askST Jobs: Should you take up a graduate scheme offered by your employer? (15 April 2024)
"Manpower reporter Tay Hong Yi offers practical answers to candid questions on navigating workplace challenges and getting ahead in your career.
Q: Will joining a graduate scheme benefit my career?
A: Employers put in place graduate schemes to attract, groom and retain fresh talent, says Mr Samir Bedi, Asean people consulting leader at Ernst & Young."
Action against preschool in Redhill after it shuts down suddenly owing to overdue rent payments (15 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE - The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) has taken action against Metis Preschool after it suddenly ceased operations at its premises at One@Redhill Centre.
The pre-school ceased operations on April 8, after informing parents of the children in March."
Oracle offers up to 10,000 training slots in S’pore to tap AI boom, to open new data centre in July (16 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE - Up to 10,000 students and professionals in Singapore will receive free training in artificial intelligence (AI) over the next three years as part of tech giant Oracle’s new plans to bolster the nation’s digital workforce.
The effort, which cements the firm’s 36 years of investment in the island-state, is expected to contribute significantly to Singapore’s vision to triple the nation’s pool of AI practitioners to 15,000 over the next five years."
Sound policies, education key to tackling tech concerns like AI: Josephine Teo (16 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE – Technological change is often met with scepticism, which is why sound policies and education are key to helping businesses and individuals keep up with digitalisation, said Communications and Information Minister Josephine Teo on April 16.
As more sophisticated technology and digital infrastructure like artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud servers are increasingly woven into daily activities, there needs to be a common understanding about these tools and assurance that they are reliable, she said."
Bukit View Secondary student, 12, taken to hospital after car hits her at zebra crossing (16 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE - A 12-year-old girl was taken to hospital after a car knocked her down at a pedestrian crossing outside Bukit View Secondary School.
The accident took place at about 7.05am on April 16, at Bukit Batok Street 21 on the way to Bukit Batok Central, the police said."
S’pore Poly launches food lab to drive innovation and collaboration (17 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE– Over more than 10 weeks, Singapore Polytechnic (SP) students developed different sustainable food products such as a low-sodium plant-based meat patty and a high-fibre protein bar that incorporates mushrooms.
These are some examples of food innovations that SP hopes to drive with its new Future Food Lab (FFL) launched on April 17."
A guide to using AI in your polytechnic studies (18 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE – Students today have a plethora of artificial intelligence (AI) tools at their disposal, from Copy.AI and ChatGPT that can write text and brainstorm ideas, to artwork generators like Dall-E 2 or Stable Diffusion. There are even tools to transcribe notes from lecture videos and produce presentation slides for you.
Generative AI tools, especially, have become new darlings of efficiency as they can take on labour-intensive tasks, analyse large chunks of information or data, and produce quality content within seconds."
S’pore schools to include anti-drug message in curriculum amid spike in drug abuse among youth (18 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE - The Republic is taking its anti-drug drive to classrooms amid reports showing a spike in young drug abusers, including teenagers who started using illicit substances before turning 18.
Speaking on April 18 at an anti-drug seminar, Minister of State for Home Affairs Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim said Singapore is concerned with the rise in young drug abusers."
All you need to know about ITE graduates getting funding to pursue their diplomas (18 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE – That $15,000 “gift” for Institute of Technical Education (ITE) graduates going on to get a diploma may have made you sit up when it was announced in February.
Want to get your hands on it? Here’s what you need to know."
App managing student devices in 127 schools hacked; names, e-mail addresses leaked: MOE (20 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE – The names and e-mail addresses of parents and teachers of 127 primary and secondary schools were leaked after a mobile platform on students’ personal learning devices was hacked, said the Ministry of Education (MOE) on April 19.
The Mobile Guardian app, which is installed on personal learning devices including Chromebook laptops and Apple’s iPad tablets, helps parents manage their children’s device use and restrict specific websites, apps and screen time."
Youth initiative launched to develop life skills, mental wellness and passion for learning (20 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE – A new initiative by Hougang grassroots organisations has been launched to help young people living in the estate better cope with stress and develop leadership and life skills.
Called Hougang Ho! – Hopes for our Future, Opportunities for their Growth, the initiative – aimed at residents aged seven to 16 – focuses on five areas: mental wellness, leadership and interpersonal skills, arts and media, adventure and sports, and academic enrichment."
Maliki receives award from US university for accomplishments in education and foreign affairs (20 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE – Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Maliki Osman has an award from his alma mater, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, for his accomplishments in education and foreign affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a release on April 19.
Dr Maliki, who is also Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Education, received the 2023 Madhuri and Jagdish N. Sheth International Alumni Award for Exceptional Achievement on April 18 at the university."
Rain or shine, here’s the secret to keeping your kid healthy and alert in class: Water (21 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE – Wet weather and cloudy skies provided Singapore some relief recently, but this does not mean your children should put away their water bottles.
Rain or shine, it is important to stay hydrated and it is not just to keep one from feeling thirsty, says dietitian Chong Yan Fong from the Nutrition and Dietetics Department at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH)."
Fun With Kids: Mother’s Day cakes, free booths for child entrepreneurs at charity market (21 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE – Make family time all the more special with these ideas and activities.
Treat mum to cakes
Mother’s Day falls on May 12 in 2024. The occasion is not only an opportunity for mums to indulge themselves, but also to have a good time with their kids."
Former Pearl’s Hill School, Restricted Passport Centre in Outram set to make way for new homes (21 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE – Two historical buildings in the Pearl’s Hill vicinity are set to be demolished to make way for new housing developments, as part of government plans to build 6,000 new homes in the area over the next decade.
The former Singapore Restricted Passport Centre at the now-vacant 240 Outram Road – originally built as Coroners’ Courts – and the former Pearl’s Hill School at 175A Chin Swee Road each sit on a site that will be developed for residential use, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) confirmed with The Straits Times on April 19."
Minor Issues: From getting bullied to standing up for others (21 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE – It has taken me years to write about this topic.
I was bullied in school. My elder son, R, was also bullied in school."
New mini-library in West Coast to encourage love of reading among children (21 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE - Children in West Coast will now have another place to read nearer to their doorstep, with the opening of a mini-library at Jamiyah Singapore’s Jampacked@West Coast centre.
The library is open to all, and offers around 500 books for children aged three to 12."
Charity tackles need for flexi-childcare outside of standard hours for lower-income families (21 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE – Parents who work irregular hours need help caring for their children, and a programme by charity Daughters of Tomorrow (DOT) has met that need through low-cost and flexible care.
It piloted a childminding programme in 2018 as it noticed that more lower-income mothers needed support in order to re-enter the workforce."
Parents seek refunds from international school over delay in new campus construction (21 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE - Some parents of students of an international school are demanding refunds for a $6,000 building fee, as the school’s Punggol campus was not ready as expected.
The One World International School’s (OWIS) Punggol campus was slated to be operational by August 2023, the start of the school’s academic year, parents said. But their children had to share a campus with a school next door for seven months until March 2024."
It takes a village to raise a child: Inside a Bedok estate’s ‘kampung’ (21 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE - If 12-year-old Niu Yi Cheng were to return to an empty house after school and realise he had forgotten his keys, he would know where to look for help in his HDB estate.
His mother, Madam Yin Ying, 44, who works in the bioscience sector, has not felt uneasy about leaving her son alone in the area since she moved to Bedok Reservoir in 2022."
Jail for ex-NUS professor who forged claims to dupe school into disbursing $88k to him (22 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE - Across more than six years, a National University of Singapore (NUS) professor submitted false claims for expenses and duped the university into reimbursing him more than $88,000.
On April 22, Tan Kok Kiong, 56, was sentenced to 24 weeks’ jail after pleading guilty to one cheating charge and 11 forgery charges."
Respect for teachers key to growing the profession: Chan Chun Sing (22 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE – Respect for teachers is crucial to attract and retain them, and grow the profession, and is more important than monetary factors and work environment, said Education Minister Chan Chun Sing.
“The quality of the teaching force is the most important determinant of the outcomes of our education system,” Mr Chan said in his speech at the opening of the 14th International Summit on the Teaching Profession on April 22."
Temasek JC student among 2 killed in multi-vehicle accident in Tampines (22 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE – A 17-year-old girl and a 57-year-old woman died after an accident involving six vehicles in Tampines on the morning of April 22.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said eight people were taken to hospital – four to Changi General Hospital, two to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, and two to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital."
Our school, our family, our village (6 March 2024)
"When the A-Level results were released recently, we spoke to three St Andrew’s Junior College graduates to hear about who and what defined their JC years. One common thread emerges: Their journeys are marked by gratitude and personal growth.
By Arielene Wee
“I transferred from the Science stream to the Arts stream halfway through JC1, because I realised Arts subjects are what I’m really interested in. I ended up having to repeat JC1, but it was what I wanted to do.”
Max Lim had transferred from the Science stream to the Arts stream, and found support and camaraderie with peers who also were repeating a year. “We encouraged each other, and I really enjoyed what I was studying.” With a renewed interest in school, Max even joined the Literary and Debate Society CCA on his friend’s recommendation.
For now, Max has yet to decide on a university major, but he is taking his time to consider his pathways. “I will not go in headfirst without knowing what I’m interested in this time,” he laughs."
When more hands-on learning unlocked his passion for programming (6 March 2024)
"He calls his time at Crest Secondary School “life-changing”. Find out how the school for G1 students fit Soh Shi Yong to a tee, giving him a post-PSLE experience that has taken him to polytechnic and beyond. What’s in store? He has plans for a degree and career in the IT sector.
By Arielene Wee
After receiving his PSLE results, 23-year-old Soh Shi Yong recalls feeling disappointed. He was assigned to the Normal (Technical) stream, but he felt he could have done better.
It was then that his teachers introduced him to Crest Secondary School, the first of a new kind of school started in 2013. Called a Specialised School for Normal (Technical) students (SSNT), it offered a customised Secondary 1 to 4 curriculum that integrated academic learning and vocational training.
Crest was later joined by Spectra Secondary School as Singapore’s second SSNT, and with the introduction of Full Subject-based Banding and the removal of streams in 2024, the two schools now take in G1 students.
The Crest way of practice-oriented learning with industrial attachments sounded interesting, so Shi Yong decided to visit its Open House. There, he found himself attracted to the curriculum it offered.
Shi Yong recalls, “It gave off a very lively atmosphere. There were classrooms designed like Home-Fix and Giant to teach merchandising, workshops with bench drills and vices for mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and plumbing. All these technical things really interested me.”
He also a met a teacher, Mr Derek Loh, at the Open House, whose words motivated Shi Yong and inspired him to see beyond his grades."
“I never felt like I didn’t have enough, or that I was less than anyone” (6 March 2024)
"Shannon Chan is grateful for the financial assistance and school programmes that ensured she could enjoy school without worry. But when her family’s struggles mounted, she succumbed to personal challenges. Find out how this gutsy girl, now a Psychology undergrad, pulled through with the help of her teachers and a community mental health service. Her message? Don’t be afraid to seek help.
By Lee Qing Ping
Singapore Management University undergrad Shannon Chan has been a beneficiary of the Financial Assistance Scheme and various school bursaries from her days in Woodlands Ring Primary till when she graduated from Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP).
The schemes covered her for her essentials, while her learning needs and activities were covered by day-to-day life at school.
She’d attend supplementary classes for her areas of her studies she was weak at, and her CCAs filled her time well.
She grooved to hip-hop in her Modern Dance CCA at primary school. At secondary school, she picked up lifesaving skills through Red Cross Youth CCA, and in poly, grew public-speaking chops as President of the Civil Defence Lionhearters Club.
“I never felt like I didn’t have enough, or that I was less than anyone. If I wanted something, I worked hard to get it,” she says."
Lights, camera, reaction: How Ajoomma filmmaker’s trip to the Oscars started with grandma (6 March 2024)
"A visit to a film set where his grandmother had a bit part set him on the path to filmmaking. Along the way, Mr He Shuming found wisdom in three teachers, an arts education, and his mum. She was the inspiration for the lead character in Ajoomma, his debut movie nominated for numerous awards.
Mr He Shuming remembers vividly the day of his A-level English Literature exam 20 years ago – and it has nothing to do with how he fared. As soon as he was released from the exam hall, he rushed to meet his grandmother, who was attending a casting call for a bit role.
This was for the 2005 homegrown horror film, The Maid.
“When she got cast as a ghost, I also followed her to the shoot,” recalls the 38-year-old filmmaker, eyes dreamy at the memory. “It was my first time on a film set, and accompanying my grandmother that day opened my eyes to the filmmaking industry,” he says. Watching the crew work harmoniously to nail down a scene energised him. “It solidified my desire to work in the industry,” he shares.
The diehard cinephile, who used to spend his pocket money on movie tickets and DVD rentals, never wavered in his ambition.
Today, he is best known as the director of the critically acclaimed 2022 film, Ajoomma, which was nominated for four Golden Horse awards. The movie stars veteran local actress Hong Huifang as a K-drama-obsessed widow who goes on a journey of self-discovery in South Korea."
Five love languages in action: How five parents show love for their school-going children (7 March 2024)
"Schoolbag sits down with five Parent Support Group members after a workshop on the popular Five Love Languages, and ask how they tailor the ways they show love based on their kids’ love languages. From writing notes of encouragement to playing their favourite sport with them, see if any of these tips resonate with you.
By Sabrina Lee
Forty members of Parent Support Groups (PSGs) from various schools replaced their usual Saturday morning routines with a workshop on the Five Love Languages.
This workshop centred on the concept of how signs of love are generally expressed in five ways: physical touch, acts of service, words of affirmation, quality time and receiving gifts. Attendees were taught to examine how their children may prefer to express and perceive love, and how parents can show love in a way that the child understands best.
Attendees, made up mainly of PSG leaders, also learnt how to facilitate workshops that teach the love languages. The workshop was organised by the Community and Parents in Support of Schools (COMPASS). Made up of PSG leaders, educators, and others, COMPASS meets regularly to explore ways to enhance children’s learning and growth both at school and home.
Curious to find out what the most common love languages are among children? We asked five PSG attendees to share their child’s primary love language and how they apply this knowledge to boost their child’s well-being and school experience."
MOE Committee of Supply 2024 Highlights (13 March 2024)
"Singaporeans desire to build a nation where no one gets left behind, where every student has a path to pursue their dreams, no matter their starting point. How do we build such a Singapore?
At the recent Committee of Supply Debate as part of Budget 2024, the Ministry of Education announced initiatives to lift up those in need, celebrate diversity, and encourage Singaporeans to keep learning for a lifetime.
To prepare our next generation to learn for life, we must re-envision education as…
a. A continuing journey, where we learn not just in the first 15 years of school, but throughout the next 50 years of our lives;
b. A celebration of strengths, where we appreciate a diversity of talent in society; and
c. A collective effort, where students learn in schools, classrooms and beyond – from the physical community and society to the virtual world.
Here’s an overview of MOE’s latest support measures for Singaporeans this year."
Making music again: Award-winning film composer on returning to her first love (25 March 2024)
"Doing anything with music always felt right for composer Emily Wong, who produced her debut album at age eight and joined the Music Elective Programme at school. How did she end up reading law? Or nab an award for film-scoring? Schoolbag tracks her journey towards a career in the arts.
Perched at the edge of her Casio keyboard, Ms Emily Wong fiddled with its many buttons, stopping only when she found a suitable backing track. With a drum beat thumping in the background, she got to writing her next song, fascinated by the way the keys would light up when she pressed them.
Song topic of the day? Life’s vicissitudes and the struggles that come with heartbreak.
Ms Wong was only eight years old then and inspired by pop tunes on the radio. While most children her age detailed their lives in diaries, she found her solace in songs. Ten catchy singalong tracks later and her debut album was ready: a record titled “100% A Superstar”.
“My dad filmed me and burned my songs into CDs, which I sold for $5 to friends and family,” the 30-year-old recalls fondly.
Little did she know that it would be a prelude of things to come. Fast forward to today and she is an internationally acclaimed composer, having written works for live performances, commercials and, most significantly, the big screen."
The comeback kid: How an ex-inmate found solace in student life and pottery (27 March 2024)
"Mr Kim Whye Kee discovered his love for learning when behind bars. He never imagined that it would take him from arts classes through to graduation and a career turning elegant pots for a living. Find out how he overcame barrier after barrier to get there.
When Mr Kim Whye Kee volunteered for the first time at his neighbourhood Meet-The-People session, he showed up in a long-sleeved shirt. Then 28 and fresh out of prison, he wanted to hide the tattoos on his arms.
That was his third time in prison, and the longest stint at five years. There was quite a bit of adjusting to do away from the life he used to lead, and it must have showed.
At the end of the session, where residents can engage with their Member of Parliament (MP) and grassroots leaders, Mr Kim was approached by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who was then MP of his ward. Mr Kim still remembers the words that the senior politician said to him: “Just be yourself.”
“It was the first time that nobody asked me why I had tattoos,” says Mr Kim, now 43. He showed up in short sleeves for subsequent sessions."
On her own: How this Les Miserables star overcame rejection to perform at the West End (3 April 2024)
"In 2021, Ms Nathania Ong became the first Singaporean actress to play Eponine in Cameron Mackintosh’s famous musical. The role propelled her to stardom, capping years of Drama classes, auditions, and perseverance.
With her face smudged in “dirt”, wearing a red beret and long beige overcoat, Ms Nathania Ong strode on stage in London and sang the heart-wrenching strains:
“On my own
Pretending he’s beside me
All alone
I walk with him ’til morning…”
As she reached the chorus, her voice hit a crescendo and the audience responded with not only thunderous applause but also a standing ovation.
The thrill was sweet and intense – and unfathomable just a few years ago for the 25-year-old actress, who first stepped into the limelight as Eponine in the musical Les Miserables in 2021.
For Ms Ong, singing her melancholic solo about unrequited love inevitably brushed up against her own memories of being spurned. Just six years before, at age 19, she was rejected by all the drama schools that she applied to in the United Kingdom.Today, she is the first Singaporean to play the scrappy and strong-willed character in one of the longest running West End musicals – following in the footsteps of musical greats such as Lea Salonga, whom some reviewers compare her to.
Long has the stage called to her.
But illustrious as these early achievements were, her road to curtain-rise was far from straightforward."
Should I choose a subject I’m good at, or one that I love? (12 April 2024)
"When her daughter was in secondary school, author Monica Lim saw the dilemma she was in – the girl’s favourite subject was not her best one, so which should she take up? Schoolbag talks to the mother of two about how she advised her children differently when picking their subjects and courses. Her take? What seems like the obvious choice may not always be the best decision.
When it was time for her daughter to choose her upper secondary school Humanities subjects, Ms Monica Lim’s advice went against the grain.
Lesley-Anne had to choose between Geography and Literature. Geography seemed to be the obvious choice as she was doing well in it, even topping the class at the subject in Secondary 2.
“All her friends told her, ‘Take Geography, obviously, you topped the class! It’ll be an easy A! Literature is very hard to score,’” recalls Ms Lim. It’s been over 10 years since the day, but Ms Lim can still remember how Lesley-Anne’s heart was torn. “She’s always loved Literature more than Geography, even if she did well in the latter. So, she came to me and asked what she should do.”
What advice did Ms Lim offer? “I told her, go with what you love,” says Ms Lim, “not because following your passion guarantees success, but because whether you do well or not, at least you would’ve enjoyed learning. If you choose to do something just for practical reasons, you probably would hate the process; and if it doesn’t work out, you’d feel even more disappointed.”
Lesley-Anne did choose Literature in the end, says Ms Lim, adding that “she enjoyed herself tremendously”. In Secondary 4, the teen topped the entire level in Literature which was icing on the cake. In the same year, she started co-writing the Danger Dan book series with Ms Lim. She went on to take Literature at A Level as an H3 subject (which is optional and more challenging), furthering her love for the subject."
Steep learning curve, but this principal let her heart lead the way (18 April 2024)
"Introducing some mainstream school practices – starting with a fire drill – at Eden School, a school for students with autism spectrum disorder with intellectual impairment, was not without its moments. Principal Jenny Lai reflects on the leaps made and lessons learnt, including some wise words that have helped her to lead effectively for the past 16 years.
“It takes the heart.”
Sixteen years back, when I was being inducted as a Principal of a Special Education (SPED) school, those were the words of Mr Ho Swee Huat, then chairman of Autism Association (Singapore).
Those words have shaped my approach to leading as a SPED Principal ever since.
Unfamiliar lingo and unexpected triggers
I was introduced to the world of autism when I started my journey at the Singapore Autism School (SAS) in February 2008, before its name was changed to Eden School.
I learnt so much in my first year at SAS. There was no morning assembly as students went straight to class. I was not invited to enter their classrooms as teachers told me that strangers might trigger their students adversely.
Staff used words like “task analysis, visual supports, work system…”, lingo which I was not used to. When I tried to introduce a new activity in my first year as principal, be it a fire drill or a celebration in the school hall, my staff were doubtful of its success.
The students in SAS had autism spectrum disorder with intellectual impairment. I quickly learnt that they required predictable routines and to be surrounded by familiar people. Any deviation from their established routines would cause distress, so more care and preparation were necessary when introducing change."
Infosheet 1: ITE Progression Award (4 March 2024)
"The ITE Progression Award (IPA) supports ITE graduates to upskill to a diploma earlier in their careers, to secure more progression prospects in their chosen professions."
Infosheet 2: Full SBB-related changes on SEC examination timetable, Polytechnic Year 1 admission criteria (4 March 2024)
"Changes to Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC) examination table
Please refer to Figure A for the comparison between the current GCE N(T)/N(A) and O-Level examination timetable, and SEC examination timetable which will be implemented from 2027."
Infosheet 3: Enhancements to SPED sector (4 March 2024)
"Enhancing Affordability and Quality of Special Education (SPED)
To reduce out-of-pocket expenses for families with children with Special Educational Needs (SEN), MOE will work closely with Social Service Agencies (SSAs) to lower monthly fees in nine SPED schools serving students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Multiple Disabilities (MD) charging higher fees by mid-2025."
Future of Learning: Empowering Contributors to Build a Better Tomorrow (4 March 2024)
"At this year's Committee of Supply debate, the Ministry of Education (MOE) announced measures to deepen the culture of lifelong learning in Singapore, develop students holistically to maximise their potential, and support learners with different learning needs."
New SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme to Boost Mid-Career Upskilling and Reskilling (4 March 2024)
"The Ministry of Education (MOE), together with SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG), will jointly introduce the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme (SFLP) to better support mid-career Singaporeans, aged 40 and above, in the pursuit of a substantive skills reboot."
Inaugural Social Science and Humanities Ideas Festival Examines Societal Challenges in an Age of Disruption (20 March 2024)
"Social Science and Humanities (SSH) researchers across the Autonomous Universities (AUs) have come together to organise the inaugural 'Ideas Festival 2024 – Insights from the Humanities and Social Sciences'. Supported by Singapore's Social Science Research Council (SSRC), the Ideas Festival 2024 draws upon the work of the local SSH research community to look at complex challenges faced by Singapore society and the region in an age of disruptive change."
Launch of "Xin Kong Xia 2023" Album to Showcase Students' Singing and Songwriting Talent (27 March 2024)
"The Committee to Promote Chinese Language Learning (CPCLL) has released an album featuring 13 original songs composed by student winners from the 2023 National Schools Xinyao Singing and Songwriting Competition."
Students to Showcase Artistic Talents at Singapore Youth Festival 2024 (28 March 2024)
"The 58th Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) will take place from 1 April to 21 July 2024. The Festival will begin with the SYF Arts Presentation in April to showcase students' diverse talents in the performing arts, followed by the SYF Celebrations where students can share their passion for the arts with the community, before culminating in the SYF Art Exhibition in July."
No Sensitive Data Compromised from Unauthorised Access into Mobile Guardian's Systems (19 April 2024)
"On 17 April 2024, the Ministry of Education (MOE) was notified by mobile device management company Mobile Guardian about an incident of unauthorised access into Mobile Guardian's user management portal in its headquarters."
During this incident, the names and email addresses of parents and school staff from 5 primary and 122 secondary schools, whose students use iPad or Chromebook as their Personal Learning Device (PLD), were accessed."
World Book Day and Literature Under the April Sky 2024 Opening Ceremony (20 April 2024)
"More than 450 secondary and pre-university students participated in this year's World Book Day and Literature Under the April Sky Opening Ceremony at Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) on Saturday, 20 April 2024. Jointly organised by the Committee to Promote Chinese Language Learning (CPCLL), National Library Board (NLB) and HCI, the event aims to promote a culture of reading among youths."
Singapore to Host International Summit to Promote Exchanges on Ways to Strengthen Teaching Profession (22 April 2024)
"Singapore will host the 14th International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) for the first time from 22 to 24 April 2024 at the Raffles City Convention Centre, Singapore. The 14th ISTP is jointly organised by the Singapore Ministry of Education, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the global teacher union Education International. Education ministers, union leaders and teacher leaders of high-performing and rapidly improving education systems will discuss ways to strengthen the teaching profession and raise student achievement while in Singapore. The ISTP will be attended by 18 delegations led by Ministerial representatives, as well as 9 observer delegations."
Gen Zen: Feeling tired even after taking a break? Don't just sit on a couch all day (11 March 2024)
"SINGAPORE — As a 34-year-old, I will soon be celebrating a full decade in the workforce and I have thus become unusually reflective of late. I have come to a stark realisation about myself: I do not know how to rest properly, even when I am given time away from work to do so.
Sure, I have had days off and taken leave from work, all in the pursuit of this concept of rest. What I end up doing is to use these periods to sleep more or sit in front of a television screen to while away the hours.
And after all these supposed breathers, I somehow do not feel recharged. At times, I return to work wishing that I had spent the free time doing something else instead."
Law graduate called to Bar after confessing to plagiarism pledges to 'justify the faith' placed in her (14 March 2024)
"SINGAPORE — A law graduate who was called to the Bar after a five-month deferment for having plagiarised during an examination and lying about it later, said that she will focus on justifying the faith placed in her by the law fraternity and to "make everyone proud".
The comments by Ms Stasia Ong Pei Qi on Thursday (March 14) came after Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon's decision on Feb 27 to admit her as an advocate and solicitor.
He had determined that she was "a fit and proper person" and had "sufficiently demonstrated that she had learned from her past misconduct"."
Some polyclinics adopt autism screening tool to help early detection in toddlers (15 March 2024)
"SINGAPORE — Some polyclinics in Singapore are adopting an international screening tool to help in the early detection of autism in young children in primary care settings.
A new study, involving 5,336 toddlers between the ages of 17 months and 20 months, showed the tool is more than 80 per cent accurate in determining if a child could be on the spectrum.
Early detection of the condition leads to intervention at a younger age, which is key to improving the effectiveness of treatment and overall quality of life, said doctors."
Ex-NTU researcher pleads guilty to possessing child abuse material, asking to have sex with 12-year-old girls (18 March 2024)
"SINGAPORE — A researcher at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) who had obscene photos of children and had offered money to have sex with young girls was exposed when the authorities seized his phone over a separate matter.
The phone of Jason Scott Herrin contained 90 photos of children being sexually abused and 31 obscene films.
The 49-year-old American, who has since been fired by the university, was also revealed to have told others to find children for him for the purposes of paid sexual services."
Secondary 3 students invited to NDP National Education shows after missing out due to Covid-19 curbs (18 March 2024)
"SINGAPORE — All Secondary 3 students at MOE schools will get to watch the National Day Parade (NDP) National Education show this year, as they were unable to do so when they were in Primary 5 due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Those who will be in Secondary 3 next year will similarly be invited to the NDP National Education Show in 2025, the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said in a news release on Monday (March 18).
Primary 5 students are usually given the opportunity to attend a National Education Show, which gives a preview of the National Day Parade."
Climate change-fuelled heat stress could cut productivity and fertility, costing billions: NUS study (18 March 2024)
"SINGAPORE — Heat stress can cause lower fertility, worker productivity and cognitive capacity, a study by the National University of Singapore (NUS) has found.
The study was done as climate change results in an increased number of hotter days and warmer nights.
It found that heat stress is set to reduce the total average annual productive working time in four sectors in Singapore surveyed – services, manufacturing, agriculture, and construction – by 14 per cent in 2035."
Court dismisses aspiring lawyer’s application to the Bar, pointing to cover-up of plagiarism and 'character deficit (22 March 2024)
"SINGAPORE — An aspiring lawyer who had plagiarised twice in law school was found by the court to be so lacking in character to the extent that Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon ordered that the man's application to the Bar be dismissed instead of allowing it to be withdrawn.
The applicant, 47-year-old Gabriel Silas Tang Rafferty, is also disallowed from submitting a new application to practise for a duration of not fewer than five years, a written judgement published on Friday (March 22) showed.
Mr Rafferty had plagiarised twice while undertaking his juris doctor programme at the Singapore Management University (SMU) but was not upfront about these incidents when applying to be admitted to the Bar."
Gen Zen: Slow down, get onboard the 'cosy' trend; it can boost your mental health (1 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE — Tucked under covers and with a cup of warm tea by my side, I sink into the pixelated world of Stardew Valley on the Nintendo Switch. Here, deadlines and daily stresses melt away, and there is nothing to do but grow crops, mine, forage and raise livestock.
Stardew Valley belongs to a group of video games dubbed “cosy games”. In these games, players don’t need to save the princess or defeat the demon.
Games like Stardew Valley are part of the larger “cosy” trend, a cultural shift that has evolved beyond the stereotypical image of donning a comfy cardigan and listening to Taylor Swift’s album Folklore on repeat."
Student care teacher, 32, pleads guilty to sending sexual messages to boy, 11, and girl, 13; also sent the girl obscene photo (2 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE — A 32-year-old man was convicted of two charges of sending sexual messages over social media to an 11-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl when he was a student care teacher in a primary school.
Tristan Teo Hong Xian also sent the girl a photo of his private parts.
On Tuesday (April 2), Teo pleaded guilty to two charges of engaging in sexual communication with a minor and one of distributing an obscene image."
In fasting for 30 hours, Singapore youths get a taste of global food security challenges (7 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE — What does it feel like to go for 30 hours on end without food?
For 17-year-old Krishnaaram Muthukumaran, it “wasn’t too bad” – but only during the first few hours.
“The effects of fasting really set in during the second half of the day, when we were going around the island doing various activities under the hot sun. It got more tiring as the day went on,” said the JC1 student at St Joseph’s Institution."
Students caught first time for vaping offences could face fine of up to S$2,000 amid enforcement step-up (9 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE — From March 2024, first-time offenders in schools and institutes of higher learning (IHLs) caught buying, using or possessing e-vaporisers, or vapes, can be fined up to S$2,000 after being referred to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA).
In a joint statement by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and HSA on Tuesday (April 9), the authorities announced moves to intensify enforcement and education efforts against e-vaporisers, including in schools.
From Jan 1 to March 31 this year, around 250 cases were referred to HSA by schools and IHLs for vaping offences, said the statement."
#trending: 'Why punish the parents?' — netizens question move to fine students caught for first-time vaping offences (11 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE — As the Government clamps down on increasingly rampant vaping among the young, its recent decision to introduce fines for first-time student offenders is stirring up sentiment online.
The Ministry of Health and the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) announced on Tuesday (April 9) that first-time offenders in schools and institutes of higher learning caught buying, using or possessing e-vaporisers, or vapes, can now be fined up to S$2,000.
However, the announcement was met with some scrutiny online as people remarked that students would not have the money to pay such fines, thus letting the financial burden fall on their parents."
How abuse, parents’ divorce and living with mentally unwell persons can affect a child’s lifelong health and relationships (13 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE — On Oct 31 in 2000, three-year-old Diyana Amir was at home when the SQ006 plane crash that killed 83 of the 179 people onboard happened.
Her father Amir Husin, who had been a cabin crew member then, survived the aviation disaster.
The ill-fated Singapore Airlines Boeing 747-400 plane carrying 159 passengers and 20 crew members — some of whom were Singaporeans — was to fly to Los Angeles, United States from Taipei, Taiwan."
Gen Z Speaks: I used to think I could save the world on my own, but volunteering taught me the power of community (14 April 2024)
"Like many of young Singaporeans of my generation, I was first exposed to community service and volunteerism through a compulsory Secondary 2 school activity where I spent time supervising children with special needs, like those with high-functioning autism, to create simple foods like peanut butter sandwiches.
Each session was an eye-opening but unsettling discovery of new and more complex obstacles the children, their parents and caregivers were subject to educationally and socially. It soon kickstarted my passion for volunteering.
Now six years on, I have had the opportunity to serve a diverse range of communities through organising activities in Care Corner, Heartware Network, CaringSG and more."
Gen Zen: Frequent doses of positive content can be comforting, but does such 'hopecore' really improve one's mental health? (15 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE — Years ago, I remember chancing upon a social media clip of a man, who had lost his ability to see colour as a child, putting on EnChroma glasses for the first time.
EnChroma glasses are a set of special lenses designed to improve the colour vision of people suffering from colour-blindness or colour deficiency.
It was a simple but beautiful moment as he marvelled at the ability to see different colours, something I’d taken for granted."
Former infant-care teacher gets 9 months’ jail for pushing 1-year-old, slapping child's face twice at preschool during feeding (17 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE — Frustrated that a one-year-old girl placed under her care at a preschool refused to be fed, an infant-care teacher slapped the child twice and pushed her.
When her colleague noticed a red mark on the girl’s face and asked the teacher about it, she did not answer but instead placed an ice pack on the girl’s face.
On Wednesday (April 17), the 40-year-old was sentenced to nine months’ jail after pleading guilty to ill-treatment of a child."
Healing from childhood trauma: What a child needs to feel safe again after abuse and adverse experiences (20 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE — Adverse childhood experiences are potentially traumatic events that occur in a child’s life before the age of 18.
Some of them are harmful and obvious when there is abuse and maltreatment. Others are less apparent but equally traumatic such as enduring pain from an injury or prolonged hospitalisation, not fitting in among peers and emotional neglect from parents.
In children and teenagers who are still growing physically, cognitively and emotionally, these early adverse experiences can leave a negative imprint on their development, behaviour and health right into adulthood."
Gen Y Speaks: As a former film student, I felt like a fraud in my coding career. Here’s how I overcame imposter syndrome (21 April 2024)
"I stumbled into the world of software engineering almost by accident.
As a film student at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, my days were filled with storytelling and capturing emotions through the lens. It was during my last year that I caught a glimpse of a different kind of narrative — the language of code.
I’ve always been interested in creative pursuits, but being a perfectionist by nature, coding captured my attention for how its creative potential is carefully balanced with technical rules — totally on the opposite end of the spectrum from film, which I always found to be more subjective."
Ex-childcare centre educator charged after allegedly tripping 20-month-old girl; banned from preschool sector (22 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE — A former childcare centre educator was charged in court on Monday (April 22) with ill-treating a child after she allegedly tripped a 20-month-old girl and caused her to fall in a preschool.
The 33-year-old woman, who taught at a centre in the northern part of Singapore, has since been banned by authorities from working in the preschool sector.
The girl and preschool cannot be named due to a court-imposed gag order. The accused is not named as it might identify the victim."
2 dead, including 17-year-old girl, after multi-vehicle accident at traffic junction in Tampines (22 April 2024)
"SINGAPORE — Two people have died after a multi-vehicle accident happened at the junction of Tampines Avenue 1 and Tampines Avenue 4 on Monday (April 22) morning.
In response to TODAY's queries, the police said that a 17-year-old girl and a 57-year-old woman were taken unconscious to the hospital, where they later died.
In total, six vehicles were involved in the accident: Four cars, a van and a minibus."