidence before complexity

When Mr Go first entered teaching, he focused heavily on academic results. He spent much of his energy refining lessons and helping students score well.

But a conversation with a former principal, about a high-performing student who later suffered a breakdown, made him question whether schools were preparing students for life beyond examinations.

Experience gained from teaching diverse student profiles deepened that reflection. Mr Go realised that some students did not disengage because they lacked ability, but because they could not see themselves succeeding.

“I realised that when they experienced the first failure, they would maybe try one more time, and then they would just give up,” he says.

So he began redesigning his lessons around a “success-first” approach.

In Chemistry, where abstract concepts can feel intimidating from the start, that means designing lessons so students experience competence before complexity. He breaks learning into small, direct steps, and makes the first task closely mirror what has just been taught during the lesson.

For example, when students learn how atoms combine to form molecules, they first use a simple computer simulation to see how bonding works. Only after they have matched atoms successfully does the next layer of difficulty appear: choosing different atoms, testing whether the arrangement is stable, and trying again when it is not.

The shift may seem subtle, but Mr Go says it changes how students see themselves.

“They just want to get the assignment right,” he says. “When they finally experience that success, they feel more confident that they can do it.”

That is the point of “success-first”: not to lower expectations, but to help students stay in the learning long enough to meet those expectations.

‘A friend and a champion’

A learning journey to another school opened up new ways for Mr Go who is passionate about teaching across diverse learners.

It is important to understand each student’s needs, and ensure the right support reaches them. To him, the question is not simply: What are the learning needs of this student? It was: What does this student need in order to take the next step towards independence?

For one student who appeared dishevelled and struggled with social interaction, Mr Go found himself teaching him how to maintain personal hygiene.

For nearly a year, their conversations barely moved beyond one-word replies. Mr Go kept trying anyway – not always about schoolwork, but through conversations about family and daily life. Slowly, the student began to respond.

As trust grew, Mr Go looked for small ways to prepare him for post-secondary life, where there would be fewer adults managing his day. The goal was not just to get him through secondary school, but to help him function more independently beyond it.

“Students at risk often do not need a disciplinarian,” he observes. “They need a friend and a champion.”

‘Observe carefully, and you’ll see there’s a warrior in every child’ (3 September 2026)

"Mdm Hafizah Binte Mahmud’s forte lies in seeing the child behind the behaviour. At Si Ling Primary School, the Senior Teacher introduces simple routines and habits for students to “collectively notice” one another. This builds a community of care and self-belief.

Walk into Mdm Hafizah Binte Mahmud's classroom at Si Ling Primary School, and you will notice certain standard items under a clear plastic sheet on every desk. There will be the class timetable and a photo of a family member, a school buddy, or a drawing of their "happy place".

Mdm Hafizah started this practice after noticing that her young students kept asking what lesson was coming next. The timetable gives them predictability; the personal touches give them comfort. Together, they offer children something she believes every child needs before learning can begin: a sense of safety.

Through a process of discovery across the year, she also gets to understand if a student needs more, be it moral or material support. Some come to school without breakfast. Some come from difficult homes. Some had never been taught to hold a pencil.

"If they are not even prepared to come to school, how are they going to learn new things?" Mdm Hafizah asks rhetorically.

It is this question — not what to teach, but what this child needs first — that defines her craft.

As a Senior Teacher specialising in lower-primary learners, she has spent nearly two decades developing an instinct for reading beneath the surface of behaviour. When a student cries, shuts down, or avoids putting pen to paper, she does not see a problem to be corrected. She sees a sign that the child is struggling.

That is when she slows down, asks questions, and teaches even the basics — from how to hold a ruler to how to pack a school bag — without judgement.

Looking beyond the behaviour

Mdm Hafizah used to take learning at face value — read, revise, and apply during exams — until she was an undergraduate specialising in Marketing.

A lecturer helped her to see how the lessons could be applied so directly to life beyond the classroom. That was the first time she thought of harnessing the power of education to shape lives.

When she first started teaching at Si Ling Primary, she quickly realised that some of her youngest students came with unseen burdens.

"As teachers, we may quickly reprimand and ask why they didn’t bring their colour pencils to class, but you eventually learn not to assume why."

How does Mdm Hafizah go about uncovering her students’ needs? Through simple routines that she weaves into each school day.

Each morning begins with a group check-in. "My first step is to always ask the class ‘how are you all feeling today?’ I want everybody to be aware of their own feelings and be in tune with each other."

When a student cried at the school gate from missing her family, Mdm Hafizah tended to her, identifying the difficult feelings she was facing, then rallied the class to show their concern.

They chimed in with offers to sit with her at recess and play her favourite games at the playground. Through this effort, "I not only taught the girl to regulate her feelings, I also equipped the rest of the students on how to articulate feelings and how to comfort someone."

She then applies different strategies across the day depending on the students’ readiness, such as Circle Time for collaborative learning and Calm Corner for students who need more emotional regulation. Peer support moments are woven in so classmates get used to looking out for one another.

This “collective noticing” is at the heart of how she teaches care. Says Mdm Hafizah, "It takes a village to raise a child, and classmates are part of that village."

Framework for noticing and growth

Underpinning these routines is the Teacher Noticing Framework which Mdm Hafizah adapted for students. The framework guides students through three steps in relating to others — first by identifying what happened, then understanding why it happened and choosing what to do next.

With her guidance, students apply these steps for observing themselves, others, and the world around them, and to solve problems with kindness.

Mdm Hafizah also applies the framework when she teaches English and Programme for Active Learning (PAL), which offers non-academic enrichment for P1 and P2 students.

In one PAL lesson, she asked her students to draw a dragon from their imagination. Many drew fierce, fiery creatures. She then revealed a picture of a dragon from a book — it was lonely, crying, and hardly scary, but it was feared by villagers who assumed the worst of it.

The moment became a live lesson in applying the Noticing Framework, and a golden opportunity to think about thinking (known as metacognition) at the lower primary level: The students identified their biased thinking, understood how they had a limited view about dragons, and decided to read more widely to broaden their perspectives."

Her inspiration for making Mandarin fun? Confucius and gaming (3 September 2026)

"Mdm Linda Goh Min Min draws from a range of sources when designing lessons at Greenwood Primary School — weaving in cultural perspectives and values to deepen her students' appreciation of the language, while harnessing AI tools to support how they learn it. As Head of Department for Mother Tongue Languages, she constantly revitalises Chinese Language teaching to get her young students excited about the language.

A few years ago, a parent came to Mdm Linda Goh Min Min with a familiar worry: Learning Mandarin is tough, so why are we putting children through it?

Mdm Goh did not disagree with the difficulty but offered parents a different view: Learning Chinese can be fun, even joyful, and there are easy ways to make friends with the language.

"Every Chinese character has a beauty and a story behind it," she says. Take the character 吞 (tūn, meaning "to swallow"). Rather than treating it as an abstract shape to memorise, Mdm Goh helps students trace it back to the ideas it is built from: 一 (yī, "one"), 大 (dà, "large"), and 口 (kǒu, "mouth") – each contributing its own layer of meaning to the whole. Put together, the character captures a single vivid image: “One large mouthful!” she enacts, something that delights her students to no end.

They soon look forward to uncovering the hidden meanings behind every brushstroke and along with it, little fragments of culture, philosophy and visual storytelling.

It is just not the same if they learned only hanyu pinyin, Mdm Goh stresses. “A lot of history, tradition and heritage is lost along the way.”

This conviction — that Chinese is not an obstacle to be cleared but a living language worth loving — runs through everything she does at Greenwood Primary School and leads the Mother Tongue Language department as Head of Department.

With even the smallest success comes joy

For many students, the early stages of learning Chinese can feel daunting.

Mdm Goh’s response is to begin with the basics — connecting Chinese characters to pictures, building foundational vocabulary — before nudging them towards more demanding work when they are ready.

She draws a comparison to why students will sit with a game for hours, failing and trying again, but not do the same for homework. The difference lies in how success is structured. "Level 1 is easy to go through. So is Level 2. That's how they hook them," she says. "Once they reach higher levels, the player is totally immersed."

Mdm Goh’s lessons are built on the same principle of achievement and excitement. "You must let them feel some success before they become self-motivated to learn," she says. "Students learn better if they feel that they are good in something."

Gamification, where it appears, is not a crutch but simply a way in, a hook that draws students into deeper thinking, richer interactions, and more intentional learning. The goal was never the game itself, but the curiosity and habits of mind it helps to build.

Teaching with intention, not just innovation

In recent years, Mdm Goh found new ways to draw out the quieter voices in her Primary 5 and 6 classes. To give them a safer space to ask questions and work through their doubts as the lesson progressed, she built an AI teaching assistant for use during digital learning, complete with an avatar that looks like her.

It draws from a closed set of content that Mdm Goh feeds on specific topics and is also programmed to deflect irrelevant questions.

Students can ask questions and clarify doubts with the tool as the class goes on, helping them to participate and stay engaged.

She also customised chatbots embedded in the Student Learning Space for speaking and writing practice.

For speaking practice, students get low-stakes opportunities to rehearse before they are asked to converse in Mandarin in more demanding settings. After practising with the bot, students become more confident conversing in Mandarin.

For writing, students first generate and refine their own ideas, then put their drafts up for peer comment, discussing what works and what doesn't in each other's storylines. Comparing their work with classmates exposes them to different ideas, and pushes them to think harder about what makes a story compelling. The real test comes the next day, when students write their composition independently, drawing on everything they have worked through.

Mdm Goh actively guides them on how to use the tools and helps them make sense of the feedback they receive. "You cannot let AI do all the work," says Mdm Goh. "Teaching must be intentional."

Making meaning, not just marks

Mdm Goh is also a champion of bilingualism. She leads Greenwood Primary’s Applied Learning Programme BLISS, which stands for Bilingual Literature apprecIation Student Series.

The whole-school programme uses second-language literary texts as springboards for values-based discussion. Teachers facilitate discussions with students on issues that have no easy answers. For instance, Mandarin learners may be offered the Chinese version of the children’s classic The Giving Tree (爱心树 ) about a boy and a tree, which explores themes of selflessness and the balance between giving and taking.

Students are asked: Is the boy selfish? Is the tree foolish to sacrifice itself? What is friendship, really? "There is no right or wrong answer," Mdm Goh explains. "They learn to see things from different perspectives."

Through these exercises, students learn language as well as values. "One’s mother tongue language is the key vehicle for values like respect, honesty and perseverance,” through which cultural narratives, idioms and moral reasoning are most powerfully understood, she explains."

How this Science educator got all her ducks in a row with sustainability (3 September 2026)

"‘Animal keepers’ at school? Mdm Ong Xuan Wan believes in going all the way with sustainability education. As the Head of Department for Science at Dazhong Primary School, Mdm Ong designs eco experiences where students make natural fertilisers, code green solutions, and yes, even greet ’keepers’ and their ducks in the morning

One morning assembly at Dazhong Primary School, the air buzzed with excitement as students waited for their special guests to arrive.

Teachers played along, dressed as animal keepers, to usher in none other than seven little ducks nicknamed the Dazhong Ducks, which were hatched in the school and call its eco garden home.

It is one of many ways the school brings science and sustainability to life through authentic experiences, says Mdm Ong Xuan Wan, who is the school’s Head of Department for Science; she also leads the Greenovator Applied Learning Programme (ALP). As for the morning “meet and greet” with the ducks that her department dreamed up of, "that moment has become a core memory for the children".

The ducks are an essential part of the school’s ALP, which all students go through. For that morning’s assembly programme, students watched a video about the life cycle of ducks: how the ducklings hatch in the incubator, grow, feed on "ugly" vegetables from the school's hydroponic system, lay eggs, and begin the cycle again.

This is the instinct at the heart of her practice: that sustainability becomes real only when students can touch it, name it, feed it, and feel responsible for it.

Pushing on from awareness to action

Mdm Ong came to sustainability education through a concern she has carried for years. Having observed many well-intentioned programmes, she noticed a pattern.

"A lot of people stop at awareness," she says. When it comes to green matters, "they know these environmental issues exist, but how many are actually taking action?"

To go further when conceptualising Dazhong Primary's current iteration of the ALP, she knew she had to nudge students over the hump from awareness into action and advocacy.

All students start with exposure to one of the school's most distinctive initiatives: its Interactive Virtual Gamified Eco-trail, featuring Pokemon-inspired sustainability mascots, called DZmons (DZ stands for Dazhong, of course!). Students complete quests related to issues such as recycling and food waste.

These are Mdm Ong’s ways to pique their curiosity about environmental issues and inculcate habits of observation and care that extend beyond the game.

At the middle primary levels, students are encouraged to act on that budding awareness, by taking on stewardship and hands-on roles and managing the school’s zero food-waste and hydroponics systems.

At the upper primary levels, students advance to problem-solving and advocacy roles, using coding and 3D printing to produce signs that remind students to turn off the switches before leaving the classroom, for example.

Schoolwide, Mdm Ong also runs the school's annual Green Challenge recycling competition, where classes with the heaviest collection each term wins a “Green Challenge Champions” banner that they hang loud and proud outside their classroom.

"The classes that didn't get [the banner] were motivated to bring more recyclables the next term so that they could win the banner," says Mdm Ong with glee.

For her, the banner simply gets students started until recycling shifts from an extrinsic goal into an instinctive, shared habit, showing students that small, consistent daily actions add up to meaningful environmental care."

School spaces, cool places (18 September 2026)

"Haven't visited a school lately? Let us show you around!

When was the last time you stepped into a library, garden, or hangout space at a school?

School spaces these days are more inviting than ever.

Schools all across Singapore embark periodically on facility and infrastructural enhancements to support the future of learning.

Bendemmer Secondary School

Let’s start at the library.

When Bendemeer Secondary School’s new library reopened, students were greeted with cosy reading coves, lots of natural light, and different seating options – the environment was designed to stir the imagination.

In various designated serene corners, students can choose to self-study, read, or discuss quietly. These cater to diverse learning needs and preferences."

Our Schools, Our Stories 2026 (28 September 2026)

"Our Schools, Our Stories is an annual photo and video contest organised by the Ministry of Education that celebrates the unique stories of everyday school life, as seen through the eyes of students, staff, and the wider school community.

Look closer, and you’ll find friendships built one helping hand at a time, acts of kindness from the people we walk past every day, and moments of courage that only look small from the outside. These are the stories behind the photographs and videos told through four themes:

• World of Possibilities

• Our School Community

• Priceless Moments

• What I Go To School For"

World of Possibilities: Junior Category (28 September 2026)

"Every day at school brings a new chance to try, to learn, and to discover something about ourselves. Discover how students and teachers build new skills, find new experiences, and uncover new possibilities — often made possible by the partners, mentors, and communities who open doors alongside them.

BEST PHOTO STORY

Nobody Told Us We Couldn't

By Chen Hongzhi Jareth, Zaada A'isyah Binte Muhassan and Ma Bohan Fernvale Primary School

Teacher Facilitator: Ms Siti Erliasari Binte Haroon

What if the art we grew up with was never the only art meant for us?

One of us holds a wushu fan, her eyes focused, her pose strong. Another closes her eyes and lets the guzheng sing under her fingers. A third shakes an angklung for the first time and smiles at the sound it makes. One more tries her hand at Indian dance, her fingers slowly shaping something beautiful and new.

Nobody told us we could not. So, we did. Possibilities do not wait somewhere else. They start the moment we are brave enough to try."

World of Possibilities: Youth Category (28 September 2026)

"Every day at school brings a new chance to try, to learn, and to discover something about ourselves. Discover how students and teachers build new skills, find new experiences, and uncover new possibilities — often made possible by the partners, mentors, and communities who open doors alongside them.

BEST PHOTO STORY

Capturing Their Stories, Framing My Own

By Asher Ng Hao Zhe

Anglo-Chinese Junior College

Teacher Facilitator: Ms Too Suat Ling

The cheers from the stands, the silence before the starter’s signal, and the clash of student-athletes. These are the moments I live for.

For six years, I stood on the sidelines of the National School Games, watching history unfold in split-second frames. Over time, my lens caught something deeper: the pure joy of celebration, the passion between plays, and the raw tenacity that medals never show. Photographing these moments did not just teach me composition techniques; it taught me who I could become.

As I lower my camera for the final time as a student, I realise I did not just capture their stories — I found my own."

World of Possibilities: MOE Staff Category (28 September 2026)

"Every day at school brings a new chance to try, to learn, and to discover something about ourselves. Discover how students and teachers build new skills, find new experiences, and uncover new possibilities — often made possible by the partners, mentors, and communities who open doors alongside them.

BEST PHOTO STORY

The World that Children Create

By Ms Siti Raudhah Binte Haidir

MOE Kindergarten @ Fernvale

If you ask a teacher where a world of possibilities takes place, many would answer: outdoors.

When we see a tree, they see it as a pretend-play umbrella. When we use cones as sports equipment, they use them as hats. When we throw a ball for them to catch, they see themselves as the best goalkeeper in the world. When we show them creepy crawlies in soil, they ask endless questions about the world among them.

Sometimes, the greatest learning happens when adults step back and allow children’s imagination and discovery to lead the way."

Our School Community: Junior Category (28 September 2026)

"A school is its people — students, staff, parent volunteers, and partners who all play a part in the same story. Witness the shared moments and everyday collaborations that turn a school, and everyone connected to it, into one extended community.

BEST PHOTO STORY

Our Unique CCA, Green Pixel Club

By Ng Chiao Rae Andrea, Elysse Chew and Tan Ai Li Natalie

CHIJ Primary (Toa Payoh)

Teacher Facilitator: Mr Loh Yi Hui

School is more than just academic learning; it is a place where we forge friendships, grow together, and share treasured moments.

In Green Pixel Club, we learn about sustainability, protecting the Earth, and photography. We learnt to make our own paper, build terrariums, and grow vegetables. We also mastered techniques to take better photos, such as the rule of thirds, framing within a frame, and exposure control.

Through our lenses, we capture small moments in nature and in school. These pictures represent our practice, our dedication, and our memories."

Our School Community: Youth Category (28 September 2026)

"A school is its people — students, staff, parent volunteers, and partners who all play a part in the same story. Witness the shared moments and everyday collaborations that turn a school, and everyone connected to it, into one extended community.

BEST PHOTO STORY

The Colours That Unite

By Chakarin Tonchanachai

Anglo-Chinese Junior College

Teacher Facilitator: Ms Too Suat Ling

Some tournaments are remembered because of who won. Others are remembered because of the people beside us.

Whether during the excitement of InterHouse Games or the determination of Run AC, I found myself drawn to the moments in between: the handshake, the cheers, the joy, and the smiles shared after crossing the finish line.

As a first-year photographer picking up a camera for the first time, I realised these were the moments worth preserving. Beyond any scores or results, there is something that matters more: respect between competitors, passion in every challenge, and a community that cherishes one another regardless of house colours.

Many years later, we may forget who won the trophy, but these moments of sportsmanship, friendship and school spirit are the ones that will stay with us."

Our School Community: MOE Staff Category (28 September 2026)

"A school is its people — students, staff, parent volunteers, and partners who all play a part in the same story. Witness the shared moments and everyday collaborations that turn a school, and everyone connected to it, into one extended community.

BEST PHOTO STORY

Little Hands, Lasting Hearts

By Mr Chua Yuhang

Si Ling Primary School

School is far more than just a place for lessons; it is a vibrant home where lifelong friendships are built, and kindness is passed from one student to another.

From navigating shared challenges to offering simple words of encouragement, our students discover that every small act of care ripples outward. Whether it is helping a peer during a tough assignment or sharing laughter at school camp, these interactions quickly transform into lasting memories.

Our photo story celebrates this spirit, where little acts of care remind us that the best part of school is growing together."

Priceless Moments: Junior Category (28 September 2026)

"Some school moments fade with time. Others stay with you forever. These are the ones worth holding on to — the moments, shared with the people around us, that made us smile, learn, and grow.

BEST PHOTO STORY

Leaning On Each Other

By Lyra Tan Zhao Tong

Bukit View Primary School

Teacher Facilitator: Mdm Tan Beng Choo

Having friends in school makes every day more enjoyable. I often wondered how younger students feel when they first join the school, when everything is new and unfamiliar. Through our school’s P1 and P4 Buddy Programme, I was paired with younger buddies for four weeks.

At first, we met with shy and simple handshakes. My buddies seemed unsure, especially during recess, when they needed help buying food. I showed them around the school and helped them get used to their new routines. Over time, I witnessed them growing more confident until they could do things on their own. I felt so proud!"

Priceless Moments: Youth Category (28 September 2026)

"Some school moments fade with time. Others stay with you forever. These are the ones worth holding on to — the moments, shared with the people around us, that made us smile, learn, and grow.

BEST PHOTO STORY

Taste of Taiwan

By Chen Tianyang

Fairfield Methodist School (Secondary)

Teacher Facilitator: Mdm Nurul Afia

Every May, my school hosts a wide variety of unique learning challenges! Something truly magical happens: the quiet students liven up, and the usually reserved ones seem to start flocking from place to place in curiosity.

This year, our school brought us to Taiwan. There, we got to witness the local culture, try the local food, and interact with local students.

However, the most important thing we gained in Taiwan was the memories we would hold onto for the rest of our lives. I feel honoured to have been able to capture such intangible moments."

Priceless Moments: MOE Staff Category (28 September 2026)

"Some school moments fade with time. Others stay with you forever. These are the ones worth holding on to — the moments, shared with the people around us, that made us smile, learn, and grow.

BEST PHOTO STORY

It Takes A Community

By Ms Audrey Tay Yu Shyan

Evergreen Primary School

Some moments last only seconds. But their impact can last a lifetime. A spark of curiosity that turns into learning. Shared laughter with friends that deepens bonds. The light of another illuminating the dark.

As an educator, it is a privilege to witness these tender moments — where titles fade, responsibilities soften, and we are reminded of something incredibly simple: before anything else, we are human.

It has never taken just one teacher, one parent, or one lesson to shape a child. At Evergreen Primary, we nurture hearts, cultivate minds, and enrich lives, through the strength of our community."

What I Go To School For (28 September 2026)

"What makes school so meaningful? Explore this year’s winning video entries from students and teachers, and discover the moments, people, and passions that shape school life."

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BEST VIDEO: JUNIOR

Memories. The Friends. The Moments. The Journey.

By Chen Hongzhi Jareth, Zaada A'isyah Binte Muhassan and Ma Bohan

Fernvale Primary School

Teacher Facilitator: Ms Siti Erliasari Binte Haroon

HONOURABLE MENTION: JUNIOR

The Heart of School

By Teo Ruwen, Abigail and Xu Jingyi Jodie

Rulang Primary School

Teacher Facilitator: Ms Wong Min Wei

More Than a Subject

By Aiden Seow Kang Shun, Chia Yuan Kai Zac and Tan Guan Ting Tristen

Pathlight School

Teacher Facilitator: Ms Aishah Malkan

Choice Remote

By Mariam Jasrah d/o Shaik Zubair Deen

First Toa Payoh Primary School

Teacher Facilitator: Ms Ho Chi Chia Brenda

Can a game help teenagers build better sleep habits? (29 September 2026)

"At Hillgrove Secondary School, wellness is taken seriously, starting with a whole week dedicated to good health and rest. Is that how soft toys, horses and capsule machines find their way into school?

By Schoolbag team

What do horses and scents have in common with a fluffy blue creature with a letter as a name? It’s sleep!

Earlier this year, a schoolwide survey by Hillgrove Secondary suggested many students were unsure how much sleep they needed and what habits might help them sleep better. So, the school decided to make sleep the focus of its Health and Youth Week this year. The initiative, which has been running annually since 2023, celebrates youths and empowers students to take charge of their holistic well-being.

Bookending the week were two partner events: the distribution of sleep kits from Limitless, a non-profit organisation (containing items such as eye masks and calming scents), and the Mission Zzz Sleep Challenge starring Z the sleep mascot, piloted with the Ministry of Education’s Communications and Engagement Group.

Horses, plushies and the chance to connect

This year’s Health and Youth Week theme was “Thrive” and it opened with an unexpected and memorable experience: miniature horses.

In the school hall, students engaged with and groomed miniature horses from Equal Ark, a registered charity that conducts equine-assisted programmes to support socio-emotional learning and development.

Guided by Equal Ark’s trained facilitators, students learnt to approach and interact safely with the miniature horses, while observing and responding to their behaviours and body language. Beyond the novelty of the experience, these purposeful interactions provided opportunities for students to build confidence, practise self-management and develop greater awareness of how their own emotions and behaviours can influence those around them. Students also took part in games related to sleep wellness and craft activities at the canteen, which set the tone for chilling and relaxation.

On one of the days of the Health and Youth Week, students – and teachers – brought their favourite plushies to school and exchanged stories about them during assembly, recess and CCE lessons. “The idea,” says Acting Year Head Joel Tan, “was to make conversations around sleep feel light and approachable, rather than clinical.”

Vice-Principal Mr Edwin Lim also shared the science and importance of sleep at the assembly talk. He ended it emphasising that sleep is “as essential as food, water and air, and Hillgrove Secondary is committed to helping students build the habits to protect it.”

Life after school: Thriving thanks to vocational education and partners (5 October 2026)

"Meaningful work recognises and nurtures the individual — just ask our three SPED school graduates. Guided by the refreshed Vocational Education syllabus for SPED schools, education and worklife just got better for persons with disabilities.

Got a job in design? Or found work at the airport? For most people, these are ordinary milestones. But for graduates of Special Education (SPED) schools, landing a role that genuinely fits who they are and what they can do, requires efforts far more deliberate.

In a bustling part of Changi Airport Terminal 3, Zachary John Tan carefully tends to the plants, his movements precise and purposeful. At 21, this Metta School graduate has become an integral part of the team at Changi Airport, and his story is a powerful reminder of what becomes possible when schools, employers and families work together with a shared purpose.

It was not always obvious that Zachary would end up here. But through years of careful observation, his teachers and parents spotted in him a natural affinity for plant care and systematic tasks. Back in school, he practised skills like trimming leaves and watering plants. These were not just random activities but the deliberate building blocks of a vocation. Through the collaborative development of his Individual Transition Plan, his unique strengths were identified and built upon, eventually paving the way for his placement at Changi Airport Group (CAG) as a Project Assistant.

Zachary's journey also reflects a broader shift in how SPED schools in Singapore are approaching vocational education. The new Vocational Education (VE) Teaching and Learning Syllabus for SPED schools, launched in 2023, draws a strong connection between classroom learning and real-world work, moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach and towards something far more personal. Employers are responding in kind, developing partnerships that play to the strengths and interests of their potential hires rather than asking students to fit a fixed mould."

Watch: Seen and Supported - Teachers' Day 2026 (8 October 2026)

"A student staring out the window. A student with unfinished work. A student arriving late. Their teacher didn't just notice their challenges. They focused on unlocking their potential. This Teachers' Day, we celebrate teachers who see their students for who they are and who they can become."

The best thing I did during exam season (9 October 2026)

"I used to think the best way to help my child was another revision plan and more assessment books. Then I discovered another way.

By Linda Lee

One evening, my 12-year-old shuffled out of his room, his face more deflated than a flat tyre.

He'd spent the afternoon following that day’s routine: Revision. Practice papers. Corrections.

He came to me, arms outstretched...

"Mummy...bao bao (a hug)," he pouted.

"What’s wrong?" I asked. Did someone say something mean on his group chat? Did he forget to save his work?

He shrugged. "I'm just...tired."

That was all. No drama, just manja.

So, we just hugged and I didn’t want to rush through this moment. After all, snuggles don’t come often as kids grow older. At the same time, I wondered what I’d missed. Had I set him too much exam prep work? (Mum guilt.)

He piped up from deep within my arms, "What if I get AL21 instead of AL12 for PSLE?"

A simple question. But I heard: “Will I be okay? Will you still be proud of me?”

A part of me wanted to offer him practical solutions immediately: "Let me speak to your teacher about remedial lessons"; "I’ll get you more assessment books".

I opened my mouth...and said instead, "We'll just choose a school based on whatever marks you get."

He paused in disbelief and said, "Really? Are you sure?"

When I nodded, he relaxed and said, "Exams are coming soon, but you still take me out every weekend while my classmates are all studying at home. And you buy me my favourite things even when I don’t do well for tests. Is that...okay?

"Yes, you need to relax and recharge.

"As for getting you the stuff that you like, that’s just what I want to do. It’s not because of your results," I added softly.

His eyes curved into happy little crescents. Mine turned a tad teary, so I just quickly hugged him again."

This teacher makes screen time part of family time, with clear boundaries (14 October 2026)

"For Mdm Georgina Low, screen time is part of family life, but it is never left unchecked. The teacher and mother to two young children says self-regulation and healthy screen habits are key, and building them starts at home.

By Lim Jun Kang

As a secondary school teacher, Mdm Georgina Low has seen first-hand how students at that age sometimes struggle to put their devices away after classes. This has convinced her that self-regulation must be nurtured.

That belief shapes how the East Spring Secondary School teacher manages screen time at home with her own children, aged three and six.

Setting the tone early

Screen time in Mdm Low’s household always comes with clear boundaries. Device use is generally reserved for Fridays and weekends. On other evenings after the children return from preschool, the family settles into dinner and engages in simple activities like drawing, reading or chatting about what they learnt that day.

So when her six-year-old son occasionally asks for screen time on a Monday, Mdm Low reminds him of the family’s usual routine, and lets him decide whether he would rather have screen time then, or save it for the weekend where the family can enjoy it together. “He usually chooses to wait,” she says with a laugh. “Young children naturally struggle to stop playing or using something that is enjoyable.”

Mdm Low does not expect her young children to decide for themselves how long they should spend on a device, what they should watch or when they should stop. “As adults, we are here to provide structure such as a schedule and what to watch, emphasise the boundaries and as much as possible, model the healthy habits that we want to see.”

Navigating big feelings in Primary 1 (14 October 2026)

"Primary 1 is a fresh chapter, with new routines, friendships, and expectations. As children navigate unfamiliar situations and change in school, big feelings can come up. Here are simple ways to help your child navigate them.

Drop-off at school

What Does Mastery in Teaching Look Like? - PAT 2026 (16 October 2026)

"Great teaching can take many forms, and it often takes years to master. These 18 educators have honed their craft in ways that inspire learning, help their students find their footing, and prepare them for a world beyond school.

Meet the President’s Award for Teachers 2026 recipients and finalists."

Heart of a teacher (22 October 2026)

"Meet eight teachers who have taught in different decades of our education system. Discover how they have shaped young lives, not just through lessons, but also their care, creativity, and unwavering belief in every child's potential."

What does discipline with dignity mean? And where does creativity and care come in? A teacher explains (22 October 2026)

"Having spent fifteen years teaching primary school children, Mr Joel Vinson customises disciplinary actions to each individual case he encounters. The aim, he says, is to teach logical consequences, so students learn and make better decisions moving forward.

Imagine you’re a teacher. Two students keep saying unkind things to each other. What do you do? Lecture them. Inform their parents. Then what?

If you’re Mr Joel Vinson, you ask them to report to you together every morning before lessons and say three nice things to one another. It may seem unintuitive, even baffling. But the “punishment” is grounded in thoughtfulness—and creativity.

“This check-in with them is a subtle reminder of the appropriate behaviour,” says the Head of Department (Student Management & CCA), who has been teaching at First Toa Payoh Primary School for a decade and a half. “They learn and understand that saying mean things is not nice. Our first school value is respect – so they learn to link it back to that too.”

Peripherally, the students also learn to observe what each other is doing well. “The nicest thing I’ve heard is one of them saying that the other one was kind, because he saw him helping another child. And once, when one student came with a different hairstyle, the other one complimented him on his hairstyle,” Mr Joel says with a laugh.

Dignity in discipline and logical consequences

Mr Joel’s natural rapport with students was one of the reasons his School Leader approached him in 2016 to take on his current portfolio. He originally joined the school as a PE teacher (he still is one) and served as Subject Head, and then HOD (PE & CCA).

To Mr Joel, the goal is clear.

We don’t want to take away the dignity from the students. We want to help them develop ownership and awareness, to understand the impact of and take responsibility for their actions. At the same time, we teach them skills involved in making better decisions.

Because children may make sense of their actions or decisions differently from adults, Mr Joel taps on his creativity to frame consequences logically for them. “If I ask a child who was caught littering to stay back during recess and stand outside the office, he or she will not see a logical link between the action and consequence.” Instead, he gets the child to spend part of the recess picking up litter.

He draws the same parallel with an example of students who are caught being disrespectful to someone else, say a teacher. “If it happened during a one-on-one talk, then the apology is made in private. But if it is done in front of a class, I expect the apology to be made in front of everyone too,” he explains."

“I thought I was preparing my son for Direct School Admission. I was wrong” (22 October 2026)

"Was it my son’s dream or mine? At one point, it was difficult to know. So, what did I learn about DSA and myself along the way?

By Linda Lee

The Direct School Admission (DSA) selection period came and went. (DSA offers a pathway to secondary schools based on students’ interests, aptitudes and potential, beyond their PSLE results.)

Some of my son’s classmates got their shortlisting calls. I concluded that he didn’t make it.

"Okay lor," my 12-year-old acknowledged when I brought it up.

Then he went back to whatever tweens do after noteworthy news; namely, shooting the breeze with his classmates on his chat group.

Meanwhile, I moped.

+++

My interest in DSA had kicked in months ago. I had wanted my child to have a shot at DSA. It’s not that I desperately wanted him to go to a particular school. But I kept thinking: Why not try? What if he gets in? It'd open up a whole new world.

I read up on schools. I compared their different DSA talent areas. I attended webinars. I made excel sheets to inform my strategy.

Even before knowing if he would be selected, I practised interview questions with my son.

"What are your strengths? What would your teachers say about you? Why do you want to join this school?"

Shrug. "I dunno."

Pause. "My mum wants me to."

"Wrong answer!"

"But you said honesty is the best policy!"

I tried to change the topic.

"If you don't get shortlisted, will you be disappointed?"

He barely looked up from his laptop where he was trying to complete his school assignment.

"Nah."

I felt smug. Look at that: Growth mindset. Resilience. My parenting - and the school's character education - must be working.

But that interaction was an indication of what was really going on."

Multilingualism is a way of life at these schools (6 November 2026)

"Signages in different languages, storytelling sessions too, and more. These are just some creative ways primary schools are building a more inclusive, language-rich environment.

By Eveline Gan

Horizon Primary School lets stories unfold to spark students’ curiosity

When the bell rings for weekly storytelling sessions at Horizon Primary School, “Story Seeds”, the library fills quickly with eager Primary 1 and 2 students. Parent volunteers settle into different corners, each holding picture books in English, Chinese, Malay or Tamil.

Students scan the covers and listen in, deciding which story appeals to them. A tale about a hungry caterpillar, perhaps. Or a fairytale retold in a different language.

Mdm Ng Pei Rong, Head of the Mother Tongue Languages (MTL) Department, has noticed something telling in the students’ choices. “They choose the stories they want to hear – which may not necessarily be told in the language they are familiar with. To me, that’s the success of the programme,” she says.

These moments reflect what the school has been trying to build: a relationship with languages that feels natural and sustainable. This is done by weaving MTL into students’ daily experiences and providing a nurturing environment where languages and cultures become a seamless part of school life.

“Language should come very naturally in our life,” says Mdm Ng. “We don’t want it to happen only during MTL lessons. We want students to feel that many languages – and the cultures behind them – belong in their everyday school experience.”

Horizon Primary also has the “Listen to a Story” initiative. Held once a month, everyone gathers to watch a video story in either Mandarin, Malay or Tamil, with subtitles in English. It was introduced after teachers observed that some students struggled to read their MTL stories and could not enjoy them.

“We want these students to connect with their Mother Tongue. But the second objective is to promote openness – that even though this is not my Mother Tongue, I also can accept it, and even look forward to it,” Mdm Ng explains."

Why Social and Emotional Development matters in the early years (12 November 2026)

"Through guided, consistent experiences, early childhood educators can support preschoolers in developing social and emotional competencies.

At MOE Kindergarten @ Dazhong (MK@Dazhong), the mirror by the door is more than a fixture. As children arrive each morning, they are encouraged to pause, look at their reflection, and note how they are feeling before entering.

If a child frowns, early childhood educator Amily Ng, who has spent 8 years at MK, would ask gently: “I notice you are frowning — is everything okay?”

This routine helps preschool children build emotional vocabulary and supports their social and emotional development (SED). Important SED skills include self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship management and responsible decision-making.

These are reflected in the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) Nurturing Early Learners (NEL) Framework, that guides educators working with children from 4 to 6 years old in preschools. In practice, these competencies shape how children learn, interact, and make sense of their daily experiences.

“These are not competencies that emerge automatically,” said Ms Ng, who is also a mother of 2. “They develop through consistent and meaningful experiences in safe and supportive environments.”

Intentionality shapes everything in her K1 classroom. Beyond the mirror at the door, a dedicated safe space gives children room to practise the “Stop-Think-Choose" strategy when emotions run high. Over time, this helps them develop self-regulation skills, focusing on empowering the children and emotional growth over correcting behaviour."

Close to 190 Students Showcase Language and Reasoning Skills at the 5th National Chinese Riddle Competition (2 May 2026)

"189 students from 25 secondary schools participated in the fifth National Chinese Riddle Competition (全国中学生灯谜比赛) on Saturday, 2 May 2026, at Hwa Chong Institution (HCI). Jointly organised by the Committee to Promote Chinese Language Learning (CPCLL), Tung Ann District Guild, Riddle Association (Singapore) and HCI, the competition aims to foster students' appreciation and love for Chinese language and culture through the traditional art of riddle-solving.

Minister of State for Education and Chairperson of the CPCLL, Ms Jasmin Lau, delivered a speech and presented awards to the winners. At the competition, participants took part in a preliminary pen-and-paper quiz, with the top 10 teams in both the Chinese and Higher Chinese categories advancing to the Finals to compete in a live fast-paced buzzer round."

Start of 2026 Direct School Admission Exercises & ITE and Polytechnic Early Admissions Exercise (5 May 2026)

"The Direct School Admission (DSA) Exercise for admission to secondary schools and junior colleges (JCs) in 2027 will open for application from Wednesday, 6 May 2026. Separately, applications for early admission to the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and polytechnics based on course-specific aptitude and interests will start from Wednesday, 20 May and Monday, 1 June 2026 respectively.

DSA Exercise

DSA provides a pathway for students to gain admission to secondary schools or JCs based on their interests, aptitude, and potential, beyond their performance at the national examinations. Upon admission, students can further develop their talent in their secondary schools or JCs. Secondary schools and JCs can take up to 20% of their non-Integrated Programme Secondary 1 (S1) / Junior College 1 intake via the DSA Exercise."

Student Dancers Bring "Positivity" to Life at Chinese Street Dance Competition 2026 (23 May 2026)

"46 students from six secondary schools and pre-university institutions competed in the Finals of the seventh Chinese Street Dance Competition, where they introduced the story behind their choreography in Mandarin and expressed their interpretation of this year's competition theme "Positivity 正能量" through energetic dance routines.

Jointly organised by the Committee to Promote Chinese Language Learning (CPCLL) and local media content company MCC, this annual competition aims to promote the learning of Chinese language and culture through music and dance.

Minister of State for Education and Chairperson of the CPCLL, Ms Jasmin Lau, delivered a speech and presented awards to the winning teams at the Finals and Awards Ceremony held at Our Tampines Hub's Festive Plaza today."

Singapore's Young Research Talents Clinch 7 Awards at International Science and Engineering Fair 2026 (25 May 2026)

"Eight Singapore students competed against more than 1,700 students from about 60 countries, regions, and territories at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2026, where they clinched a total of seven awards. Singapore has participated in ISEF annually since 2001.

In total, four individual projects and two team projects were submitted to the ISEF, which was held in Phoenix, Arizona, USA from 9 to 15 May 2026. Through the competition, our students exchanged insights with young scientists from around the world and gained valuable learning experiences."

Education Conversations (28 May 2026)

"The Ministry of Education (MOE) has launched the Education Conversations, a series of outreach efforts that invites Singaporeans to share their views and help shape education policies that strengthen students' holistic development and prepare them for the future.

The Conversations began in April 2026 with focused group discussions involving education professionals, parents and youths. MOE will continue them through 2026 and into 2027, both in person and through the Education Conversations microsite, on topics including:

a. Moderating examination stakes, such as the use of the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) for Secondary 1 posting

b. Reviewing the Direct School Admission (DSA) scheme to strengthen student development, improve selection, and enhance accessibility

c. Strengthening the education experience, including Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) and Co-Curricular Activities (CCA), to nurture values and life skills"

Students Showcase Creativity and Language Skills at the 5th Young Reporter News Challenge (29 May 2026)

"This year, 491 students from 52 secondary schools participated in the fifth edition of the Young Reporter News Challenge (《我来报新闻》挑战赛). Jointly organised by the Committee to Promote Chinese Language Learning (CPCLL), MediaCorp 8world and Speak Mandarin Campaign, with support from the Singapore Centre for Chinese Language, the competition aims to develop students' interest and ability to communicate and present in Mandarin, as well as their media literacy skills.

Ms Jasmin Lau, Minister of State for Education and Chairperson of the CPCLL, delivered a speech and presented awards to 28 winning teams at the Awards Ceremony."

Pre-University Seminar 2026 – WE: With Everyone (5 June 2026)

"Around 550 students from 30 pre-university institutions participated in the Pre-University Seminar 2026 Closing Ceremony held at the National University of Singapore. Into its 57th edition, the annual seminar was co-organised by the Ministry of Education with Temasek Junior College this year. Themed 'WE: With Everyone', the seminar explores what it means to build an inclusive nation where every voice matters, every contribution counts, and every citizen shares in our collective success. Students explored the future of Singapore across three sub-themes and gained insights into a range of issues, policies, and perspectives to build a more united Singapore, through rich discussions and interactions at the event. The three sub-themes were "Our People, One Heartbeat", "Our Places, One Home", and "Our Purpose, Infinite Possibilities".

Minister for Education Mr Desmond Lee attended the Closing Ceremony on 5 June, where he delivered the keynote address and interacted with students in an engaging dialogue. Minister Lee also addressed questions about Singapore's current challenges and future directions surrounding the theme."

Quiz Competition Challenges Secondary School Students' Knowledge of Malay Language and Culture (24 June 2026)

"220 students from 44 secondary schools participated in the inaugural Kuiz Cepat Tepat 2.0, testing their knowledge and understanding of the Malay language and culture through a series of quizzes. Adapted from the original Cepat Tepat for primary school students, the competition saw 40 students from eight secondary schools advancing to the semi-finals.

Organised by the Malay Language Learning and Promotion Committee (MLLPC) in collaboration with Mediacorp, Kuiz Cepat Tepat 2.0 aims to encourage students to think creatively and critically, while igniting their interest in the Malay language and culture beyond the classroom.

The semi-finals will be livestreamed on Mediacorp's YouTube account and MeWATCH on 27 June 2026, from 11am to 3pm. The top four schools will then compete in the finals, which will air on Suria and MeWATCH on 30 August at 8.30pm. Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Chairman of the MLLPC, Dr Syed Harun, will attend the finals as the Guest-of-Honour and present awards to the finalists."

2026 School Placement Exercise for Returning Singaporeans (1 July 2026)

"The Ministry of Education (MOE) welcomes Singaporean students who are overseas to join our primary and secondary schools, junior colleges (JC) and Millennia Institute (MI) upon their return.

Assured School Placement (ASP) Service

Returning Singaporeans (RS) who are seeking a place in a primary or secondary school near their Singapore residence are encouraged to apply for the ASP service. It is a convenient admission route which guarantees RS a place in a school with vacancies as near to their residence as possible, even before their return to Singapore. Through the ASP service, RS need not sit for any centralised tests. Instead, the school conducts school-based tests and/or interview to determine the appropriate level and class for the child. For more information about the ASP service, please visit https://www.moe.gov.sg/returning-singaporeans/assured-school-placement.

School Placement Exercise for Returning Singaporeans (SPERS)

Apart from the ASP option, RS may choose to participate in the 2026 SPERS for those who wish to join our secondary schools, JCs or MI at the start of academic year 2027. SPERS is a centralised merit-based placement exercise held towards the end of each year for RS who have lived and studied overseas and now want to seek admission to a local school. Under SPERS, RS will sit for one set of centralised tests and receive a list of schools they are eligible to apply for, based on their performance. RS may visit the following websites to apply for the SPERS tests:

SPERS-Sec: https://www.moe.gov.sg/returning-singaporeans/secondary/spers

SPERS-JC/MI: https://www.moe.gov.sg/returning-singaporeans/post-secondary/spers

The application for admission to Secondary 1 to 3 will open from 8 July (Wednesday) till 17 July (Friday) 2026, and the SPERS-Sec tests will be held between 1 September (Tuesday) and 3 September (Thursday) 2026. The application for Pre-University 1 will open from 9 July (Thursday) till 16 October (Friday) 2026, and the SPERS-JC/MI tests will be held on 6 November (Friday) 2026. As Secondary 4 and Pre-University 2 are national examination years, RS generally do not enter the school system at these levels. SPERS applicants will receive their school posting results in December 2026, and will join our secondary schools and JC/MI at the start of the school term in 2027."

Six Young Educators Recognised for Passion and Dedication in Nurturing Students (1 July 2026)

"In recognition of their unwavering dedication and impactful contributions to nurturing students, six teachers received the Outstanding Youth in Education Award (OYEA) from Minister for Education, Mr Desmond Lee, at the National Institute of Education (NIE) Teachers' Investiture Ceremony on Wednesday, 1 July 2026. The recipients are (in alphabetical order):

• Mdm Faridah Binte Mohamed Ali, 33, Fuhua Primary School

• Ms Lena Teo Ying Hui, 35, Zhonghua Secondary School

• Mr Ng Jun Kian, Eugene, 35, Springfield Secondary School

• Mr Rishvinder Singh, 33, Changkat Changi Secondary School

• Mr Yeo Rong Yao Jeremy, 35, Yishun Innova Junior College

• Miss Yip Joo Yee, 32, New Town Primary School

Introduced in 1999, OYEA is a national award that recognises young teachers aged 35 and below for their passion for teaching, enthusiasm, creativity, and active involvement in their students' holistic development. Beyond honouring the achievements of young educators, OYEA also aims to inspire youths to pursue teaching as a purposeful and fulfilling profession.

The six recipients have demonstrated a strong belief that education is not just about academic achievement, but about developing students holistically and instilling in them a joy for lifelong learning. The recipients are also committed to nurturing future-ready students who are resilient, empathetic, adaptable and equipped with strong problem-solving, critical, and creative thinking skills."

"Script It Right" Chinese Radio Drama Script Writing Competition Draws Record Student Participants and Entries (3 July 2026)

"The annual "Script it Right" Chinese Radio Drama Script Writing Competition ("与声剧来"中文广播剧创作比赛) drew a record 1,058 participants who submitted 401 entries, the highest figures in the competition's history. Minister of State for Education and Chairperson of the Committee to Promote Chinese Language Learning (CPCLL), Ms Jasmin Lau, was the Guest-of-Honour at the Awards Ceremony, which recognised students for their outstanding narrative skills and proficiency in the Chinese Language. Jointly organised by the CPCLL, local radio station UFM100.3 and Holy Innocents' High School, the competition aims to promote Chinese Language learning through storytelling.

Now in its 12th edition, the competition this year drew inspiration from the unit "With Your Companionship" (有你做伴), in the secondary school Chinese textbook "Hua Wen Ban Wo Xing" (华文伴我行). As in past editions, students were challenged to push their creative boundaries to craft narratives that were both original and contemporary. For example, students had to weave one of three given elements into their scripts — the theme (特定主题：有你做伴), the dialogue "A longer route is fine; maybe you'll encounter different landscapes" (预设对白：绕点远路没关系，也许能看到不一样的风景), and the sound effect of coughing (特选音效：咳嗽声).

Five teams from the Primary School category (Category A) earned the Merit Awards for their outstanding scripts, while seven teams from the Secondary School, Junior College/Millennia Institute, and Polytechnic category (Category B) clinched the Top 3 and Merit Awards. As an additional highlight, UFM100.3 will bring the winning Category B scripts to life as radio dramas, to be broadcast between July and August on the radio station."

National Chinese Reading Competition Cultivates Students' Joy of Reading (4 July 2026)

"A total of 1,909 students from 254 primary and secondary schools came together to celebrate Chinese reading culture at the second edition of the National Chinese Reading Competition. Among them, 150 students across the primary and secondary school categories advanced to the competition finals today.

Jointly organised by the Committee to Promote Chinese Language Learning (CPCLL), Xin Zhi Reading Club and the Association for Research on AI in Learning and Leadership, with support from local publishers and companies, the competition aims to foster a love for reading, promote a vibrant Chinese reading culture, and cultivate good reading habits among students. Guest-of-Honour Ms Jasmin Lau, Minister of State for Education and Chairperson of the CPCLL, delivered a speech and presented awards to the winners at the award ceremony."

Mother Tongue Languages Symposium to Cultivate Children's Joyful Discovery in Mother Tongue Language Learning (13 July 2026)

"The Ministry of Education (MOE) and the three Mother Tongue Language Learning and Promotion Committees (MTLLPCs) will hold the flagship Mother Tongue Languages Symposium on Saturday, 1 August 2026. This year, the symposium makes its debut at the Singapore EXPO, bringing together more participants and a richer programme than before.

Now in its 14th year, the theme of this year's symposium, "A Garden for Joyful Discovery", symbolises a vibrant and joyful learning environment for children to learn and appreciate their Mother Tongue Languages (MTLs). Through storytelling, role-play and creative expression, young participants can explore fun and creative ways to learn and use their MTL in their daily lives alongside four mascots: Xiao Tao, the collaborative flower; Sani, the confident adventurer; Kavin, the creative garden whiz; and Peppy, the caring bee.

This year's symposium will feature 42 sharing sessions and interactive workshops, as well as 41 exhibitors from schools and community partners on ways to promote MTL learning and appreciation. The sharing sessions and interactive workshops will draw insights from academics, educators, curriculum specialists, early childhood advocates, and media personalities. For example, parents can learn how Mediacorp Chinese news presenter Zhao Quanyin draws on her experience as both an anchor and a mother to explore ways to incorporate play in joyful Chinese learning at home. They can also hear from celebrity entrepreneur and early childhood advocate Syah Ibrahim, who will share how everyday play moments can be transformed into rich Malay Language experiences. Mediacorp Oli 968 presenter Nithiyia Rao will also share how her journey in Tamil radio broadcasting has shaped her approach to keeping Tamil alive and meaningful at home through stories, music, and cultural experiences.

In addition, curriculum specialists from MOE will share about the MTL curricula, how digital resources can support home-based learning, and practical strategies for parents to raise confident bilingual children."

School Terms and Holidays for 2027 (14 July 2026)

"The school year for 2027 for all MOE primary schools (including MOE Kindergartens) and secondary schools will start on Monday, 4 January 2027 and end on Friday, 19 November 2027."

Steps Taken by the Ministry of Education on Observations Made by the Auditor-General's Office in Its Report for FY2025/2026 (15 July 2026)

"During the Auditor-General's Office (AGO) audit, the Ministry of Education (MOE) identified possible falsified approval emails relating to the appointment of new officers. MOE takes this matter very seriously. We have made a Police report, and the officer responsible has been dismissed from service.

Robust and transparent hiring processes are essential to maintaining integrity and fairness in public service recruitment. In MOE, candidates are assessed through formal recruitment processes, including recruitment panels. Before an appointment can be offered, it must be approved by the appropriate authority. These steps help to ensure that hiring decisions are properly reviewed and authorised.

Following the issues identified during the audit, MOE has strengthened its processes. We have introduced independent checks to verify that all appointments have received the required approvals. We are also working towards automating staff appointment processes to reduce reliance on manual workflows and further strengthen governance."

New Community Programme Empowers Parents to Interact with Their Infants in Mandarin from Birth (18 July 2026)

"Parents of infants now have access to practical tools and strategies to nurture their children's foundation in the Chinese language from birth, with the launch of a new community programme, Parents' Workshop: Interacting in Mandarin with Infants Aged 0–12 Months (家长工作坊：如何与0-12个月的婴儿用华语进行互动).

Jointly organised by the Committee to Promote Chinese Language Learning (CPCLL) and Tengah Grassroots Organisations, this pilot programme shows parents how to weave the Chinese language into their daily caregiving routines via the Chinese Language Multi-Sensory Interaction Guide Cards for Infants (与0-12个月婴儿多感官互动指引卡), which enable them to engage their infants in Mandarin through sight, sound and touch.

The pilot programme comprises five workshop sessions facilitated by past recipients of the Outstanding Preschool Mother Tongue Language Award , who will demonstrate interaction techniques and guide parents in using the activity cards with their infants. Parents can then bring the cards home to incorporate them into daily routines. The sessions will be held at Tengah Community Club on three Saturdays across July to September 2026."

Racial Harmony Day 2026 Our People, Our Tapestry (21 July 2026)

"Racial Harmony Day (RHD), which falls on 21 July, is commemorated annually by schools to deepen students' appreciation of racial harmony, multiculturalism, and social cohesion. Continuing with the theme of "Our People, Our Tapestry", the emphasis is on how various cultural threads, each representing the unique identities, traditions, beliefs, and practices of our diverse communities, are interwoven with one another. It reflects how Singapore's multicultural tapestry can remain strong and unified through fostering mutual understanding and respect across ethnic and religious communities.

Minister for Education, Mr Desmond Lee, joined students and staff at St. Anthony's Canossian Primary School to commemorate RHD on 21 July. Minister was welcomed by the school choir with the song "Little Red Dot" written by Singaporean composer Liong Kit Yeng, before joining a Primary 6 Character and Citizenship Education lesson, where students discussed the topic of racial stereotypes and how they could respond to promote greater understanding of one another's culture. Minister then visited 'Weaving Our Tapestry', a collaborative installation of paper links bearing messages reflecting our community's strength, diversity, and unity, before interacting with students at booths showcasing traditional games, food, music, and cultural practices from Singapore's different communities.

Minister also viewed a tiles exhibit created by Primary 1 students, who drew inspiration from Singapore's heritage to explore colour planning. The visit concluded with Minister sharing his personal experiences with racial harmony with students."

ASEAN Education Leaders Convene in Singapore to Drive Regional Education Agenda (22 July 2026)

"Singapore is hosting the 14th ASEAN, 8th ASEAN Plus Three, and 8th East Asia Summit Education Ministers' Meetings from 22 to 23 July 2026 at the Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore. The meetings are held as part of Singapore's chairmanship of the ASEAN Education Sector from 2026 to 2027.

As the ASEAN Education Chair, Singapore welcomes education ministers and senior officials from across the region to exchange perspectives and strengthen regional education cooperation. The 14th ASEAN Education Ministers' Meeting (ASED) and Related Meetings are attended by delegations from all 11 ASEAN Member States, as well as representatives participating in the ASEAN Plus Three and East Asia Summit meetings, and officials from the ASEAN Secretariat.

Themed "Strengthening ASEAN through Education", the 14th ASED opened on 22 July with remarks by Singapore's Minister for Education Mr Desmond Lee. Minister Lee also launched the ASEAN Work Plan on Education 2026 – 2030 together with fellow ASEAN education ministers. This work plan sets out the region's collective priorities to build inclusive, comprehensive, and transformative education systems. It focuses on developing well-rounded, resilient individuals alongside a highly skilled and competitive workforce, while fostering an ASEAN identity that embodies shared ASEAN values.

Under Singapore's chairmanship, the Ministry of Education (MOE) will organise signature programmes on Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIEd), STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Education, and the holistic development of students. The Singapore Centre for Character and Citizenship Education will also lead a regional research network to advance shared approaches to values education across ASEAN Member States, providing a platform for countries to share how values education is designed and enacted within their national curricula. Through these initiatives, educators and students from Singapore and ASEAN members states will have the opportunity to learn from each other and strengthen their friendships."

Students' Singing and Songwriting Creativity on Display at Annual Xinyao Competition (25 July 2026)

"48 students were recognised for their vocal and compositional talent at the "Xin Kong Xia" (新空下) Xinyao Singing and Songwriting Competition 2026. This year, 356 participants from 68 schools submitted 124 original creations, a strong testament to students' continued interest in Xinyao, a genre of Mandarin songs unique to Singapore. Guest-of-Honour Ms Jasmin Lau, Minister of State for Education and Chairperson of the Committee to Promote Chinese Language Learning (CPCLL), delivered a speech and presented awards to winners at the award ceremony.

Now in its 12th year, the competition returned to a community space with the grand finals held at Our Tampines Hub's Festive Arts Theatre – reflecting the grassroots origins of Xinyao, which began as a youth-led cultural movement in Singapore 44 years ago. The winning entry for the Lyrics Writing Category, 《飞向云霄》 ("Soaring to the Skies"), penned by Sun Yucheng and Zhan Li from Catholic High School, was performed live during the event.

Jointly organised by the CPCLL, Lianhe Zaobao, TCR Music Station, and Jurong Pioneer Junior College, this annual competition aims to nurture students' interest in the Chinese language while encouraging creativity, original songwriting and appreciation of Singapore's Xinyao heritage."

Record Turnout of Over 2,600 Student Participants at 9th National Text Recital Competition (25 July 2026)

"Over 2,600 students from 281 primary and secondary schools, junior colleges, and Millennia Institute submitted more than 1,500 video entries for the 9th National Text Recital Competition – the largest turnout in the competition's history.

At the award ceremony today, 105 students emerged winners and were recognised for their vocal articulation, fluency and stage presence. Guest-of-Honour Ms Jasmin Lau, Minister of State for Education and Chairperson of the Committee to Promote Chinese Language Learning (CPCLL), delivered a speech and presented awards to the winners.

Jointly organised by the CPCLL, Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School, Chung Cheng High School (Main), and the Singapore Chinese Teachers Literary Recital Society, the competition aims to raise Chinese language reading proficiency among students, ignite their love for learning the language, and deepen their understanding and appreciation of Chinese texts."

Measures to Tackle Youth Self-Radicalisation in Schools and Institutions (27 July 2026)

"The Ministry of Education (MOE) takes a very serious view of youth self-radicalisation. Our schools and Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) will continue to step up efforts to stay vigilant and respond to the threat of youth self-radicalisation.

Preventive and Educative Efforts on Counter-Radicalisation

In Social Studies and Secondary History, and Character and Citizenship Education (CCE), students learn about the negative impact of extreme ideas, prejudice and stereotypes, and explore how these can be addressed. Through teacher-facilitated inquiry and discussions, students consider the roles that individuals and groups can play in strengthening understanding and interactions across racial and religious groups, and how they can contribute to promoting harmony.

Cyber Wellness lessons in CCE teach students to be safe, respectful and responsible users of cyberspace, and to be a positive influence online. Students develop skills to recognise risks online, and identify and discern negative influences and inappropriate websites. Students are also taught to look out for one another and encouraged to seek help from trusted adults like parents, teachers or school counsellors.

Schools and teachers are also trained to identify students who may be at-risk of online self-radicalisation. For instance, school counsellors work closely with teachers and other school personnel to look out for students who may be at risk, so that timely intervention can be provided when concerns are identified. School leaders and teachers are also guided on prompt handling of such cases, including providing timely guidance and counselling so that issues can be addressed before they escalate to more serious levels.

Since 2007, MOE has partnered the Internal Security Department (ISD) to conduct counter-terrorism and counter-radicalisation workshops and activities for student leaders, educators and other school staff across primary schools, secondary schools, junior colleges and IHLs. These efforts sensitise participants to the terrorism threat, tell-tale signs of radicalisation, and the importance of early reporting."

Record 210 Students Awarded the Singapore-Industry Scholarship (SgIS) in Its 15th Year (28 July 2026)

"This year marks the 15th year of the Singapore-Industry Scholarship (SgIS), with a record number of 210 students receiving the SgIS. Minister for Education, Mr Desmond Lee, graced the 2026 SgIS Award Ceremony, held at the Singapore University of Technology and Design.

The SgIS aims to nurture a core of Singaporean industry leaders to steer the development of the country's key strategic industries. To date, it is the only multi-industry scholarship offered in partnership between the Government and local industries. Since its inception, SgIS has established itself as one of the choice scholarships in Singapore, and awarded more than 2,000 scholarships to Singaporean students.

The SgIS highlights the importance the Government and local industries place on developing a pipeline of local talent that are essential for Singapore's economy and businesses in the long run.

From 28 Sponsoring Organisations (SOs) in 2012, the number of SOs for SgIS has increased steadily over the years to a total of 146 in 2026. These 146 SOs come from 16 key sectors, including biomedical and pharmaceuticals, electronics, engineering, lifestyle and food, and social services. Their strong support for SgIS provides good career opportunities that will develop a strong Singaporean talent pipeline to support strategic sectors."

206 Individuals Awarded Teaching Scholarships and Grants at MOE Scholarship Ceremony (31 July 2026)

"206 individuals received scholarships and grants from Minister for Education Mr Desmond Lee at the Ministry of Education (MOE) Scholarship Ceremony held at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre today. The scholarship ceremony brought together recipients of the MOE Teaching Scholarships, MOE Teaching Award, and the Singapore Teaching and Academic Research Talent Scheme (START) Awards.

MOE Teaching Scholarships and MOE Teaching Award

This year, 185 students received the MOE Teaching Scholarships and the MOE Teaching Award at the scholarship ceremony.

The MOE Teaching Scholarships and Teaching Award are awarded to individuals who possess a strong passion for education and teaching. Recipients will be sponsored for their undergraduate tuition fees and receive an allowance. They will also be given developmental opportunities to prepare themselves for an enriching career as an educator, and to hone their leadership skills.

START Awards

A total of 21 Singaporeans were awarded scholarships and grants under START this year. This year's awardees are pursuing research interests in areas such as Plant Nanobiosensors, Data-centric AI, and Immersive Extended Reality (XR) philosophy.

START provides a suite of undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships and awards to Singaporeans interested in an academic career at the six Autonomous Universities (AUs), strengthening the pool of Singaporean talent in both research and teaching. Awardees study at local or overseas institutions, before embarking on their careers in Singapore. The awards include the Ministry of Education – Autonomous University (MOE-AU) Scholarship, Overseas PhD Scholarship, Overseas Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Early Career Awards, and the Inauguration Grant."

Nurturing Students' Love for Mother Tongue Languages Through Expanded Opportunities and Joyful Discovery (1 August 2026)

"At the 14th Mother Tongue Languages Symposium (MTLS) on 1 August 2026, Minister for Education Desmond Lee announced the following initiatives to strengthen Mother Tongue Language (MTL) learning and deepen students' appreciation of language and culture:

a. Expansion of the Mother Tongue Language Elective Programme at both the secondary and pre-university levels to give more students the opportunity to pursue their MTL at an advanced level.

b. Expansion of the Malay (Special Programme) to allow more students the opportunity to learn Malay as a third language.

c. Launch of a new AI Essay Marking System (AIMS) to support Chinese Language teachers and students in secondary schools.

Expansion of Mother Tongue Language Elective Programme

The Mother Tongue Language Elective Programme (LEP), offered in selected junior colleges (LEP-JC) and secondary schools (LEP-Sec), nurtures linguistically talented students to achieve high proficiency in Chinese, Malay or Tamil and strengthen their engagement with culture and literature. The LEP-Sec focuses on building a strong foundation in language and cultural appreciation through the study of MTL Literature, while the LEP-JC seeks to cultivate a deeper interest in MTL and literature through a variety of cultural activities.

From 2027, the Ministry of Education (MOE) will expand both the LEP-JC and LEP-Sec programmes:

a. The LEP-JC and LEP-Sec programmes in Tamil Language (TLEP-JC and TLEP-Sec) will be expanded through a centre-based approach at the Umar Pulavar Tamil Language Centre (UPTLC), in addition to the two junior colleges and three secondary schools currently offering the programmes. These programmes are now more accessible to students from schools that do not currently offer the TLEP, and provide a clearer progression pathway for students moving from TLEP-Sec to TLEP-JC.

b. The LEP-JC programme in Chinese Language (CLEP-JC) will be expanded to a sixth school, Anderson Serangoon Junior College, allowing more students to benefit from the programme."

Students Demonstrate Creativity and Vocal Talent at Malay Choral Recitation Competition (11 August 2026)

"More than 200 students from six primary and six secondary schools advanced to the finals of Katapella 2026, Singapore's annual national Malay choral recitation competition. Competing before a live audience, students showcased their linguistic talents and creative expressions in the Malay language.

Jointly organised by the Malay Language Learning and Promotion Committee (MLLPC) and Mediacorp, Katapella aims to foster in students a deeper appreciation for the Malay language and culture beyond the classroom.

The competition finals will be broadcast on Mediacorp's Suria and MeWatch over two hour-long episodes. The primary school category will air on 14 August 2026 at 8.30pm, followed by the secondary school category on 21 August 2026 at 8.30pm."

Three New Publications and Grant Call for Proposals to Support and Enrich Local Malay Literary Scene (14 August 2026)

"The Malay Language Learning and Promotion Committee (MLLPC) launched a novel titled 'JLN404', and two short story anthologies titled 'Jangan Ikut Hantu' and 'Tanah Air' on Friday, 14 August 2026, at The POD @ National Library Board. Guest-of-Honour Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education, delivered a speech at the launch event.

The publications, commissioned by the MLLPC and penned by local writers Farihan Bahron, Djohan Abdul Rahman and Noridah Kamari, are part of efforts to promote an appreciation of the Malay language and cultivate a love of reading among young readers. They also aim to further encourage students to read and appreciate local literary works.

At the event, Dr Syed Harun announced a third round of grant call for proposals to encourage writers to produce more Malay language content for children and young adults. The grant will provide funding to selected writers, enabling them to develop and publish new works that will enrich the local Malay literary scene."

Annual Seminar Gathers Over 760 Preschool Chinese Language Teachers to Explore Meaningful Teacher-Child Interactions (15 August 2026)

"More than 760 preschool Chinese Language (CL) teachers came together for this year's Seminar for Preschool Chinese Language Teachers at Dunman High School on 15 August 2026. Themed "From 'Responding' to 'Co-constructing': Practice and Enhancement of High-Quality Teacher-Child Interactions" ("从'回应'到'共建'——高质量师幼互动的实践与提升"), the seminar equipped participants with practical tools and techniques to foster more meaningful connections with children in their care.

Organised by the Committee to Promote Chinese Language Learning (CPCLL) and supported by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), the National Institute of Early Childhood Development (NIEC) and Dunman High School, this annual seminar serves as a platform for preschool CL teachers to enhance their teaching skills and grow their professional networks. Guest-of-Honour Mr Xie Yao Quan, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Member of Parliament for Jurong Central Single Member Constituency and Leader of the CPCLL Preschool Group, delivered opening remarks at the event."

Over 180 Students Demonstrate Public Speaking and Critical Thinking at Inaugural National Secondary Schools Chinese Debate Competition (15 August 2026)

"186 students from 28 secondary schools participated in the inaugural National Secondary Schools Chinese Debate Competition, and the top four teams were recognised at the awards ceremony today. Guest-of-Honour Mr Xie Yao Quan, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Member of Parliament for Jurong Central Single Member Constituency and Leader of the Committee to Promote Chinese Language Learning (CPCLL) Preschool Group, delivered a speech and presented awards to the winners at the event.

Jointly organised by the CPCLL and the Tan Kah Kee Foundation (TKKF), the competition aims to boost students' public speaking and debating skills, cultivate their critical thinking skills, and strengthen their confidence in using the Chinese language.

A total of 31 teams competed across three preliminary rounds and the semi-finals, with Hwa Chong Institution (High School) and Evergreen Secondary School emerging as the finalists.

In the lead-up to the competition, around 200 students – comprising student participants and student helpers from the two organising schools, CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School and Catholic High School – attended three virtual workshops which covered the fundamentals of debate, from critical thinking and argument construction to questioning techniques and debate strategies."

Five Teachers Lauded for Outstanding Contributions to Teaching and Learning of Malay Language (21 August 2026)

"Five Malay Language teachers were recognised for their outstanding contributions to the teaching and learning of the Malay Language at this year's Arif Budiman Malay Language Teacher Award Ceremony on Friday, 21 August 2026. Guest-of-Honour Mr Chee Hong Tat, Minister for National Development, presented the awards to the finalists and winners.

Since 2007, the Awards have recognised 83 primary, secondary, and pre-university Malay Language educators. The Awards are presented in two categories: the (i) Role Model Category for teachers with 10 years of teaching service or more, and the (ii) Motivation Category for teachers with less than 10 years of teaching service.

All Malay Language teachers in local mainstream schools were eligible for nomination, based on their contributions from 2024 to 2025. This year, 422 nominations were received between February and March. The awardees were selected by a panel of judges comprising community leaders, academics from Institutions of Higher Learning, school leaders and media representatives."

St. Joseph's Institution Junior and Yusof Ishak Secondary School Named Katapella 2026 Champions (21 August 2026)

"St. Joseph's Institution Junior and Yusof Ishak Secondary School have emerged as the champions of Katapella 2026, Singapore's national Malay choral recitation competition, in the primary school and secondary school categories respectively. Each winning team received trophies and book vouchers.

Jointly organised by the Malay Language Learning and Promotion Committee (MLLPC) and Mediacorp, Katapella aims to foster in students a deeper appreciation for the Malay language and culture beyond the classroom."

Four Teachers Recognised at Most Inspiring Tamil Teachers' Award Ceremony 2026 (29 August 2026)

"Four teachers received the Most Inspiring Tamil Teachers' (MITT) Award in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the teaching and learning of the Tamil Language. In addition to the MITT Award, one teacher was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award while another received the Best National Institute of Education (NIE) Tamil Trainee Teacher Award.

Guest-of-Honour Mr Dinesh Vasu Dash, Chairman of the Tamil Promotion Committee (TPC), Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and the Ministry of Manpower, and Mayor of South East District, presented the awards to the recipients at the MITT Award Ceremony today.

Jointly organised by Tamil Murasu (TM), the Singapore Tamil Teachers' Union (STTU) and the TPC, the MITT Award recognises the stellar performance of our Tamil Language teachers in educating and promoting Tamil language among their students. Award winners also serve as role models for other Tamil Language educators in nurturing our students' love for the language and using technology creatively to enhance learning. Each award recipient will receive a plaque, a certificate of achievement and a cash grant."

Ang Mo Kio Secondary School Emerges as Champion of Kuiz Cepat Tepat 2.0 (30 August 2026)

"Ang Mo Kio Secondary School has emerged as the champion of the inaugural Kuiz Cepat Tepat 2.0, a game show that tested secondary school students on their knowledge and understanding of Malay language and culture through a series of challenging quizzes. The winning team received a trophy and book vouchers in recognition of their achievement.

Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Chairperson of the Malay Language Learning and Promotion Committee (MLLPC), was the Guest-of-Honour in the final episode of Kuiz Cepat Tepat 2.0 on Suria, where he presented prizes to the finalists.

Organised by the MLLPC in collaboration with Mediacorp, Kuiz Cepat Tepat 2.0 aims to foster in students a deeper appreciation of Malay language and culture beyond the classroom, while encouraging them to think creatively and critically."

211 Special Awards to Recognise Students' Diverse Achievements (31 August 2026)

"This year, 202 students from 90 educational institutions received a total of 211 Special Awards, to recognise their diverse achievements in both academic and non-academic domains. Senior Minister of State for Education Dr Janil Puthucheary presented the awards at the Special Awards Presentation Ceremony, an annual ceremony, on 31 August 2026 at the National University of Singapore's University Cultural Centre."

Singapore Students Win 13 Gold Medals, 13 Silver Medals, 8 Bronze Medals and 1 Team Championship in this Year's International Olympiads and International Young Physicists' Tournament (2 September 2026)

"The Ministry of Education (MOE) congratulates all students for their remarkable performances at the International Olympiads for Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Mathematics, Physics, Artificial Intelligence, and Informatics, as well as the International Young Physicists' Tournament, held from July to August 2026. Beyond the competitions, our students gained valuable experience through interactions with like-minded peers from around the world.

37th International Biology Olympiad (IBO)

The Singapore team clinched three Gold medals and one Silver medal at the 37th IBO held in Vilnius, Lithuania from 12 to 19 July 2026, finishing joint 5th out of 78 countries/territories and 302 participants. The IBO tested students in both practical and theory components. The practical component comprised four tasks spanning molecular biology and biochemistry, animal physiology, animal morphology and systematics, and plant computational biology. The theory component covered a broad range of topics, including biosystematics, cell and molecular biology, ecology, ethology, genetics and evolution, and plant and animal anatomy and physiology.

58th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO)

The Singapore team clinched three Gold medals and one Bronze medal at the 58th IChO held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from 10 to 19 July 2026, emerging 7th out of 92 countries/territories and 363 participants. Students performed a diverse range of Chemistry tasks across experimental and theoretical components. In the experimental component, students had to synthesise compounds, perform quantitative analysis, and determine the identity of an unknown substance. In the theoretical component, students were required to solve problems related to biochemistry, physical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, and organic chemistry."

Eight Teachers Receive Top Honours for Dedication and Excellence in Education (3 September 2026)

"Eight outstanding educators received this year’s President’s Award for Teachers from President Tharman Shanmugaratnam at the annual Teachers’ Day Reception on 3 September 2026."

PISA 2025: Singapore Students Demonstrate Strong Real-World Problem-Solving Skills in Computational Thinking Domain (8 September 2026)

"Students Continue to Perform Strongly in Reading, Mathematics, and Science

In the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) in 2025, Singapore's 15-year-old students demonstrated strong competencies in computational thinking and using digital tools to solve complex real-world problems in the newly-assessed domain of Computational Problem Solving (CMPS). Our students also continue to perform strongly across all three core domains of Reading, Mathematics, and Science. The results affirm Singapore students strengths in applying knowledge and skills to solve complex problems and being engaged with learning, putting them in good stead for lifelong learning.

Singapore Students Do Very Well in Applying Foundational Literacies, and Using Digital Tools and Computational Thinking to Solve Real-World Problems

More than half of our students are top performers in CMPS, compared to a quarter of students in OECD countries on average. They are highly effective in applying computational practices such as conducting experiments, analysing data, and building and debugging computational artefacts to solve complex real-world problems.

Beyond proficiency, our students are also highly engaged in learning. Under OECD's framework, Singapore is one of only two systems in PISA 2025 with over two-thirds of students who are proficient learners, and more than a quarter who are engaged learners. 28% of our students are competent learners (i.e. both proficient and engaged), compared to OECD average of 14%.

Singapore students continue to perform strongly in Reading, Mathematics, and Science, outperforming their peers in nearly all other systems. Notably, Singapore's proportion (15%) of academic all-rounders (viz., top performers in all three Reading, Mathematics, and Science domains) is the highest among all participating systems (OECD average: 3%)."

Enhancing the Primary One Registration Framework for Greater Access and Inclusivity (10 September 2026)

"The Ministry of Education (MOE) is making changes to the Primary One (P1) Registration Framework, to improve access for children without prior connections to a school, and encourage greater mixing among students from different backgrounds. The revised framework will be implemented with effect from the 2027 P1 Registration Exercise (for children starting P1 in 2028)."

Redesigning Classrooms, Reimagining Learning: Strengthening Students' Holistic Development (16 September 2026)

"At this year's Schools Work Plan Seminar on 16 September 2026, Minister for Education Mr Desmond Lee outlined two shifts that the Ministry of Education (MOE) will make to redesign classrooms and reimagine learning. This builds on ongoing efforts to strengthen students' holistic development, including in areas such as 21st Century Competencies (21CC) and social-emotional competencies.

Three primary and three secondary schools will pilot the two shifts from January 2027. They will explore how learner-centred teaching approaches and more purposeful feedback can be better incorporated to support students' holistic development; and how more time and space can be provided to teachers to enable the redesign of teaching and learning in classrooms.

MOE will also roll out Teacher Workspace to all MOE schools by 2027. Teacher Workspace is a platform developed by MOE to simplify teachers' day-to-day work. It streamlines everyday processes by bringing together relevant information and tools teachers need in one place. This too, will allow teachers to invest more time into teaching and supporting students' holistic development."

20 Years of Malay Language Learning and Promotion – "Sowing the Language, Harvesting the Fruits for Generations" (18 September 2026)

"The Malay Language Learning and Promotion Committee (MLLPC) commemorated its 20th anniversary on 19 September 2026 with a Pesta Rakyat (Community Festival) themed “20 Tahun Menyemai Bahasa, Menuai Generasi” (20 years of Sowing the Language, Harvesting the Fruits for Generations), celebrating two decades of promoting the learning and use of the Malay language in Singapore and nurturing generations of confident Malay language users.

Guest-of-Honour Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Chairperson of the MLLPC, graced the event at the Malay Heritage Centre (MHC). The celebration, jointly organised by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the MHC under the National Heritage Board (NHB), also featured an appreciation ceremony for MLLPC’s key partners and the presentation of awards for the Peraduan Menulis Cerpen ‘Orang Singapura’ (‘Orang Singapura’ Short Story Writing Competition)."

More Than 10,000 Student Athletes Recognised for Sporting Achievements at Colours Award 2026 (25 September 2026)

"This year, a total of 10,061 student-athletes received recognition for their sporting achievements and display of good sporting character through the Singapore Schools Sports Council (SSSC) Colours Award. The Award is presented to students from secondary schools, junior colleges, and Millennia Institute."

49 Schools to Welcome New Principals in 2027 (7 October 2026)

"The Ministry of Education (MOE) will appoint 49 Principals at the annual Appointment and Appreciation Ceremony for Principals on 30 December 2026. Among them will be 13 newly appointed Principals.

The appointment and rotation of Principals allow schools to benefit from new perspectives and ideas, and enable experienced school leaders to share expertise and best practices across schools. Through these appointments, Principals will broaden their leadership experience and strengthen the schools they are entrusted to lead."

Open for Nominations: President's Award for Teachers and Outstanding Young Educators' Award (14 October 2026)

"The Ministry of Education (MOE) invites members of the public to nominate educators who have made outstanding contributions to their students, schools and the teaching profession. Nominations for the national awards below are now open."

All Schools Stay Prepared Through Regular Emergency Drills (23 October 2026)

"An emergency preparedness exercise involving a simulated armed perpetrator was conducted at Bukit Batok Secondary School (BBSS) on Thursday, 22 October 2026. Minister for Education, Mr Desmond Lee, was at the school to observe students and staff respond to a simulated security incident, demonstrating their readiness to manage emergency situations. This is one of the emergency drills that all primary and secondary schools, junior colleges/Millennia Institute, and Special Education schools conduct each year."

Lee Kuan Yew Fund for Bilingualism Marks 15 Years with New Initiatives to Support Early Mother Tongue Language Learning (27 October 2026)

"The Lee Kuan Yew Fund for Bilingualism (the Fund) commemorated its 15th anniversary on 27 October 2026 at the SPH Auditorium, bringing together partners and members of the community to celebrate 15 years of the Fund’s work in promoting bilingualism in Singapore.

Minister for Education and Chairman of the Fund, Mr Desmond Lee, highlighted the importance of bilingualism as a cornerstone of Singapore’s identity and the Fund’s role in complementing the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) efforts to make Mother Tongue Language (MTL) learning more meaningful and accessible. He also unveiled two initiatives aimed at strengthening MTL learning from a young age."

Full-Day Model for MOE Kindergartens (28 October 2026)

"The Ministry of Education (MOE) will pilot a Full-Day Model (FDM) at two MOE Kindergartens (MKs) in 2027, and progressively implement the FDM across all MKs from 2028 to 2030. This is part of the Government's broader efforts to help families access quality and affordable preschools, as announced at the National Day Rally 2026."

MOE Launches New Digital Platform to Increase Access to More Careers for All Schools (11 November 2026)

"The Ministry of Education (MOE) has launched a new digital platform to make it easier for students to explore different industries, discover their interests and career aspirations, and gain insights into the world of work. Minister for Education Mr Desmond Lee launched the Education and Career Guidance (ECG) Match at the MOE's School-Industry Partnership Appreciation and Networking Event on 11 November 2026."

Preschool teachers to get at least 2 hours a week away from teaching duties to plan lessons, engage parents (13 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: Preschool teachers will get at least two hours a week away from teaching and child supervision duties to plan lessons and carry out other work tasks from November 2027, under a new requirement for all centres licensed by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA).

The requirement will apply to full-time certified early childhood educators, with the non-contact time to be set aside during their working hours.

Non-contact time is protected time for educators to carry out professional responsibilities beyond teaching, caring for and supervising children. These include documenting children’s development, preparing learning resources and engaging parents and community partners.

The new requirement was announced by Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli at ECDA’s annual scholarships and training awards presentation on Tuesday (Oct 13).

Mr Masagos said the protected time is intended to give educators more time to prepare and reflect on their practice, ultimately improving the quality of preschool education for children."

‘Completely lost’: 71-year-old grandfather graduates from SUSS with multiple distinctions after initial struggles (13 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: For much of his life, Mr Wong Yee Keong thought that enrolling in a university was an "impossible dream".

After completing secondary school, he joined Keppel Shipyard as an apprentice and climbed the ranks to become a marine engineering manager over a career spanning more than 40 years.

But even as he built a successful career and raised a family, his ambition to earn a university degree never faded.

Now, at 71, the father of two and grandfather of three has fulfilled that dream, graduating from the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) with a bachelor's degree in Chinese language and literature on Tuesday (Oct 13).

He is the university’s oldest graduate this year and one of nine retirees graduating."

Childminding pilot has dozens of families waiting as operators grapple with location mismatch (14 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: Dozens of families are on a waitlist for a childminder under a government pilot offering home and community-based care for infants.

As of July 2026, more than 110 infants have enrolled in the pilot since it began in December 2024, the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) said in response to CNA’s queries.

Another 95 families are waiting to be matched with a childminder. About 250 active childminders are registered under the pilot.

Some parents who spoke to CNA said they had positive experiences with the childminders they engaged, but others struggled to find one located near their homes."

Extremist influences becoming more diverse, anyone can be susceptible: PM Wong (14 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: Extremist influences are becoming more diverse, and anyone, regardless of age, race or religion, can be susceptible, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Wednesday (Oct 14).

Singapore has seen more cases of self-radicalised individuals, many involving young Singaporeans, and not all are motivated by Islamist extremism, he said.

These include individuals influenced by far-right anti-Islam and neo-Nazi ideologies, as well as incel ideologies that promote hatred and violence against women, Mr Wong said.

Among the cases he cited were a Protestant Christian youth who had planned attacks on mosques, two young men who called themselves “East Asian supremacists”, and an individual who identified as a white supremacist despite being of Chinese ethnicity.

“That is why we must continue to look out for one another, especially our young people in Singapore,” said Mr Wong, who was speaking at a gala dinner to mark the 20th anniversary of Harmony Centre and An-Nahdhah Mosque at the Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore hotel.

“We need to keep them connected to the real world, and ensure that they have strong anchors – family, friends, teachers, religious and community leaders – people they trust and can turn to for guidance.”

NTU student creates website that estimates how many cigarettes’ worth of haze you've breathed in (16 October 2026)

"Everyone's been diligently checking PM2.5 readings before stepping outdoors these days. But one Singaporean has come up with a different metric to help people make sense of the haze.

Zi Heng, 21, a Data Science and Artificial Intelligence student at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), recently created a website called How Much Haze Have You Smoked Today?

The website estimates how many cigarettes' worth of fine-particle pollution one could have been exposed to based on Singapore's haze readings."

Haze prompts closure of all outdoor and non-air-conditioned ActiveSG facilities (16 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: Outdoor and non-air-conditioned facilities at all ActiveSG sport centres have been temporarily closed as the haze situation worsens across Singapore, national sports agency Sport Singapore (SportSG) said on Friday (Oct 16).

The move marks an expansion of earlier closures, which had affected only selected ActiveSG facilities.

SportSG issued several updates on Thursday, with different advisories as the haze situation evolved.

In its latest notice at noon on Friday, SportSG said indoor and air-conditioned facilities at all ActiveSG sport centres remain open."

Cancelled classes, lost income: Haze takes a toll on outdoor sports coaches in Singapore (16 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: For senior swim coach Grayson Ong, the worsening haze has meant cancelled lessons and lost income.

“If we don’t have lessons, it means we don’t get paid,” said the 36-year-old, whose swim school conducts classes at public, condominium and private pools across Singapore.

He estimated that more than 80 per cent of its lessons have been cancelled over the past one to two weeks as air quality deteriorated.

Coaches like Mr Ong, already grappling with falling attendance and cancellations over parents’ haze concerns, now face another setback – the temporary closure of ActiveSG facilities, leaving them with fewer venues to conduct lessons and further threatening their income.

As of 12pm on Friday (Oct 16), outdoor and non-air-conditioned facilities at all ActiveSG sports centres are temporarily closed, according to its website.

Indoor and air-conditioned facilities at all ActiveSG sports centres remain open."

Preschools to remain open even if schools close when haze hits hazardous level: Desmond Lee (16 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: Preschools will remain open even if schools close when 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) readings reach hazardous levels, said Education Minister Desmond Lee on Friday (Oct 16).

Speaking at a press conference to address the haze situation, Mr Lee said that while haze forecasts help schools plan and give parents and students advance notice, school leaders will also take into account the hourly PM2.5 readings in managing school-based activities.

If the 24-hour PSI forecast for the next day is 300 and above, the Ministry of Education (MOE), the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) will strongly encourage parents and guardians to keep their infants and young children at home.

MOE will also consider closing schools and transitioning to home-based learning for younger students from preschool to secondary school.

“We understand that this can be challenging for parents who cannot work from home or who cannot find alternative arrangements for their children,” said Mr Lee.

This is why MOE kindergartens, MOE Kindergarten Care and ECDA-licensed preschools will remain open even if schools close, said Mr Lee."

Singapore haze: 7 takeaways from press conference – from school contingency plans to mask supplies (16 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: With air quality worsening and the haze potentially reaching hazardous levels in Singapore, the government on Friday (Oct 16) held its first press conference on the situation, outlining measures to protect residents and tackle the fires contributing to the pollution.

From contingency plans for schools and national examinations to the supply of N95 masks, here are seven key takeaways.

1. Haze could reach hazardous levels and persist for weeks

Singaporeans should be prepared for the haze to continue for some time, with air quality potentially reaching hazardous levels, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu warned.

This is the first time this year that Singapore has warned that the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) could cross 300.

The situation remains fluid and will depend on weather conditions, Ms Fu said, adding that the haze could last for another three to four weeks.

However, the government expects conditions to improve towards the inter-monsoon period at the end of October or early November, when lighter and more variable winds are less likely to bring haze from Sumatra or Kalimantan.

By early December, the northeast monsoon is expected to bring winds that would carry haze from these areas away from Singapore."

Three years on, we're divorced but still go on holidays and raise our children together (17 October 2026)

"My ex-husband and I have been separated for three years. In August, we finalised our divorce.

If you were to look at us from the outside, however, it might seem like nothing has changed.

We're still living under the same roof, just in different rooms. We still have family outings. We celebrate our children's milestones, such as preschool graduations, and even go on holidays together.

Some people find it strange. Others assume we must still be together. Then, there are those who ask us: "If you're divorced, why are you still going out together?"

My response is usually: "Why can't we? Does being divorced mean we must hate each other?"

'I refuse to give up' – the 'exemplary' mother who fought for her son and is a lifeline for others (17 October 2026)

"There are people who make you feel at home almost as soon as you meet them, and Ms Zarina Jaffar is one of them.

When I arrived at her home in Woodlands, the 58-year-old retiree was sitting on the couch, absorbed in her mobile phone. But the moment she heard me at the door, she looked up, broke into a smile and hurried to welcome me inside.

Her living room was sparsely furnished, but reminders of family were everywhere: photographs of her children receiving awards, toys belonging to her grandchildren, as well as their drawings decorating the doors.

Then, I saw the spread waiting on the dining table."

CNA Explains: Can an employer sack you over your pregnancy or maternity leave? Here’s what the law says (19 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: Can a company sack an employee simply because she is expecting a baby or due to go on maternity leave? Under Singapore law, the short answer is no – yet dozens of women in past years have lodged claims alleging that is exactly what happened.

Last month, an Employment Claims Tribunal (ECT) issued a judgment awarding S$19,800 (US$15,520) to a woman who was wrongfully dismissed because of her pregnancy and maternity leave.

The Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) received 49 pregnancy-related discrimination complaints between 2019 and 2025, according to a written parliamentary response by Acting Minister for Manpower Jasmin Lau on Oct 7.

A total of 387 pregnancy-related wrongful dismissal claims were filed at the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) between April 2019 and 2025, she added."

‘Singapore is not boring’: Meet the urban explorer revealing the city's hidden stories (19 October 2026)

"Most people walking along Telok Ayer Street today would not realise they are standing where Singapore's shoreline once was.

But to former urban planner Ho Yong Min, better known as The Urbanist, clues to the area’s history are everywhere.

A temple’s orientation. A street name. Inscriptions on a stone tablet.

"If you look around, you don't see any remnants of the sea at all," he told CNA while on a walk through the area.

"But there are clues in our city that tell you that this temple used to face the sea."

Man, 73, gets jail for raping, molesting underage daughter (19 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: A 73-year-old man was sentenced to 13-and-a-half years' jail on Monday (Oct 19) for raping and molesting his biological daughter, who was between 10 and 13 years old at the time.

The teenager later told a friend that her father had been sexually assaulting her and that she wanted to kill herself.

The case was flagged to the Child Protective Service and a police report was lodged.

The elderly Singaporean man, who listened to court proceedings via a court interpreter, pleaded guilty to four charges including aggravated statutory rape, aggravated molestation and sexual exploitation of a child.

Another six charges were taken into consideration."

3,000 year-long internships to be offered to tertiary students as AI reshapes entry-level jobs (19 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: About 3,000 year-long internships will be offered to tertiary students over the next three years to help them gain work experience and transition into employment as artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes entry-level jobs in the technology sector.

The internships are part of Bridge2Tech, a set of expanded initiatives under the Infocomm Media Development Authority's (IMDA) TIP Alliance+, which now includes students from autonomous universities.

The year-long internships have been offered to eligible Information and Digital Technologies students from the Institute of Technical Education and polytechnics since 2022.

Announcing the initiative at the Singapore Computer Society's TechConnect event on Monday (Oct 19), Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information Tan Kiat How said new pathways between education and employment were needed as AI changes how young professionals gain experience.

Employers are also increasingly seeking new hires who can contribute from the outset, he noted."

Former army captain sentenced to jail for sexual acts against 15-year-old student (20 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: A former army captain was introduced to a 15-year-old student by his ex-partner, a cook in the navy, and the trio engaged in sex acts at a multi-storey car park.

Thereafter, the captain stayed in contact with the minor and met him for more sexual acts, filming them for his "personal collection".

Chaw Chia Jun, a 41-year-old Singaporean, was sentenced to 17 months' jail on Tuesday (Oct 20).

He pleaded guilty to three charges of sexual penetration of a minor, causing a minor to perform sexual penetration and producing child abuse material."

Primary 1 registration changes could cut Phase 2A places at some popular schools by a fifth or more (21 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: Parents who want their children to attend their alma mater could face more competition in the alumni affiliation phase of the Primary 1 registration exercise with the latest changes.

Under the new scheme, primary schools with 180 vacancies or more will set aside 60 places for Phase 2C, up from 40. Phase 2C, which is open to all children, is considered the most competitive phase.

This larger allocation in Phase 2C could reduce the number of places available in Phase 2A, which gives priority to children with existing ties to the school, including those whose parents are former pupils.

At some of the most in-demand schools, almost all the additional reserved spots in Phase 2C will come from Phase 2A.

CNA looked at how the changes in next year's Primary 1 registration might affect parents and schools.

Using the Ministry of Education's (MOE) figures from the 2026 exercise, the new framework could see Phase 2A spots at some popular schools drop by a fifth or more."

Couple jailed more than 15 years each over fatal abuse of their baby boy (21 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: A couple who regularly abused their child after he was born, resulting in his death at the age of eight months, was sentenced to jail on Wednesday (Oct 21).

Singaporeans Chloe Gan Ci Xuan, 23, and Neo Jia Ming, 27, were sentenced respectively to 15 years and three months' jail and 16 years' jail for various charges over the death of their son, Trevor Neo Yu Hin.

In sentencing, Justice Hoo Sheau Peng said Trevor spent nearly the entirety of his short life enduring abuse from his parents."

‘It doesn’t sound like who he is’: Family of man jailed over baby’s death said they saw no signs of abuse (21 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: Family members of a man who, along with his wife, abused their baby son before he died at the age of eight months said they had never noticed any signs of abuse and were shocked at details revealed in court.

Speaking outside the High Court, the man's mother and sister told reporters on Wednesday (Oct 21) that they had seen the couple and their son, Trevor, several times during the months when they have since learnt the abuse was taking place, but had never spotted any bruises on the baby.

They remembered Trevor as a “good boy” who was “always smiling”, and said they had never seen him cry.

The baby's parents, Chloe Gan Ci Xuan, 23, and Neo Jia Ming, 27, were sentenced on Wednesday to 15 years and three months' jail and 16 years' jail respectively for various offences linked to their son's death."

KKH says abused baby had no injuries during admission; MSF says no child protection referral before death (22 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) said abused baby Trevor Neo Yu Hin was found to have no injuries when he was admitted in January 2024, and that his case was eventually closed with "no outstanding concerns" after follow-up by the hospital.

The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), in response to CNA's queries, said separately there had been no referral to its Protective Service or to a social service agency before Trevor's death.

Before Trevor was born, his parents had attended a marriage preparation programme from May to June 2023 and were also offered parenting-related resources, the ministry said.

Trevor died in September 2024 at the age of eight months after enduring abuse from his parents, 23-year-old Chloe Gan Ci Xuan and 27-year-old Neo Jia Ming, for most of his life."

'Don't worry, I'm here': How video calls keep incarcerated parents anchored in their children’s lives (22 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: Clutching a tablet in a nondescript room, 46-year-old Fai (not his real name) waited eagerly for his daughter to appear on the Zoom call.

It had been about three months since he last saw his 15-year-old daughter in a video call. When the connection finally came through, his eyes lit up and he smiled.

But a slight technical glitch delayed their reunion. Seeing this, an officer at Changi Prison Complex stepped in, took the tablet away to resolve the issue, and handed it back to the inmate.

The conversation finally began: his daughter speaking from her school, and him from behind prison walls.

For the next hour, the screen became a bridge between their two worlds – made possible by an initiative piloted by the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) and schools to keep incarcerated parents anchored in their children’s education through quarterly video calls.

Since its launch in 2022, the pilot, Project Hope, has helped 134 inmates stay involved in their school-going children's lives."

Commentary: From PSLE to piano lessons, are parents creating a new arms race? (23 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: When children hit the age of 12, some Singaporean parents are ready to take on the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) even decades after they left their primary schools.

We can tell when the parents among us have children sitting for PSLE. Their annual leave is all saved and reserved for September. Some even take sabbaticals from work or say no to new projects and roles.

On the surface, these sacrifices appear commendable. But at what cost?

Parents unwittingly lay more stress on their children when they make such monumental sacrifices for their PSLE journey. “I have taken a year off from work for you, you better do well for your PSLE!” “We didn’t go for any family holiday this year, you better appreciate it by doing well!”

Suddenly a 12-year-old is now not merely sitting for an examination. He is apparently responsible for Mummy’s career progression or Daddy’s leisure and wellness.

We frequently talk about the stress children experience from PSLE. According to a recently published study by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), around two-thirds of parents surveyed agreed that the education system caused unnecessary stress to their children. But whose stress is this, anyway?"

Next phase of marriage and parenthood recommendations to cover work-life balance, education stress: Indranee (23 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: The workgroup on marriage and parenthood will look at work-life balance and education stress in its next phase of recommendations, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Indranee Rajah on Friday (Oct 23).

Speaking at a DBS Foundation event at the Institute of Technical Education College Central, Ms Indranee, who chairs the workgroup, said its work will also cover more progressive workplace practices, fertility and maternal health, among other areas.

This comes after Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced enhanced childcare leave, more affordable childcare and more financial support for parents at this year’s National Day Rally."

Man jailed after twice shoving boy, 7, who hit his daughter at indoor playground (23 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: Enraged after a seven-year-old boy struck his young daughter in the face at an indoor playground, a man shoved the child to the ground twice.

Koh Gek Kuan, 44, was jailed for 80 days on Friday (Oct 23) after earlier pleading guilty to a count of voluntarily causing hurt to a child below 14 years old. Another charge of the same nature was taken into consideration for his sentencing.

The name of the boy, then seven, and the indoor playground where the incident occurred cannot be revealed due to a gag order imposed by the court."

MSF looks to double regular volunteer pool by 2030 to tackle complex social needs: Masagos (23 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: Around 3,000 additional regular volunteers are expected to be needed by 2030, doubling the current pool, as opportunities expand across befriending, mentoring, fostering and family support, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) said on Friday (Oct 23).

The call comes as the ministry looks to strengthen volunteer pathways, enabling volunteers to build deeper relationships with beneficiaries and create avenues for experienced volunteers to lead and shape programmes.

“As social needs become increasingly complex, individuals and families benefit from a stronger network of support that brings together volunteers, communities, professionals and families.

“This is part of a whole-of-society effort to achieve better outcomes for individuals and families,” MSF said."

What it would take for a fairer P1 registration system - and whether parents have the stomach for it (24 October 2026)

"When his eldest son enters Primary 1 in a few years' time, Mr S Sharif could have an advantage that other parents do not.

The 36-year-old is an alumnus of Tanjong Katong Primary School, one of the schools he and his wife are considering for their four-year-old. Under the current Primary 1 registration framework, that connection would allow his son to apply in Phase 2A, ahead of children without prior links to the school.

Although he could benefit from it, Mr Sharif does not think getting a child into a school based on parents' connections is fair.

"I've always had the impression that we're a very meritocratic society. But how do you apply meritocracy to five- or six-year-old children?" asked the compliance manager.

"Getting your child into a school then depends on whether the parent has better connections or attended that school, and I don't think that's fair."

But when registration time comes, Mr Sharif acknowledged that he would still seriously consider using the alumni route available to him.

"Since this is the system we have, I'll take advantage of it."

65 harmful apps, 24 wrongly age-rated found in Singapore review of over 7,000 apps (24 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: A total of 65 apps with harmful content and 24 that had wrong age ratings were found in a review of over 7,000 across five app stores, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) said on Saturday (Oct 24).

In its first online safety assessment for app stores, IMDA said the apps have since been removed or re-rated. They were found on Apple App Store, Google Play Store, Huawei AppGallery, Microsoft Store and Samsung Galaxy Store.

Sexual content, violent content and content facilitating vice and organised crime were the most prevalent types of harmful and inappropriate content.

Of the 65 apps that were removed for containing harmful content, 59 contained sexual content, four contained violent content, and two contained content facilitating vice and organised crime.

Apps removed for breaching store policies included one with a “nudification function” that could transform uploaded photos of individuals into sexually explicit images, a game with excessive violent content including murder and a gambling app with crypto or real-money payouts.

Of the 24 apps that were wrongly age-rated, 14 contained sexual content, three contained violent content, and seven contained content facilitating vice and organised crime.

Apps without appropriate age ratings included AI chatbots with sexualised prompts or games related to adult sexual experiences, a game involving weapons in a school setting and a role-playing game set in crime and drug themes."

Majority of parents and youths prefer tiered access to social media over outright ban: MDDI (24 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: About 80 per cent of parents and nearly 70 per cent of youths support tiered access to social media over an outright ban, according to findings from the Ministry of Digital Development and Information’s (MDDI) engagement with over 2,000 parents and youths.

The ministry said the findings reinforce the government’s proposed approach of age-appropriate access, alongside platform adjustments to let young people benefit from technology with stronger protections.

It intends to introduce legislation next year focused on age assurance and safer design of social media for teenagers.

Under the approach, platforms would have to put in place effective age assurance measures for young users and make their services safer by design, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) said."

Singapore Rail Academy to partner 5 educational institutions to help rail workers gain formal qualifications (24 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: The Singapore Rail Academy will partner five educational institutions to help rail workers gain formal qualifications by making it easier for their on-the-job training and industry certifications to count towards diplomas and degrees.

The partnership, announced by Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow on Saturday (Oct 24), is part of a broader revamp of the academy from November that will also see training programmes by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and rail operators SMRT and SBS Transit brought under a common curriculum.

Speaking at the Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) BusTech and RailTech Grand Challenge at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) College West, Mr Siow said the partnership would make it easier for students to enter the rail industry and for existing workers to pursue further qualifications.

The five educational institutions are ITE, Nanyang Polytechnic, Republic Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic, and the Singapore Institute of Technology."

10 Local Chinese arts and culture events to catch this year-end (26 October 2026)

Catch new takes on tradition through programmes that are free or eligible for SG Culture Pass credits.

The final months of the year bring new ways to experience local Chinese arts and culture, from familiar traditions to contemporary interpretations. Across the programmes, audiences can revisit stories, encounter different artistic practices and take part in creative experiences of their own. Most events are free or can be paid for using SG Culture Pass credits.

1. HAVE YOUR SAY: CO-CONCEPTUALISING THE SINGAPORE CHINESE HERITAGE GALLERY

This travelling exhibition invites visitors to help shape the future Singapore Chinese Heritage Gallery. Across four feedback zones, they can preview proposed content, vote on themes and presentation formats, and share what Singapore Chinese culture means to them. Nov 2 to 30 at Jurong West Public Library. Admission is free.

2. SINGAPORE TV: FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL SPECIAL EXHIBITION

Spanning five thematic zones, this exhibition by Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC) and Mediacorp looks back at the history and evolution of Singapore’s local Chinese-language television dramas. More than a showcase of memorable productions, it pays tribute to the people and stories that helped shape the industry while tracing its continuing influence in Singapore and beyond. Now till Jan 26, 2027, at SCCC Creative Box, Level 6. Admission is free.

Singapore to develop local expertise in nuclear energy through three new schemes (26 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: Singapore has launched three schemes to help develop a “strong pipeline of local expertise” in nuclear energy, the Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry (METI) and Energy Market Authority (EMA) said on Monday (Oct 26).

The schemes will help build the capabilities to assess the suitability of advanced nuclear energy technologies for power generation in Singapore, METI and EMA said in a press release on Monday (Oct 26), the first day of Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW).

They will also help Singapore prepare for an assessment by international experts on the country's ability to make an informed decision on the potential deployment of advanced nuclear energy technologies.

Known as the Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review Mission, the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment previously said the assessment would support the government in validating its progress and ensure that Singapore's capability development is advancing in the right direction."

Woman pleads guilty to conspiring to abuse 4-year-old Megan Khung, helping dispose of her body (26 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: A woman who helped dispose of four-year-old Megan Khung's body and was part of the conspiracy to abuse her pleaded guilty on Monday (Oct 26).

Megan had been abused by her mother, Foo Li Ping, and her mother's boyfriend, Wong Shi Xiang, for over a year before she died as a result of a punch to her stomach.

After Megan's death, Foo and Wong disposed of her body with the help of their friend, Nouvelle Chua Ruoshi.

Chua pleaded guilty on Monday to charges that included conspiracy to commit child abuse, disposal of a corpse and drug consumption.

Throughout the abuse, she had not protected Megan, taken her to see a doctor for her visible wounds or reported the case to the authorities.

As part of court proceedings, video clips of the abuse, some filmed by Chua, were played in court. The judge told those in the courtroom that the clips were distressing, asking those who wished to leave to do so."

Youths to be trained to provide psychological first aid during emergencies under new MHA initiative (27 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: When crises strike, young people could play a part in helping their peers cope with the psychological impact, under a new volunteer programme launched on Tuesday (Oct 27).

The Human Emergency Assistance and Response Teams (HEART) Associates Youth Wing programme aims to equip youths with psychological first aid skills to support their peers and strengthen community resilience.

Participants will connect with other youths through youth-led outreach and peer-to-peer support, while applying their knowledge of psychology and related disciplines to crisis support roles.

Close to 100 youths have expressed interest in the programme, with 30 making up its first cohort. Most of the remaining youths are expected to join by the end of this year."

Deli Hub Catering suspended after 53 develop gastroenteritis symptoms at two MOE kindergartens (27 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: Deli Hub Catering's food business operations have been suspended after 53 people, including 51 students, developed gastroenteritis symptoms at two Ministry of Education (MOE) kindergartens.

The suspension took effect on Tuesday (Oct 27) until further notice, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) and MOE said in a joint media release.

As of Monday, 51 students and two staff members had been reported to have developed the symptoms between Oct 21 and Oct 23 after consuming food supplied by Deli Hub Catering.

These individuals had either sought outpatient treatment, self-medicated, or recovered without treatment. None were hospitalised.

The cases were reported at MOE Kindergarten @ Springdale in Anchorvale Link and MOE Kindergarten @ Gongshang in Tampines Street 42."

There is a Snoopy pop-up library at Plaza Singapura with themed spaces (28 October 2026)

"If you're a fan of Snoopy and the Peanuts gang, be sure to head to Plaza Singapura to enjoy the new Snoopy pop-up library. Located on the mall's third level, the pop-up library features about 10,000 physical and digital books for children, including a collection of popular Peanuts titles, as well as spaces and interactive booths themed after Peanuts.

It will run until Sep 19, 2027, from 10am to 10pm daily.

Launched by the National Library & Archives Board (NLB), the Snoopy pop-up library features themed spots like Charlie Brown's Classroom, the Peanuts School Bus, and the Snoopy Garden."

All MOE kindergartens to progressively offer full-day programme from 2028 (28 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: All Ministry of Education (MOE) kindergartens will progressively move to a new full-day programme from 2028 to 2030, bringing learning, play and care together in a more seamless experience for the children.

Under the new full-day model, kindergarten lessons and after-school care will be combined into a single programme run by MOE. Parents who do not need full-day services can still opt for a half-day programme, the ministry said on Wednesday (Oct 28)."

Former behavioural therapist fined for causing hurt to 4-year-old boy with special needs who hit her (28 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: A behavioural therapist who was repeatedly hit in the face by a four-year-old boy with special needs grabbed his hand and dragged him off his chair and onto the floor.

Tricia Lee Hsien, a 29-year-old Singaporean, was fined S$5,000 (US$3,900) by a court on Wednesday (Oct 28).

She pleaded guilty to one charge of voluntarily causing hurt to a minor.

The prosecution sought only a fine, saying this was an "exceptional case" as the harm caused was low and the woman's culpability was low in this isolated act of ill-treatment."

SkillsFuture mid-career support to cover 140 more training programmes, including tech job placements (28 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: SkillsFuture support for mid-career workers will be expanded to cover more training options in the technology, maritime and offshore, and financial services fields, announced Acting Manpower Minister Jasmin Lau on Wednesday (Oct 28).

Introduced in 2024, the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme provides S$4,000 credit for course fees and extends a training allowance to eligible Singaporeans aged 40 and above.

As of Jun 30, about 80,000 mid-career workers have benefited from the course credit and more than 11,000 have received the training allowance.

From Dec 1, the programme's coverage will broaden to about 60 sector-specific training options chosen with industry partners that are "designed to lead to real jobs", said Ms Lau."

Jail for man who sexually abused 6 boys, confessed voluntarily and underwent chemical castration (28 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: A man who had sexually abused six boys when he was a youth voluntarily confessed his crimes to the police when he was an adult, asking for the maximum number of strokes of the cane.

He also voluntarily agreed to receive injections that amounted to chemical castration.

Chen Caijin, a 34-year-old Singaporean, was sentenced on Wednesday (Oct 28) to jail for 19 years, one month, two weeks and 14 days, with the maximum 24 strokes of the cane.

He pleaded guilty to six charges including sexual penetration of a minor, molestation, taking nude photos of a child, voluntarily causing hurt and relinquishing a bank account.

Another 16 charges were considered in sentencing."

'Why did I even ask for help?': When parental consent becomes a barrier to youth mental health support (29 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: For 17-year-old Alice (not her real name), seeking mental health support meant having to involve the very people who had dismissed her struggles.

Alice, who has been dealing with an eating disorder and anxiety for years, was on the verge of tears when she realised she needed her parents' consent to attend a mental health programme for youths this year.

Her parents downplayed her difficulties, telling her to “just be happy”, she said. "They are 'old school', so they feel anything related to mental health is just fake. (They think) 'It's all in your mindset, you're just faking it for attention'," she said.

Alice’s experience highlights a wider concern among youths and mental health practitioners that parental consent requirements can deter young people from seeking help, particularly when their parents themselves may be contributing to their distress.

While parental involvement remains important in supporting a child’s mental health, they told CNA that a more flexible approach is needed to ensure vulnerable youths can access care."

Science Centre Singapore to feature Halloween activities, glowing oceans exhibition and Quby plushies (29 October 2026)

"From creepy experiments to giant spiders and Quby plushies, Science Centre Singapore has three new experiences lined up for curious visitors.

The programmes take place in October and November, offering different ways to explore science through Halloween-themed activities, an interactive marine exhibition and a collaboration with the cartoon character Quby."

Youth worker sexually abused 15-year-old former resident of care home, gets jail (29 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: A man who worked at a home for children and youth in need of protection sexually abused a 15-year-old girl who had previously stayed there. The pair began a romantic relationship after she left the home.

In mitigation, the man said that he was also a victim and claimed that he was "gaslighted" by the victim, who led him on.

The 31-year-old Singaporean man, who was not represented by a lawyer, was sentenced on Thursday (Oct 29) to two-and-a-half years' jail.

He pleaded guilty to three charges of sexual penetration of a minor. Five other charges were taken into consideration.

He cannot be named because a court order protects the victim's identity, including his name and the name of the home where she stayed."

Anti-violence helpline reports jump nearly 50% in 2025 amid greater vigilance: MSF (29 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: Reports to the National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline (NAVH) jumped nearly 50 per cent in 2025 from the year before, driven largely by a sharp increase in reports from the police, social service agencies and schools.

The helpline received 16,525 reports last year, up from 11,068 in 2024, according to the Ministry of Social and Family Development's (MSF) latest domestic violence trends report released on Thursday (Oct 29).

The rise comes amid greater public awareness of child abuse and neglect, which MSF said may have been heightened by several factors.

Asked whether the high-profile death of four-year-old Megan Khung contributed to the increase in reports, the ministry told CNA that the rise could not be attributed to any single case.

“While increased awareness following high-profile cases may contribute to reporting, the number of reports alone does not tell us what specifically prompted individuals to come forward,” it added."

Domestic abuse cases handled by community agencies remain elevated in 2025, with over half involving children (29 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: The number of new low- and moderate-risk domestic abuse cases rose slightly to 4,686 last year, according to a report by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) published on Thursday (Oct 29).

This was up 3.5 per cent from 4,527 cases in 2024, with the ministry describing the figures as broadly stable. But it highlighted that cases remained elevated compared with the 3,918 recorded in 2023.

MSF said in its third Domestic Violence Trends Report that the “continued elevation” in cases may reflect improved detection and reporting of abuse, as well as earlier intervention.

“Sustained public awareness, legal protections and comprehensive support services may have continued to support earlier help-seeking, allowing concerns to be surfaced and managed sooner,” it added.

Child abuse continued to account for the largest share of low- and moderate-risk cases, with 2,476 recorded in 2025, up from 2,373 the year before."

Domestic worker gets jail for punching non-verbal autistic child at least 23 times (30 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: A domestic worker was sentenced to three years’ jail on Friday (Oct 30) for repeatedly abusing a four-year-old autistic child in her care, including punching him at least 23 times.

She was also punished for recording obscene videos of the family’s three children, including the boy’s seven-year-old sister and one-year-old brother, and sending them to her husband.

The 29-year-old woman, who cannot be named to protect the identity of her victims, kicked the four-year-old boy’s head twice in a separate incident.

About a month after she started working for the family, she also used a handheld shower head to spray water directly onto the one-year-old boy’s face for 16 seconds, causing him to flinch and cry.

The woman was arrested in March after her employer found videos and photographs of the abuse and his naked children on her phone."

We thought my daughter had dengue. She ended up needing heart surgery (30 October 2026)

"Recently, my family experienced the kind of plot twist in life that is every parent’s worst nightmare.

You know how it goes: Everything is running smoothly, when suddenly, life throws a curveball at you and you think: “This was not meant to happen.”

For my wife and I, that moment occurred in May this year, when our daughter Qi Le was suddenly and unexpectedly diagnosed with a rare heart condition."

Over 6,000 new homes to come for Toa Payoh West, with amenities clustered around Caldecott MRT station (31 October 2026)

"SINGAPORE: More than 6,000 new homes will be built in Toa Payoh West over the coming decade as part of the next phase of rejuvenation for one of Singapore's oldest public housing towns.

The new neighbourhood will comprise mostly public housing, alongside some private housing, said the Housing and Development Board (HDB) on Saturday (Oct 31).

Development works will include a new cluster of commercial, community and recreational amenities around Caldecott MRT station.

These will form a second "heart" for Toa Payoh, complementing the existing town centre in Toa Payoh Central, said the board.

The plans were announced by National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat on Saturday at the launch of the Toa Payoh West Master Plan Exhibition at HDB Hub.

The new hub will include a mixed-use development integrating homes with Toa Payoh's first shopping mall, while plans for a school in the area are also being studied."

Tiered social media access preferred over outright ban, but is it enough to keep teens safe? (3 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE: When her two elder children started using social media a few years ago, Ms Michelle Hon saw it as an opportunity for them to pick up skills such as video recording and editing.

Now aged 14 and 12, her children – along with her youngest, aged 10 – use platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok to post content and chat with friends. Ms Hon, 47, has one main rule: They cannot add or chat with strangers online.

"Beyond that, I think I'm fairly flexible. And of course, sometimes I do spot checks, but unannounced," said the business owner.

Her approach reflects a wider preference among parents for letting children navigate social media with safeguards rather than shutting them out."

Award-winning Singapore film Ah Girl gives a voice to children who grew up feeling unheard (3 November 2026)

"A young girl growing up in Singapore trying to make sense of her parents' separation and their messy lives might sound like a familiar story to many who grew up here.

But Singapore filmmaker Ang Geck Geck Priscilla has turned that seemingly simple premise into a deeply personal story about childhood, family and the desire to be seen, heard and loved by the adults closest to us.

Her debut feature, Ah Girl, follows a seven-year-old girl navigating her parents' separation in 1990s Singapore, while trying to understand emotions she is too young to put into words.

The film stars 10-year-old Ong Xuan Jing as Ah Girl; seven-year-old Sydney Wong as her younger sister Ah Tian; Carrie Wong and James Seah as their parents; and Doreen Toh as the grandmother who helps care for them.

After travelling to film festivals around the world, including Rotterdam and Toronto, Ah Girl is coming home. At a press conference on Monday (Nov 2), Ang and the cast reflected on the film's journey, which began more than a decade ago."

Jail or reformative training to be default sentencing options for young scam offenders under proposed law (3 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE: Reformative training or imprisonment should be the default sentencing options for young offenders convicted of scams and scam-enabling offences, under proposed legal changes prompted by a recent High Court ruling.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) introduced the Sentencing (Scams) Bill for first reading in parliament on Tuesday (Nov 3).

The ministry said in a news release on Tuesday that the Bill sets out and reiterates parliament's intention that such offenders - aged 21 or below at the time of the offence - should be sentenced to reformative training or imprisonment as primary and default options, “unless there are exceptional circumstances”.

The Bill’s proposed changes will apply to offenders who committed scam or scam-enabling offences before, on or after the law's commencement date."

Singapore teenager Ng Zhe Nin wins historic wushu gold at Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (4 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE: Singaporean wushu exponent Ng Zhe Nin won a historic gold medal on Tuesday (Nov 3) in the women's taijiquan combined event at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal's capital, Dakar.

This is the first time wushu has been included in an Olympic programme as a medal sport, and Ng clinched gold at the Dakar Expo Center with a combined score of 18.713 points.

The 16-year-old placed first in the taijishan routine with a score of 9.353 points before topping the taijiquan segment with 9.360 points.

"I am really happy and proud, and definitely relieved that I have finally finished everything and won gold," Ng said while thanking her supporters."

Some self-defence gyms see rising demand from parents enrolling children in classes (5 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE: For the past six years, 12-year-old Brandon Yap has been learning Krav Maga, a martial art focused on self-defence in real-world situations.

His mother, Amanda Yap, enrolled him in the lessons hoping they would help him become fitter and more disciplined, while equipping him with practical skills to protect himself.

“We live in a very unpredictable world, you never know when something bad might happen to you,” she told CNA.

“From a young age, I want him to be equipped with the skills he needs so if ever one day he meets a bad (situation), at least he's able to protect himself.”

Man gets life imprisonment for murdering his younger sister, who was starved, beaten and chained in toilet by trio (5 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE: A man was sentenced to life imprisonment on Thursday (Nov 5) for murder after being part of a group that abused his 19-year-old younger sister until she died.

Huang Bocan, who joined his girlfriend and another man in starving the victim and chaining her to a toilet, was first charged in 2021 with common intention of committing murder by causing bodily injury to Huang Baoying.

Bocan, a 34-year-old Singaporean, was convicted on Thursday of committing murder by causing his younger sister's death.

The prolonged abuse resulted in the death of Baoying, who had lost 43 per cent of her body weight by the time she died from excessive blunt force trauma and severe malnourishment on May 5, 2021.

His co-accused are Lim Peng Tiong, 67 and Chee Mei Wan, 47. Chee was the "coach" of a company she ran that marketed and sold Herbalife products, where Bocan, Lim and Baoying were members and "trainee coaches".

Lim was sentenced to 14 years and 11 months’ jail in May, while Chee's case is pending before the courts."

3 men plead guilty to pinning NSF down on bed and using criminal force on him (5 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE: Three men pleaded guilty on Thursday (Nov 5) over an incident of group hazing when they were full-time national servicemen (NSFs) with the Singapore Police Force (SPF).

The victim, whose identity is protected by a gag order that also covers the offenders and the location of the offence, was held down while each man took turns to tap their private parts on him.

The court called for a report assessing the offenders' suitability for a community service order and adjourned the case."

MOE Language Centres monitoring Europe protests ahead of upcoming student trips (5 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE: The MOE Language Centres (MOELCs) are closely monitoring the situation in Europe ahead of upcoming student trips, and will decide whether to proceed based on the latest assessments and official advice, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said.

The centres are in contact with Singapore's embassies in France and Germany, global health and security risk management firm International SOS (ISOS), and education partners on the ground, an MOE spokesperson said on Thursday (Nov 5) in response to queries from CNA.

About 10 to 20 students are expected to take part in each trip."

‘Why did this happen?’: Parents of man jailed for murdering sister speak of the brother he once was (5 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE: When Huang Baoying was growing up, her older brother helped look after her, their parents recalled.

Huang Bocan would tutor his younger sister at night and help her with her studies, their mother said.

To his parents, he was a responsible son whom they trusted to help care for Baoying while they worked long hours.

Years later, he would be sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering her.

“We never imagined that things could become so serious,” their father said after Bocan, 34, was sentenced on Thursday (Nov 5)."

Her school principal told her football wasn’t for girls – she’s now a doctor for a top women’s club in England (6 November 2026)

"It all began – oddly enough – on a basketball court at Raffles Girls’ Primary School during the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Like many, 10-year-old Bethany Koh was caught up in World Cup fever.

Someone brought a ball to school, and Koh started playing football with her friends at every recess, going back to class sweat-soaked and exhilarated.

That World Cup ended with Brazil winning, and Koh kept on playing. In secondary school, she and her friends even tried to set up a girls’ football co-curricular activity (CCA). They gathered enough girls to form an 11-a-side team and found a teacher willing to oversee the CCA.

But her principal shut the idea down because “football is not for girls”. That did not quell her fire. Koh continued playing at recess, and on weekends on fields in Bedok. “You just use your shoes as the goalpost,” the 34-year-old Singaporean recalled with a laugh.

Today, that free-spirited girl sits on the team bench of Chelsea FC Women, one of England’s top women’s football clubs. She’s not there as a player, but a first-team doctor caring for the competitive squad, helping them stay in peak condition."

Grab autonomous vehicle nearly hits schoolgirl at traffic crossing in Punggol (6 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE: A Grab autonomous vehicle (AV) was seen nearly hitting a schoolgirl while making a left turn at a traffic junction in Punggol.

A 36-second video posted on Facebook group SG Road Vigilante showed the incident, which occurred at around 8.11am on Thursday (Nov 5).

In the footage, a young girl was seen crossing the road when a Grab autonomous vehicle appeared to come close to hitting her while making a discretionary left turn.

The vehicle slowed down after the near miss before continuing on its way."

I raised 3 children and rebuilt my life after divorce. Then I went to university at 49 (6 November 2026)

"When I meet someone for the first time, I sometimes say I've lived my life in reverse.

I got married and had children at a young age, and I didn't return to work or focus on my career until after my divorce at 44.

Then at 45, I went back to school."

LTA directs Grab to pause some AV testing after near miss with schoolgirl in Punggol (7 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has told Grab to pause some autonomous vehicle (AV) testing after one of its vehicles nearly hit a schoolgirl while making a left turn in Punggol.

LTA said on Friday (Nov 6) that it was informed of the incident a day earlier and is investigating.

Preliminary data showed that the vehicle had detected two pedestrians and was continuously tracking their movements, LTA said.

After the traffic light turned green, the vehicle began making a left turn. The pedestrians were initially stationary, but when the child began crossing the road, the vehicle started braking and steered to the right, according to LTA.

The safety operator on board then took control of the vehicle and continued braking and steering it away from the pedestrian, the authority added."

After almost 40 years, Mr Kiasu's creator is planning to let his famous character go (7 November 2026)

"At 62, Mr Johnny Lau did not expect to find himself back in a classroom, introducing himself to fellow students on his first day at art school.

Neither did he intend to tell them that he was the man behind Mr Kiasu, one of Singapore's most recognisable comic characters, until his course supervisor let the cat out of the bag.

Among his six classmates, aged from their 20s to their 50s, only the older students were familiar with his creation.

"The ones in their 20s definitely don't know of him," he said with a chuckle.

For those who grew up in Singapore in the 1990s, however, Mr Kiasu would need little introduction.

With his oversized glasses and protruding teeth, the cartoon character named after the Hokkien term for "fear of losing out" became an instantly recognisable caricature of the sometimes absurd lengths some Singaporeans would go to in their pursuit of success.

Nearly four decades after he drew the first comic strip panels of Mr Kiasu, Mr Lau is embarking on a new artistic endeavour.

Earlier this year, he was awarded a scholarship from the National Arts Council (NAC) to pursue a two year full-time Master of Fine Arts at the University of Arts Singapore, which he started this August."

Youth Olympic Games: How Singapore has fared so far and what’s ahead in coming days (8 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE: Archer Tabitha Yeo advanced in the women’s individual elimination round at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, after defeating New Zealand’s Ella Yang 6-0 on Saturday (Nov 7).

The 17-year-old SEA Games gold medalist will next face Mexico’s Maya Casas Lara on Monday.

Her advancement comes as Team Singapore has secured one gold and one silver medal at the Games, with five days of competition remaining."

Mess tins, modified badminton and mini-Hyrox: What PE lessons in Singapore schools look like today (9 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE: A class of Secondary 2 students listens with rapt attention as physical education (PE) teacher Karthikesan Kumar outlines the next 90 minutes.

But instead of racquets, balls and cones, this lesson calls for mess tins, matchsticks and tommy cookers.

After a lesson overview and safety instructions, Mr Karthikesan assigns roles to various students: safety in charge, logistics in charge and chef.

The objective is simple: assess risks, and start and maintain a fire. Along the way, students will cook and share a packet of instant noodles in their groups.

The lesson falls under the outdoor education component of the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) PE syllabus, which aims to let students engage with nature through adventure-based learning."

Punggol residents concerned about AV safety after two near misses, but open to trials continuing (9 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE: After two near misses involving autonomous vehicles (AVs) in Punggol on Thursday (Nov 5), residents told CNA they had safety concerns but were open to trials continuing once the incidents were reviewed.

In one incident, a young girl was crossing the road at a traffic junction when a Grab AV appeared to come close to hitting her while making a discretionary left turn. A video of the incident was posted on the Facebook group SG Road Vigilante.

A separate dashcam video posted on SGRV Admin on Sunday showed a ComfortDelGro (CDG) AV turning into the path of an approaching vehicle as it attempted to make a U-turn at a junction in Punggol Field. The incident also took place on Nov 5.

In both cases, the vehicles involved were testing new routes for enhanced on-demand services rather than operating on their existing fixed shuttle routes.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is investigating both incidents. It directed Grab to pause testing at such junctions until investigations are completed and told CDG to pause U-turns at the Punggol Field junction as a precaution."

School meal ordering app Tappee hit by cybersecurity incident, says SATS; four schools affected (10 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE: Tappee, a school meal ordering application that is currently used in four schools in Singapore, has been hit by a cybersecurity incident, said food solutions provider SATS on Tuesday (Nov 10).

SATS, which identified the incident, said it involved "malicious access by an unauthorised external party" to Tappee.

Based on investigations so far, the types of data compromised include student names, email addresses, financial assistance statuses, student concession card numbers and certain parent and guardian email addresses, said SATS.

A small number of records also contained students' height, weight, allergy profiles and caloric intake data.

"No banking or credit card information, or details or images of student identification documents, have been compromised, as such information was not collected through the Tappee application."

From first steps to active ageing: How PCF is rethinking care for Singapore (11 November 2026)

"At events marking the 40th anniversary of PAP Community Foundation (PCF) this year, CEO Victor Bay was struck by his conversations with staff, educators, caregivers, volunteers, partners and families across generations.

“A common theme was how PCF has progressed from strength to strength,” said Mr Bay. “Many commented that we have stepped up our efforts over time to better serve children, seniors and the wider community. It has not always been easy, but we are driven by a mission to do good and do well.”

PCF Sparkletots Preschool is Singapore’s largest preschool operator, with more than 40,000 children enrolled in nearly 350 centres islandwide. PCF Sparkle Care provides community-based rehabilitation, day care and active ageing programmes for over 30,000 seniors. PCF’s charity division has also supported 46,000 beneficiaries to date, through initiatives ranging from financial assistance to experiential learning and opportunities for social interaction.

Looking ahead, PCF plans to expand its facilities and programmes as community needs change. New approaches to early childhood education are emerging, while Singapore’s ageing population is driving greater demand for eldercare services."

Police looking into report of woman hitting toddler during TikTok livestream (12 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE: Police are looking into a report involving a woman who appeared to hit a toddler during a TikTok livestream.

Videos of the incident were shared in the Complaint Singapore Facebook group on Tuesday (Nov 10), with a user appealing for help to identify the child's parents.

"The police confirm that a report was lodged and are looking into the matter," a police spokesperson said in response to CNA's queries on Thursday."

New internship programme aims to draw more young Singaporeans into hawker trade (12 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE: Young Singaporeans will have the opportunity to learn how to run hawker stalls under a new internship and apprenticeship programme aimed at attracting more people to the trade and sustaining it for future generations.

The initiative, targeted to begin in April 2027, is part of a three-year agreement signed on Wednesday (Nov 11) between the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), Temasek Polytechnic and Hawkers of Food Centres, a non-profit society that promotes Singapore's hawker culture.

Students will receive hands-on training under the guidance of experienced hawkers, with participating stallholders paying interns an allowance. The programme's details are still being finalised."

Eight teenagers arrested for public nuisance over prank in Hougang (12 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE: Eight male teenagers, aged between 12 and 15, were arrested on Thursday (Nov 12) over a series of public nuisance incidents linked to a prank in Hougang.

Between September and November, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) received several reports of public nuisance at a residential unit along Hougang Avenue 8.

Preliminary investigations found that the teenagers had participated in a prank that was publicised online. On multiple occasions, they visited the unit late at night, knocking on the door and windows before fleeing."

Woman who conspired to abuse 4-year-old Megan Khung, helped dispose of her body given 13 years’ jail (13 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE: The woman who conspired to abuse four-year-old Megan Khung, then later helped dispose of the child's corpse, was sentenced to 13 years' jail on Friday (Nov 13).

Passing the sentence on Nouvelle Chua Ruoshi at the High Court, Justice S Mohan said the case arose from "a series of heinous and inhumane acts" committed against Megan Khung.

The High Court judge said that it was "imperative that court sent the strongest signal" to the public that any person involved in cases where children suffer abuse will be met with the full force of the law.

Justice Mohan said the punishment meted out should express "full abhorrence of society" and the court towards the unconscionable harms inflicted on children who are some of society's most vulnerable members."

Beyond astronauts and rockets: How Singapore is grooming its future space workforce (13 November 2026)

"SINGAPORE: A tangle of wires snakes across the walls and ceiling of 14-year-old Edmund Lim's balcony.

It may not look like much, but the homemade antenna – assembled with just S$20 worth of wire and paired with a S$50 receiver – allows him to pick up radio broadcasts from as far away as the United States.

For Edmund, it is more than a hobby. The setup has deepened his curiosity about how satellites communicate with Earth.

His interest began during a lesson at the School of Science and Technology (SST), where he learnt to receive radio signals using a device connected to a computer.

"We managed to receive data from radio stations from all around Singapore. That made me interested in radio communications," said the Secondary 2 student, who is now studying how atmospheric conditions and time of day affect radio frequencies.

Edmund is among a growing group of young Singaporeans setting their sights on the space industry, with some hoping to turn their passion into a career.

And schools are helping them take their first steps, offering hands-on experience through projects ranging from studying solar flares to building satellites destined for orbit."

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