Former pre-school teacher admits she knowingly permitted colleague to ill-treat toddler (11 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE - A pre-school teacher was at work when she saw that one of her colleagues had pushed a table close to a wall to trap a one-year-old girl.
When the Chinese national, 29, spotted the toddler moving under the table, she pointed at the child and alerted the colleague, 30, who was also a pre-school teacher at the time.
Court documents stated that when the girl got to her feet, the older woman, a Singaporean, shoved the table, which hit the torso of the victim, who started crying."
Breaking boundaries: Temasek polytechnic student bridges cultural gaps in Chinese orchestra (11 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE – He understands only the most basic of Mandarin words – like lian (practise) and zhun bei (get ready) – but Muhammad Iman Mohamed Irfan has already performed solo parts on stage with a Chinese orchestra.
The 18-year-old is the only non-Chinese member of Temasek Polytechnic’s Chinese orchestra and the only bamboo flute, or dizi, player in the current cohort."
Megan Khung deserved better. It takes all of us to keep other children like her safe (11 April 2025)
"The death of four-year-old Megan Khung, who suffered horrific abuse at the hands of her mother and her former boyfriend, has shocked many Singaporeans.
Topmost on people’s minds are these questions: Why did Megan have to die? What more could the child protection authorities and social service agencies have done to save the child?"
Under Attack! SGSecure launches storybook to educate children on responding to emergencies (11 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE – While watching the news with her three children, Madam Rasyidah Ramli often gets questions from them on how to respond during emergencies such as floods and fires.
The 43-year-old now has a tool to kick-start the conversation with her children, with the launch of a storybook, Ack! Furtropolis Is Under Attack!, by SGSecure, a community-based initiative to enhance Singapore’s resilience against terrorism."
Gaming for good: Republic Poly students create games to let you experience life in a wheelchair (12 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE – Mr Aloysious Tan received numerous “complaints” about a game he and his classmates had designed for their final-year project, but he could not have been happier.
“Kids who played our game would ask us why it was so difficult to get around,” recalled the 20-year-old Republic Polytechnic (RP) student from the design for games and gamification course.
Unknown to the players, the difficult navigation in Mall Time Crunch was a feature, not a bug."
River valley fire: Teachers used extinguishers to delay spread of fire, says cooking school (12 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE - Teachers at the River Valley shophouse that caught fire on April 8 used fire extinguishers to delay the spread of the fire, said the cooking school located there.
In an April 12 Facebook post, Tomato Cooking School lauded 17 teachers from the school and camp organiser Newtonshow, who “risked their own safety to ensure kids were safely evacuated”. Both have listed their addresses at 278 River Valley Road, the shophouse involved in the deadly fire.
The blaze killed Australian Freya Ji Yinan, 10, while 21 others – six adults and 15 children – were injured."
ST PSLE prep forum: School is enough to prepare your child for PSLE (12 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE – Is the curriculum covered in primary school enough to prepare pupils for the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE), or is tuition necessary?
This was among questions that parents of pupils sitting the PSLE in 2025 had at The Straits Times Smart Parenting PSLE Prep Forum held on April 12."
There is a simple, science-backed way to sharpen your thinking and improve your memory (12 April 2025)
"Many of us turn to Sudoku, Wordle or brain-training apps to sharpen our minds. But research is increasingly showing that one of the best ways to boost memory, focus and brain health is exercise.
Our new research reviewed data from more than 250,000 participants across 2,700 studies. We found that exercise helps boost brain function – whether it’s walking, cycling, yoga, dancing or even playing active video games like Pokemon GO.
Moving your body improves how we think, make decisions, remember things and stay focused – no matter your age."
Fun With Kids: New playground at Gardens by the Bay, cartoon about classical music composers (13 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE – Make family time all the more special with these ideas and activities.
New playground at Gardens by the Bay
A free playground has opened at Gardens by the Bay’s new PropNex Family Zone, located within walking distance of Bayfront MRT station."
Minor Issues: Instagram as a communication channel between a mother and her 19-year-old son (13 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE – He is spending too much time on his mobile phone. I’m concerned about what he might post or come across. He doesn’t want me to follow him. Even if I don’t allow it, he will find a way.
These were just some of the worries I shared with a close friend when my son, now 19, started using Instagram six years ago."
Why students cheat during exams and what parents can do to deter them (13 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE – Some bring unauthorised notes into the exam venue; some write notes on their palm or arm; while others copy answers from another candidate.
These are methods of cheating during national exams recounted by the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB), educators and counsellors."
Why the fear of missing out should not drive our parenting choices (13 April 2025)
"One of the highlights of my weekend is my Saturday afternoon shoulder massage after I drop my three-year-old daughter off at her Chinese enrichment class.
It’s a weekly treat that serves as a reminder that I’m more than a mum and an editor. But my relaxed state didn’t last long on a particular Saturday."
New initiative to get schools, community businesses to keep neighbourhoods clean in Singapore (13 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE – CleanHood, a new initiative to get schools and community businesses within estates to keep their neighbourhoods clean, was announced by Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu at the launch of the annual Keep Singapore Clean 2025 campaign in Sentosa on April 13.
Organised by the Public Hygiene Council (PHC), CleanHood, an enhanced programme formerly known as the Sustainable Bright Spot, aims to cultivate collective ownership among residents, students and merchants by equipping them with resources to keep their common spaces clean."
Maybe we are just not good at thinking any more (13 April 2025)
"You might have seen the various data points suggesting that Americans are losing their ability to reason.
The trend starts with the young. The percentage of fourth graders who score below basic in reading skills on the National Assessment of Educational Progress tests is the highest it has been in 20 years. The percentage of eighth graders below basic was the highest in the exam’s three-decade history. A fourth grader who is below basic cannot grasp the sequence of events in a story. An eighth grader can’t grasp the main idea of an essay or identify the different sides of a debate."
‘I was just looking for people to talk to’: Counsellors do online drifting to reach reclusive youth (14 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE – He was retained twice in Secondary 1 and stopped going to school due to a health condition, which led to him being bullied.
Staying home all day for more than two years, Rico Ang spent his time playing mobile games and joined a Facebook group for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, a mobile multiplayer online battle arena game.
“I was just looking for people to talk to,” said the 18-year-old."
NTU receives $110 million gift to help students in need and support the community (14 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE - Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has received a $110 million gift from UOB and the Wee Foundation, one of the largest in the university’s history.
With government matching, the total amount will come up to $275 million, which will go towards programmes to help NTU students from low-income families and to give back to the community."
What’s The News? Quiz competition by ST kicks off with live event at St Gabriel’s Secondary School (15 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE – On the morning of April 15, Julien Fok found himself racking his brain to remember volcano names as he worked his way through an online quiz.
The 15-year-old student of St Gabriel’s Secondary School said: “I’m interested mainly in politics, so I found some of the (non-political) questions quite challenging.”
Still, the Sec 3 student scored 21 out of 30, surprising himself. “I went through the social media channels of many different local and international outlets to prepare for the quiz,” he said."
River Valley fire: ‘Boy looked lifeless, mouth was burnt,’ says doctor who helped injured children (15 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE - Dr Laura Biffin was working in her clinic in River Valley Road on April 8 when she heard a commotion coming from Tomato Cooking School, located down the road.
The family physician ran outside and saw that a shophouse, which the cooking school was located in, was on fire.
Dr Biffin, 38, saw children being evacuated to another shophouse and went to help examine those hurt in the blaze."
Young entrepreneurs talk about going beyond grades and pay at ST Podcast Live event (15 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE – As a young boy, Mr Nabill Shukry Johari, 27, always thought of entrepreneurship as a way out of poverty. He has proven himself right.
Now in his final semester as a part-time marketing student at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), he runs two businesses – Cheekies, a meal prep company supplying five food and beverage outlets, and Cheeky Media, a creative agency that helps brands thrive on TikTok Shop."
GE2025: Schools to close on May 5 after Polling Day (16 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE - There will be no school on May 5 for all primary and secondary schools, junior colleges, Millennia Institute and MOE Kindergartens, as the day has been designated a school holiday.
Classes will resume on May 6, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said on April 16."
Why it’s time Singapore has a Design Museum (16 April 2025)
"For a nation recognised as a Unesco Creative City of Design since 2015 – awarded for harnessing design and creativity in its social and economic development – something vital is missing: a Singapore Design Museum.
While the country has several venues where the public can engage with design, none serves as a definitive platform for celebrating Singapore’s design legacy. The Red Dot Design Museum in Marina Bay showcases award-winners from its international competition. The National Design Centre is a familiar landmark for designers and is where the public converges for design-focused exhibitions and Singapore Design Week. The ArtScience Museum explores cross-disciplinary creativity."
SMU’s Class of 2025 to get transcript listing skills developed during co-curricular activities (17 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE - In a first among universities here, Singapore Management University’s (SMU) graduating class of 2025 will receive in July a transcript recording their co-curricular activities (CCAs) on top of their academic transcript.
The co-curricular transcript will go beyond a simple listing of activities that the student has participated in. It will indicate the skill sets the student has developed in the process, and the extent to which he has developed these skill sets through three progressive levels.
At the highest level, a student’s involvement in the activity has led to profound growth or a major shift in values, beliefs and perspectives."
NUS High launches fund-raising drive for student opportunities as it marks 20th anniversary (17 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE – Students from NUS High School of Math and Science will get more support to conduct research and go on overseas school trips, as the school hopes to raise funds to give students more opportunities.
Through a new initiative called NUSHigh Giving launched on April 17, the school said that it aims to work with partners so that its students can take part in multi-year programmes in cutting edge science and technology. These could be in areas like space engineering, artificial intelligence robotics and nuclear science."
Govt to implement youth proposals on financial resilience, S-E Asian opportunities, among others (17 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE – In response to recommendations from young people here, the Government will start a savings plan for lower-income families and consolidate financial literacy information for the youth, among other actions.
Recommendations from Forward Singapore’s Youth Panels have been accepted by the Government, said Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth Alvin Tan on April 17 at an appreciation event for the panels.
The recommendations include the introduction of a savings plan to support lower-income Singaporeans in building up emergency savings, boosting financial support for youth ventures in South-east Asia, and exploring new approaches in tackling online harms."
In touch with fierce side: Temasek Polytechnic’s Salvo Drums hits the spot for strength, commitment (18 April 2025)
"In between powerful percussive strokes and synchronised movements, 13 drummers jump onto 75cm-tall barrel-shaped shigu (lion drum in Mandarin) in unison.
This is a typical practice session of Temasek Polytechnic’s Salvo Drums co-curricular activity (CCA), where learning to jump on the 24 Seasons Drums is essential."
A decade of zoological discovery: Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum turns 10 (18 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE – The Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum welcomed a record number of visitors – 88,200 – in 2024. But the facility, which averages 65,000 visitors a year and is part of the National University of Singapore, looks set to exceed that number in 2025 as it hosts a series of events to mark its 10th anniversary.
The Republic’s only natural history museum, which was launched on April 18, 2015, will have an open house on May 18, where the first 600 visitors enter for free. Entry for an individual adult typically costs $18 for Singaporeans and $27 for non-Singaporeans."
The five Cs of arts education (11 February 2025)
"What are they and how do they prepare students for the rapid changes of the 21st Century? Mr Clifford Chua, the Academy Principal of the Singapore Teachers’ Academy for the aRts (STAR), breaks it down.
Since ChatGPT and Midjourney were launched in 2022, the ways generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) might transform the world has been one of the hottest topics across industries all over the world. But for Mr Clifford Chua, the Academy Principal of the Singapore Teachers’ Academy for the aRts (STAR), the potential of GenAI is not that unfamiliar – at least from the perspective of arts education.
“AI will affect arts education just as any other technology has,” he acknowledges. “But it’s just a tool you can play with. One of the things students learn in art class is the potentialities of different materials, and their limitations. Take clay, for example. There are things clay can and cannot do.” Similarly, AI has its affordances and constraints. “So, if we give students this tool, they will experiment with it. They will learn to exploit what it can do to create fantastic things. And what it cannot do, they will have to find other ways of doing those things.”
For that reason, AI did not drive the changes in the refreshed and revised art syllabuses that were rolled out to primary, secondary and pre-university students in 2024 and 2025. Rather, art teachers are being trained by STAR to bring out students’ voices more during their classes, by encouraging them to express and clarify their perspectives during their art-making. Experimentation and exploration are now a greater focus, and process is emphasised as being more important than final product.
The goal of these changes is to hone skills and mindsets – or more snappily, the five Cs – that will better prepare students for the volatile and complex world they will face after leaving school. Mr Chua shares what exactly these five Cs are and why arts education is uniquely equipped to impart them.
1. Creativity
Over the years, the Singapore education system has helped hone certain traits, such as efficiency and diligence. These have definitely been valuable assets to students as they enter the workforce. “But there have been some observations that Singaporeans are not so independent when it comes to solving problems,” Mr Chua points out. With an overfocus on academic results, many students also lack time to pursue interests outside of their schoolwork.
While a single-minded pursuit of good grades might once have been perceived as a virtue, it can become a liability as the world evolves. Top universities increasingly look out for applicants with distinct passions, pursuits, and perspectives. “And that’s because they have found that the people who succeed later in life have a variety of interests. The key to their success is the ability to connect the dots between different disciplines,” Mr Chua elaborates.
An arts education helps foster creative thinking through experimentation and exploration. “That whole process of developing your own way of thinking, looking and listening, then interpreting and responding, instils a more creative disposition,” he says."
‘We don’t always need words to understand each other’ (13 February 2025)
"When these students from Fernvale Primary School meet their pals with special needs from MINDS Fernvale Gardens School for art sessions, they create their own language of friendship.
When two art teachers discovered they had a common love for sock puppets, they hit it off.
The result? Joint lessons between the students of their two schools, culminating in a pop-up exhibition.
Mdm Angela Lau, Acting Head of Department for Arts at MINDS Fernvale Gardens School (FGS), and Mdm Julia Bte Mohd Rahim, Subject Head of Aesthetics at Fernvale Primary School (FVPS), first got together when their schools held a networking session in 2023 to share expertise.
FVPS is a mainstream primary school while students from FGS have moderate-to-severe intellectual disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); some of them also have limited verbal communication skills.
When Mdm Julia and Mdm Lau discussed their respective art programmes, they found much common ground and ample opportunities for mutual learning.
Sharing a keen interest in soft sculptures, they planned joint art sessions for their students featuring everyday materials and sock puppets as a creative medium."
Why Junior College was a good choice for these students (3 March 2025)
"Schoolbag caught up with three A-Level grads from Catholic Junior College (CJC) to find out more about their JC experience. From the school’s wide-ranging programmes and activities, to the tight support network of teachers and friends – find out why the JC route was the right choice for them.
By Arielene Wee/ Jacquelyn Ng
“In just two years, I was involved in over 40 activities and programmes! It was an amazing range – from attending Arts Fest and STEM conferences, to organising CJC’s Open House as a student councillor.” – Galen Ang
When choosing between JC and poly, Galen Ang chose the former because he was unsure of a specific poly course to pick. He shares that at CJC, “The huge number of school programmes helped me discover my interests, and more importantly, myself.”
As a student councillor, Galen planned orientation programmes for his juniors, and leadership dialogues on how to improve the school. One of the suggestions from this dialogue – to introduce a flame mascot as part of CJC’s identity – was implemented last year. “This was a core JC memory because we made a difference. We see the mascot at school events now! I am thankful for these moments of making likeminded friends, being study buddies, and navigating school life together.”
Stronger together: Student well-being gets a boost with parental support (4 March 2025)
"From “monster hunts” to art jam sessions, here’s how Parent Support Groups are teaming up with schools to boost students’ mental health.
Therapeutic art jam sessions. Cute crochet toys. These are just a couple of the many things parents are doing for stressed students, as they actively involve themselves in their children’s school communities. And many of them are discovering that volunteering their time and effort at the Parents Support Group (PSG) goes a long way to ensure that students’ mental well-being needs are supported.
Schoolbag dives deeper into three PSG-led programmes that are making a tangible difference in students’ lives.
At Chung Cheng High Yishun, parents are supporting students’ well-being one crochet stitch at a time
As the school year enters its busiest stretch and stress levels peak before the exam period, a whimsical initiative by the PSG at Chung Cheng High Yishun (CCHY) has brought much-needed joy to students. The initiative mentioned: Rainbow Monsters – handcrafted crochet creatures, each tagged with a note of encouragement.
First started in September 2024, the project saw PSG members partnering Peer Support Leaders (PSLs) to host a school-wide “monster hunt” during recess, where students eagerly searched for 260 crochet monsters hidden around the school campus. The aim was to add some fun to the hectic term, but it managed to spark important conversations about mental well-being.
Mdm Betsy Toh, one of the parents who initiated the PSG Crochet Club, shares that attached to each crochet monster was a heartfelt message reminding students to reach out to peers if they need extra support.
“This initiative was also about creating a sense of togetherness,” says Mdm Toh, whose daughter is a PSL. “We didn’t set out with an intentional message about mental health; instead, we simply shared something we enjoyed and loved doing, and in doing so, spread joy to the rest of the school.”
More than just grades: 21st century students share their skills for success (7 March 2025)
"As the definition of success evolves through generations, so do the skills and competencies required to achieve it. We speak to a Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) Accountancy undergraduate and former thrift shop owner to find out how they’ve enriched themselves through their experiences outside of school.
“Study hard, get good grades, get a good job” is an often-heard mantra in Singapore. However, it is increasingly evident that academic accolades are not the only way to achieve fulfilment in life – especially in today’s fast-changing world.
Just as important in today’s world are practical and soft skills. Hou Hui Qing, a 24-year-old SIT Accountancy undergraduate tells us how she has grown to be a motivated and compassionate leader from her internship at Ah Hua Kelong, a fish farm. Also, Enif bin Omar, a 20-year-old who built his own thrift and vintage business, shares how he has developed a great sense of social awareness through it.
Changing the world starts with knowing yourself
For both Enif and Hui Qing, being self-aware kickstarted their journey. By understanding and following what mattered to them, they accomplished things they could be proud of. The seed of Enif’s business, Cappo’s Garage, for instance, was planted in 2018 when he was just 14. He had an interest in vintage fashion, and when he visited his parents’ retirement house in Malaysia, he found a thriving vintage fashion scene “way bigger than I’ve ever seen in my life”.
Enif then brought home vintage clothes for his friends and sold some of the garments on Carousell, a Singaporean online marketplace for second-hand items. His online sales took off and he ventured into setting up physical pop-up stores before eventually opening a permanent store in Far East Plaza. “It started as a hobby, but I grew to realise the opportunities available as I kept an open mind,” shares Enif, whose earnings from the business has allowed him to support himself through his studies in the past few years."
JC admission changes, mid-career level-up, Special Education support, and more (10 March 2025)
Check out these and other MOE COS 2025 highlights.
How to break the vicious screentime cycle (14 March 2025)
"Screens are a lifeline for busy parents. But too much screen use can disrupt sleep and affect children’s health. The Health Plan under Grow Well SG offers small, practical steps to help families unplug. Four parents who have tested these strategies share their struggles, successes and lessons learned.
A video buys you some peace while you wash up after dinner, but bedtime becomes another battle.
If this feels familiar, you’re not alone. For these four families, managing screen use was a challenge – until they took small steps to make a change.
Mr Seah’s Story: Breaking the Screentime Cycle
Getting kids to settle down can feel like herding kittens. Mr Seah Kok Yong admits that the screen saved him – and his three boys – much grief at mealtime. “We would give them the screen when we needed them to stop running around,” he says.
He thought it was harmless. Feeding time was more fuss-free, and they were picking up vocabulary too.“The nursery rhyme videos taught them English better than I thought I could,” he adds.
But over time, his sons – 12-year-old twins and a 9-year-old – became increasingly hooked. “They would always demand for more. Once the screen was in their hands, it’s very hard to take it back,” he recalls. His boys became engrossed in YouTube videos and Roblox, sometimes staying up past midnight.
The turning point came when his youngest son, Kaydus, received a Health Plan booklet at school under the Grow Well SG initiative. The booklet provided structured guidance on healthy habits – including the importance of at least seven hours of uninterrupted sleep."
DSA Leadership: For students who can seek consensus and build connections (18 March 2025)
"Primary 6 students can try for direct entry to certain secondary schools based on their talent in leadership. Here are the different ways three schools develop these students’ potential.
Leadership can be a tricky quality to identify. Students applying for the DSA Leadership programme typically already have a track record of serving as a prefect or Co-Curricular Activity (CCA) leader in primary school, or some sort of similar experience.
Naval Base Secondary School goes a step further to ask applicants to elaborate on their experiences. This is to find out if they embody specific leadership dispositions such as being self-reflective and collaborative, having a heart to serve, and more. “We also want to see if they have clarity of thought as they communicate, and align with our RECIPE values – which stands for respect, excellence, compassion, integrity, perseverance, and enthusiasm,” explains Mr Shawn Neo, the Subject Head for Student Leadership at this school.
On top of that, Naval Base also sets a group challenge to observe how the students behave when they have to work together on a task. This is to gain insights on how students navigate differences, approach problem-solving and contribute to group goals – qualities that Mr Neo says are essential for future leaders.
Bukit View Secondary School sets a group task and interviews students as a group as well. “We want to see how well they listen to one another and build on their peers’ answers,” says Mr Norafiq Ismail, one of the teachers in charge of this school’s Leadership Development. “An outstanding candidate will be someone who can really synthesise the thoughts in the room.”
At New Town Secondary School, teachers also keep in mind that leadership styles are diverse while conversing with applicants. “Not every leader is someone who is rah-rah and boisterous. We also appreciate students who may be quieter, but show maturity in thought,” says Ms Adora Tan, one of the teachers in charge of Student Leadership at the school. “Sincerity and a disposition of wanting to serve also form a good starting point.”
Here’s a closer look at how these three schools nurture students’ leadership skills."
Open House for Primary Schools (25 March 2025)
"What do you need to know before visiting open houses with your child? Read on for more details on how you can support your child in choosing a primary school that’s suitable for them!
Getting a peek into the school grounds, meeting the teachers and students, experiencing each school’s culture – open houses provide opportunities for you and your child to choose a primary school most suitable for them. Here are some points to keep in mind as your child embarks on this exciting new chapter.
While attending the open houses for primary schools, consider the following pointers:
1. Your child’s strengths and interests
Talk to your child about what they like to do. Ask them to share about their preferred hobbies, be it playing sports, making music, creating art, or even gaming. Ask them what else they would like to try because primary school years offer new learning opportunities. Discuss what they like and dislike about their lessons and activities in kindergarten. Then, read up on and find out more about the primary schools that can provide your child with the opportunities to deepen their existing interests or explore new areas.
2. Distance between home and school
The daily journey to and from school is an important consideration. Think of the means of transport your child will be using. Regardless of the mode of transport, be it by car, school bus, or public transport, what is the fastest and safest way for them to commute to and from school? A long commute to and from school can have an impact of your child’s energy level and readiness for school experiences.
3. Culture of the school
Each school has its distinctive culture. By attending the open houses, you get a preview of what each school has to offer in terms of its programmes, facilities, values, teachers, and school culture. Take the opportunity to browse through the schools’ websites to learn more about them before you go.
When you are there, guide your child to participate in the activities to feel the pulse and energy of the school. Encourage your child to ask the students questions about what they enjoy most about their school life and observe if your child enjoys the interaction with the students there."
Open House for Secondary Schools (25 March 2025)
"What do you need to know before visiting open houses with your child? Read on for more details on how you can support your child in choosing a secondary school that’s suitable for them!
Getting a peek into the school grounds, meeting the teachers and students, experiencing each school’s culture – open houses provide opportunities for you and your child to choose a secondary school most suitable for him/her. Here are some points to keep in mind as your child embarks on this exciting new chapter.
1. Have a conversation with your child about their strengths and interests
Find out what appeals to them and what worries them most about going to secondary school. Ask them about their favourite lessons and activities in primary school and let them share what they think are their strengths and interests.
You can also ask them to list what they enjoy about their school experiences in order of preference. This could range from the learning environment to academic programmes to CCAs and even the canteen food! This will give you a better understanding of what matters to them and what they would like to have in their secondary school life.
2. Think of different aspects of the school experience
When discussing possible secondary school options with your child, consider the school’s distinctive programmes, culture and ethos, subjects and CCAs offered, as well as the distance from home. These will all impact your child’s experience.
3. Shortlist a range of schools
After having a conversation with your child, use the checklist on SchoolFinder to explore and shortlist the options together. Find out what each school can offer your child and whether it seems to be a good fit for your child’s strengths, interests, and abilities. This exploration can better inform the 6 choices that you and your child indicate after the release of the PSLE results. If you need help navigating SchoolFinder, read this article for tips."
Where do teens hang out after school? The answer will surprise you (26 March 2025)
"Game consoles, drum sets, foosball tables – stuff you’d expect to find in a big tech company’s staff lounge – are appearing in designated hangout spaces in schools now. Schoolbag visits three schools to find out how letting students have fun engages them more meaningfully past lesson time.
You might think that school is a place that students can’t wait to leave at the end of the day. But now, through initiatives to turn designated spaces into hangout areas tailor-made for students to have fun, relax and bond, school has become more than just a place to study.
We visit three schools to get a glimpse of what draws students to stay back after school in these spaces, and how teachers say the spaces have made a world of difference in meaningfully engaging students. Across the board, students and teachers echo the same sentiments: these hangout spaces have done wonders in improving students’ mental well-being and school life. More than that, students are making fond memories, finding their communities, and gaining confidence while being supported to thrive both socially and emotionally.
In New Town Secondary School, the Oasis helps students build relationships and resilience
Walking into the Oasis, one enters a bright and cosy space replete with couches, plump beanbags, and a larger-than-life mural done by students. Here, New Town Secondary School (NTSS) students take their pick of activities, from billiards and board games to foosball and video games.
To students, the Oasis lives up to its namesake, offering a blissful retreat away from the stress of studies. “It’s like a different part of school,” says Secondary 4 student Ezanne Wong, one of the student crew who helps manage the space. “When you enter, it’s like being mentally away from school stresses and in a space where it’s just about making memories filled with laughter.”
The relaxed environment also facilitates “very organic” interactions, says Oasis teacher-in-charge Ms Nurul Aisyah Rosli, as students can freely and casually play games together even if they are unacquainted. As a result, the Oasis has helped bring together students across different backgrounds. This was most apparent when Tanglin Secondary School (TSS) merged with NTSS in 2023. The Oasis, as a common, safe and fun space, helped “build a stronger school culture by bringing a lot of people together”, says Ezanne, who was a former TSS student.
Students have also found communities here. Secondary 3 student Lee Chee Yat, who’s also a crew member, said the Oasis recalled the time when he had just entered secondary school. “I met a lot of people like me here, who were also not used to the school and to new people, so it helped me feel less lonely,” he says."
Bringing Out the Best in Every Child (1 April 2025)
"For over six decades, the Ministry of Education has worked to build schools, design curriculum and put in place programmes and initiatives to develop every Singaporean Child… and the mission continues today.
1. Setting Firm Foundations
Post-World War 2, the pioneers of Singapore aimed to create a unified education system that provided equal access to education for all Singaporeans. But many schools had been damaged or destroyed in the war and our population was growing.
Building for a Booming Population
Existing schools were bursting at the seams, and with uneven standards, there were schools which were little more than makeshift shacks. We wanted to ensure that each child would not only have a desk and seat, but also conducive facilities to help him learn."
Making a difference in a very different era (1 April 2025)
"Teachers who joined MOE in the early days are a highly respected force. We recount their warm memories from the 1960s and deep friendships that endure through the years.
Making student's dream come true
“As a teacher, I believe I can make a difference in a child’s life,” she said.
A student had to quit school at Sec 2 because the family couldn’t afford her fees. Before her last day, she shared with Mrs Yip that she wanted to run her own hair salon one day.
To help her take the first step towards her dream, Mrs Yip walked into a salon to get the girl a job as a shampoo girl.
Many years later, Mrs Yip received an invitation to that ex-student’s wedding. She was also invited to the opening of her own hair salon. “Of course I went!”
On opening day, her ex-student offered to wash her hair for her.
“Between the two of us, the tears were enough to wash my hair.”
Mrs Yip also made lifelong friends with her colleagues, including her Head of Department Mrs Theresa Lim. They forged bonds of over 40 years."
Cool it with the hothousing (3 April 2025)
"Parents want to make sure their kids are well-prepared for the transition from preschool to primary school. But overloading them with lessons and expectations can backfire. The key is to inculcate a joy for learning instead, says Mdm Azlina.
Theory, practice, and personal experience – when it comes to preparing children for the transition from preschool to primary school, Mdm Nur Azlina Binte Subari draws from all these perspectives. Not only is she a lead lecturer at the National Institute of Early Childhood Development (NIEC), but she has also navigated this milestone moment with her two children, who are in Primary 1 and 2 respectively.
Schoolbag speaks to Mdm Azlina to find out how to best prepare children for this important step, and why hothousing kids may backfire and stress them out.
Learn to identify each kid’s individual needs
Like all parents, Mdm Azlina wanted to support her children in important learning milestones, such as the preschool-to-primary-school transition. So, a few years before they started primary school, she signed them up for a phonics class to help them improve their reading skills.
“Before enrolling my kids in the class, I tried to engage them in reading activities and games at home,” elaborates Mdm Azlina. “But they often lost focus halfway, so I thought that the more structured environment of a formal class might help supplement my reading activities at home.”
However, she soon realised that the class’s focus on workbook exercises rather than hands-on activities was not a good fit for her children in different ways. “My son made progress in reading, but he often expressed a lack of enjoyment in the class. My daughter questioned why she could not read as well her brother. She said the class was very difficult, and that she was very sad about this.”
Her daughter’s struggles hit her hard. “I didn’t want my child to feel that she was not good enough in comparison to everybody else. As an early childhood practitioner, I understand that children develop at different paces, and I reassured her that she would get there in her own time.” Taking her son’s boredom to heart as well, she pulled both her children out of the phonics class after a year."
5 perks of being in polytechnic I was not ready for (11 April 2025)
"No uniforms. Four-hour breaks. These were just some of the perks that I was looking forward to when I entered Polytechnic. Turns out, freedom does take some getting used to.
It’s a rite of passage for those who are sitting their O Levels to talk about where they want to go after secondary school. I was at the same crossroads three years ago, together with a lot of my friends, deciding between enrolling in a junior college and polytechnic. My friends and I spoke to everyone – from older siblings to teachers to tuition teachers – just to find out which choice was better for us.
In my case, ultimately, I chose to go to polytechnic as I felt that its hands-on curriculum suited me better, as I was more of a “need to experience to learn” person than a “read and memorise” student. Besides, there were many perks that polytechnic life offered that sounded great – until I experienced it for myself. Here are five freedoms that took me a while to get used to.
1. No uniforms = more freedom or more thinking?
Having the freedom to wear whatever I wanted to school sounded amazing. But as it turned out, I wasn’t ready to think about what I had to wear to school every single day. There were days when it felt nice and was a no-brainer to wear my new clothes or shoes, but oftentimes, I found myself staring at my closet for more than 10 minutes and saying to myself, “I have nothing to wear!”
As the school year progressed, I realised no one really cares about what we wear; I’ve even seen people going to school in shark slippers. After three weeks, I then started to warm up to this relaxed and casual lifestyle, and threw on whatever I felt like wearing that day, be it a new top or an overworn oversized shirt. This taught me it does not matter what I wear to school, as long as I feel comfortable and confident in it."
Watch: Plant a bookmark? Discover cool sustainability projects in schools (17 April 2025)
"These winning projects at this year’s School Green Awards prove that sustainability education can be hands-on, creative, and downright fun.
By Sabrina Lee
A garden bursting with vegetables, colourful student-authored books on food waste, and handcrafted seed paper bookmarks – these creative initiatives from our schools demonstrate that environmental education can be both rewarding and engaging.
Schoolbag explores how schools are weaving sustainability into everyday learning, inspiring students to become environmentally conscious citizens through hands-on experiences.
At Fengshan Primary School, students create paper that bloom
For students at Fengshan Primary School’s Environmental Science Club, paper recycling takes on a cool twist as they learn to make paper that can later sprout into plants.
The process begins with collection. Students gather old, used papers from various points around the school including the General Office, Staff room (with teachers’ assistance), recycling bins, and directly from their peers.
“We shred these papers before turning them into pulp by blending the paper with water,” explains Primary 5 student Ishaan Kaustubh. “Then we collect fallen leaves and flowers from the school’s garden, tear them into small pieces, and mix them with seeds and water.”
Meet the transformers (17 April 2025)
"What do a marketer, broadcast journalist and a train engineer have in common? All of them made a mid-career switch to teaching and not only found a different sense of purpose, but also that the skills they honed in their previous jobs now help them in the classroom.
Former marketer Mohamed Zubir Osman unpacks the art of the sell in the classroom
Five years into his sales and marketing job, Mr Mohamed Zubir Osman was doing well – the money was good, he enjoyed his work, and he felt a sense of achievement. At that point, he was also about to become a father for the first time. But it was right then that he decided to switch careers to become a teacher. “I realised something was missing,” he remembers.
As a secondary school student, he had fallen in love with History thanks to his teacher’s engaging style of teaching this subject. That same teacher’s motto of “connection before correction” also inspired him. “That means getting the teacher-student relationship right is paramount,” he explains. That was when Mr Zubir first thought about becoming a teacher. He ultimately decided to try out the private sector first. By the late 2000s though, he realised that his earlier dream was still alive.
“I wanted to make a direct impact on students, and build that connection with them,” he says. He also felt that his experience in sales and marketing would be helpful in teaching. “I had learnt a lot of problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills, which I thought would be transferable to the classroom setting.” With the support of his wife, he decided to take the plunge."
Release of 2024 Singapore-Cambridge GCE O-Level Examination Results and 2025 Joint Admissions Exercise (3 January 2025)
"The results of the 2024 Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level (GCE O-Level) examination will be released on Friday, 10 January 2025, 2.30pm."
Release of 2024 Singapore-Cambridge GCE O-Level Examination Results (10 January 2025)
"Candidates who sat for the 2024 Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level (GCE O-Level) Examination collected their results from their secondary schools today."
2025 MOE Kindergarten Open House and Registration Exercise (16 January 2025)
"The Ministry of Education (MOE) would like to invite parents to register their child for Kindergarten 1 (K1) admission in 2026 during the upcoming MOE Kindergarten (MK) Registration Exercise that will be held from 7 to 17 February 2025. 56 MKs will be participating in this year's exercise, including one new MK, MK@Pioneer, which will be opening in 2026. Parents are invited to attend the open houses of individual MKs on 8 or 15 February 2025 to learn more about their programmes and facilities, prior to registration."
Grow Well SG to Support Families in Building Healthy Habits in Children (21 January 2025)
"The Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Education (MOE) and Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) have jointly launched Grow Well SG, a new national health promotion strategy to enhance preventive care and inculcate healthier lifestyles in children and adolescents. The multi-ministry strategy is aimed at holistically addressing children's health and well-being in the digital age."
More Than 66,000 Student Athletes to Participate at National School Games 2025 (22 January 2025)
"More than 66,000 student athletes will compete across 29 sports at the National School Games (NSG) 2025. Minister for Education Mr Chan Chun Sing officiated the NSG Opening Ceremony at the Singapore Sports Hub OCBC Arena Hall today."
Posting Results for the 2025 Joint Admissions Exercise (27 January 2025)
"The posting results for the 2025 Joint Admissions Exercise (JAE) will be released on 4 February 2025, 9am. Applicants can obtain their posting results through the following modes:
a. Short Message Service to the Singapore mobile phone number provided by the applicant during application
b. JAE-IS, which is accessible through the JAE website (www.moe.gov.sg/jae)."
Open for Nominations: Most Inspiring Tamil Teachers' Award 2025 (3 February 2025)
"From 3 February to 4 April 2025, students, educators, parents, and members of the public are invited to nominate Tamil Language (TL) teachers for the Most Inspiring Tamil Teachers' (MITT) Award 2025."
Nominations Open for Arif Budiman Malay Language Teacher Award 2025 (3 February 2025)
"From 3 February to 4 April 2025, students, educators, parents, and members of the public are invited to nominate outstanding Malay Language teachers for the Arif Budiman Malay Language Teacher Award (AGAB) 2025."
Release of 2024 Singapore-Cambridge GCE A-Level Examination Results on 21 February 2025 (14 February 2025)
"The results of the 2024 Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (GCE A-Level) examination will be released on Friday, 21 February 2025, 2.30pm."
New Story Writing Competition for Students to Draw Inspiration from Late Composer's Songs (15 February 2025)
"The Malay Language Learning and Promotion Committee (MLLPC) launched a short story writing competition that seeks to provide an opportunity for students to appreciate the late local composer Zubir Said's songs, and translate the inspiration from his music into creative works. Dr Mohamed Maliki Osman, Second Minister of Education and Chairperson of the MLLPC was the Guest of Honour at the launch event at Woodlands Regional Library today."
Release of the 2024 Singapore-Cambridge GCE A-Level Examination Results (21 February 2025)
"Candidates who sat for the 2024 Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (GCE A-Level) examination received their results from their schools today."
Thriving Together: Maximising the Potential of Education (6 March 2025)
"At the 2025 Committee of Supply Debate, the Ministry of Education (MOE) announced initiatives to strengthen students' holistic development and maximise their potential, extend greater support to working adults to upskill and learn for life, as well as deepen partnerships across the education ecosystem to enhance teaching and learning. These initiatives will further advance our Forward Singapore agenda, to develop multiple pathways to success, and embrace learning beyond grades."
Infosheet 1: Revised Junior College (JC) Admission Criteria (6 March 2025)
"As part of the Ministry of Education's (MOE) efforts to broaden definitions of success beyond academic achievements and encourage holistic development in our students, MOE will revise the JC admission criteria from the 2028 Joint Admissions Exercise (JAE), by reducing the number of subjects required for JC admission. With this change, students will have more scope to recalibrate their curriculum load by offering one fewer subject, and to use the freed-up time from offering one fewer subject to strengthen their development of 21st Century Competencies and pursue other interests."
Infosheet 2: Enhancing Support for Mid-career Individuals under the SkillsFuture Level-up Programme (6 March 2025)
"The SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme (SFLP), jointly introduced by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) in 2024, is a significant commitment by the Government to make SkillsFuture as a key pillar of our social compact. It supports Singapore Citizens aged 40 and above, who are at higher risk of skills obsolescence, to pursue upskilling and reskilling to stay relevant and competitive amidst a rapidly changing economy."
New "Xin Kong Xia 2024" Album Showcases Students' Musical Talent Through Chinese Songs (14 March 2025)
"The Committee to Promote Chinese Language Learning (CPCLL) has released an album featuring 13 original songs composed by student winners from the 2024 National Schools Xinyao Singing and Songwriting Competition. Titled "Xin Kong Xia 2024", the album was launched today by Minister of State for Education and Chairperson of the CPCLL, Ms Gan Siow Huang, at the National Schools Xinyao festival. The annual festival aims to promote xinyao as a vital part of our cultural heritage, and deepen students' understanding and appreciation of the Chinese language and culture."
Singapore Youth Festival 2025: Students to Showcase Aspirations for Our Nation's Future Through Diverse Art Forms (21 March 2025)
"In celebration of Singapore's 60th year of independence, the Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) 2025 will showcase youth artistic talents through performances and artworks from March to July. As part of the celebration, students will express their interpretations of our nation's cultural heritage and their aspirations for building our shared future together."
Second Minister for Education Dr Maliki Osman to Attend the 15th International Summit on the Teaching Profession in Reykjavik, Iceland (23 March 2025)
"Second Minister for Education, Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, will attend the 15th International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) in Reykjavik, Iceland, from 24 to 26 March 2025."
World Book Day 2025 Opening Ceremony and Launch of New National Chinese Reading Contest to Cultivate Love for Reading (12 April 2025)
"More than 800 secondary and pre-university students participated in this year's World Book Day Opening Ceremony at Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) on Saturday, 12 April 2025. 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."
MOE’s Statement on School Holiday and Designated Day Off-in-lieu on Monday, 5 May 2025 (16 April 2025)
"As Polling Day (3 May 2025) is a public holiday and falls on a Saturday, Monday, 5 May 2025 will be a school holiday and a designated day off-in-lieu for all staff in MOE Kindergartens, Primary and Secondary schools, as well as Junior Colleges and Millennia Institute. Classes will resume on Tuesday, 6 May 2025."
Singapore’s Youth Charter launched, new SG60 grant to fund youth-led community initiatives (1 March 2025)
"SINGAPORE: Singapore’s Youth Charter was launched by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Saturday (Mar 1).
The charter is an action plan for young people to play a more proactive role in the community. It was developed after a 15-month outreach effort by the People's Association Youth Movement.
A special SG60 PA Engagement Grant to fund youth-led community initiatives was also announced by Mr Wong at the launch event at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza."
A 5-year-old moves in with new foster parents. This is what happens in the first month (2 March 2025)
"SINGAPORE: With a clatter and a thud, five-year-old *Isaac plopped down at his new foster parents’ doorstep and started strapping on an elbow pad.
“I want to go rollerblading!” he announced.
His enthusiasm left Natalie Ong, 34, and Matthew Chia, 37, both charmed and confounded. Having braced themselves for tears or shyness, the couple knelt to help him into his well-worn gear instead, surrounded by bags of clothes and toys."
My oldest child is 12, but I’m not giving him a smartphone anytime soon. Here’s why (2 March 2025)
"These are the kind of utterances I hear quite regularly: “Mum, can I play Pokemon Go please? I just want to catch all the Pokemon here.”
“Mum, I just want to see what I get from my Starr Drop today in my Brawl Stars game.”
“Mum, just one match on FC Mobile, it’ll only take 15 minutes, I promise.”
Children reported by their parents for vaping will not be fined: Rahayu (3 March 2025)
"SINGAPORE: Children who are reported by their parents for vaping will not be fined, Minister of State for Health Rahayu Mahzam said in parliament on Monday (Mar 3).
Madam Rahayu was answering a question from Member of Parliament Tan Wu Meng (PAP-Jurong), who asked about the number of vaping cases that arise from parents referring their children to the police and the Health Sciences Authority's (HSA) approach to such referrals.
She said that HSA received about 4,000 and 5,000 cases involving possession or usage of e-vaporisers from the police over the past two years. Only one of these cases was a parent referring his child to the police for vaping."
All three Montfort students in viral video 'share some responsibility' and will receive 'appropriate punishment' (3 March 2025)
"SINGAPORE: All three Montfort Secondary School students in the viral video that made its rounds in February share some responsibility for the incident, and will receive “appropriate punishment”, said the Ministry of Education (MOE) on Monday (Mar 3).
In the video, which was posted on Facebook on Feb 22, a group of Montfort students can be seen approaching the boy from behind.
One student tripped and pushed him to the ground, while another kicked him twice. The third boy then stood up and walked away, before a student came from behind and tripped him again."
187 gastroenteritis cases linked to Total Defence Day ready-to-eat meals (4 March 2025)
"SINGAPORE: There were 187 gastroenteritis cases linked to ready-to-eat (RTE) meals distributed as part of Total Defence Day, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said on Tuesday (Mar 4).
Ms Fu was responding to parliamentary questions on food poisoning cases after some students from the School of the Arts (SOTA) ate the RTE meals and fell ill.
Authorities said on Feb 19 that 20 SOTA students had developed gastroenteritis symptoms and preliminary findings showed that it was an "isolated incident"."
Ex-teacher who force-fed children water in Kinderland preschool pleads guilty (5 March 2025)
"SINGAPORE: A former Mandarin teacher from a Kinderland preschool admitted on Wednesday (Mar 5) to abusing four children under her care.
The court heard how Lin Min, 35, forced two of them to drink water and handled them roughly when they refused to.
Following the incidents, parents of these two toddlers observed that their children had nightmares where they would say "no" or "bye bye lao shi (teacher)"."
Junior college admission criteria to change from L1R5 to L1R4 in 2028 (6 March 2025)
"SINGAPORE: From 2028, students seeking admission into junior colleges will be assessed based on five O-Level subjects instead of six, the Education Ministry announced on Thursday (Mar 6).
Under the current L1R5 criteria, students must attain a score of 20 or better across six O-Level subjects to qualify for a junior college (JC).
The L1R5 aggregate includes one language subject, one humanities subject, one science or mathematics subject, one additional humanities, science or mathematics subject, and two other best-performing subjects."
Singapore University of Social Sciences to get new campus at former Rochor Centre site by mid-2030s (6 March 2025)
"SINGAPORE: The Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) will get a new campus at the former site and vicinity of Rochor Centre, which will be ready by the mid-2030s, the Education Ministry announced on Thursday (Mar 6).
The central location will increase the university’s accessibility for both full-time students pursuing their first degree and working adults seeking further education, the ministry said.
SUSS offers programmes that cater to different learners, including working adults, and many classes are run after working hours, said Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing in parliament while laying out his ministry’s spending plans for the year."
Montfort school fight: MOE may put out facts if 'one-sided story' posted online, says Maliki (7 March 2025)
"SINGAPORE: Schools prefer to handle fighting or bullying incidents sensitively but the Ministry of Education (MOE) may have to share facts of the case if a "one-sided story" is posted online, Second Minister for Education Maliki Osman said on Friday (Mar 7).
When any incident of fighting or bullying is shared online through a social media post or video, usually a one-sided story is presented from a "particular perspective", he added.
“While we would hope that members of the public can remember that what they see or read online may not present the full facts of the case, people often react emotively to what they see online, and form quick judgments on what had happened, or who was in the right or wrong in that incident,” said Dr Maliki in parliament."
Half of graduates still unemployed six months after university had job offers: Gan Siow Huang (7 March 2025)
"SINGAPORE: Half of the respondents in a university graduate employment poll who were unemployed six months after graduation had received job offers, Minister of State for Education Gan Siow Huang said on Friday (Mar 7).
In this group, two-thirds were going to start work "in due course", while the remaining one-third rejected the offers for various reasons.
She was responding to questions in parliament based on findings from the Autonomous Universities Graduate Employment Survey published in February."
Six questioned by police over protest in NUS on Israel-Hamas war (7 March 2025)
"SINGAPORE: Six people suspected of being involved in a protest at the National University of Singapore (NUS) in January over the Israel-Hamas war have been questioned by the Singapore Police Force (SPF).
In response to media queries, SPF said on Friday (Mar 7) that they visited the residences of six individuals aged between 21 and 28 on Feb 27 to conduct investigations into their alleged involvement in the incident, which the police described in their statement as a "staged memorial".
Three of them, who were at home during the visit, preferred to have their statements recorded at their residences, said the police."
As the number of young drug abusers in Singapore continues to rise, youth advocates say it's time to fight back smarter (8 March 2025)
"About four times a week, 26-year-old Mohammed Narish Mohamed Noh can be found at sepak takraw courts in neighbourhoods such as Ghim Moh, Ang Mo Kio, Yishun and Jurong from 7pm to 9.30pm."
At the beginning of each session, the Institute of Technology (ITE) student is often surrounded by young people aged 13 to 24, as he takes attendance, offers snacks and chats with them."
These sessions are more than just a game; they are a subtle initiative to steer at-risk youths away from the use of illicit drugs. The programme, conceived by Mr Narish, is backed by Impart, a charity supporting youths facing adversities."
Singapore's sports institutions to be housed under new single entity (10 March 2025)
"SINGAPORE: The Singapore Sport Institute (SSI), National Youth Sports Institute (NYSI) and Singapore Sports School (SSP) will be consolidated into a single entity to house all dedicated sports institutions under one umbrella.
Minister for Culture, Community, and Youth Edwin Tong announced this in parliament on Monday (Mar 10) as he laid out the ministry's spending plans for the year.
SSI, Singapore's premier training centre for national athletes, and NYSI, a sporting organisation that aims to drive youth development, will be integrated next month. This new entity will then combine with SSP in "a few years' time", added Mr Tong.
He said that the SSP will remain as a school and retain its "brand and identity"."
This pre-school education group's AI planner cuts admin load, giving teachers more time for children (11 March 2025)
"EtonHouse International Education Group is shaking up the pre-school experience with artificial intelligence (AI) planning tools that help teachers work more efficiently. Group CEO Ng Yi-Xian joined in 2015 and took the reins in 2022, leading efforts to boost teaching efficiency while preserving a child‑centred, hands-on learning environment.
Under Mr Ng’s leadership, EtonHouse has embraced digital innovation to support teachers behind the scenes while preserving its inquiry-based approach. Support from the Infocomm Media Development Authority’s Digital Leaders Programme (DLP) proved pivotal. The DLP provided funding and resources to build an in-house tech team, which developed the proprietary AI planner. Meanwhile, Enterprise Singapore’s (EnterpriseSG) Scale-Up programme helped EtonHouse refine its business and technology strategies, positioning it for long-term success in the education sector.
This transformation did not happen overnight. It required building strong digital systems, hiring the right talent and experimenting with new tools – no small feat for any organisation. As Mr Ng put it: “Change is never easy, but it’s worth the effort.”
17 months, 2 weeks' jail for ex-Kinderland teacher who force-fed children water (13 March 2025)
"SINGAPORE: A former Mandarin teacher from a Kinderland preschool was handed a jail term of 17 months and two weeks on Thursday (Mar 13) over the abuse of four children, including force-feeding two of them water.
Lin Min, 35, previously pleaded guilty to three counts of ill-treating a child, with three charges of a similar nature taken into consideration. The children in the charges were between one and three years old. Their names, along with the specific location of the offences cannot be revealed due to a gag order.
In passing the sentence, District Judge John Ng said that he could not accept the defence's argument that Lin had the welfare of the children in mind and that the offences had occurred as a result of overzealousness."
Deep Dive Podcast - Changes to JC admission not meant to increase competition or stress: Chan Chun Sing (14 March 2025)
"From 2028, students who want to go to a junior college will only need a total of five subjects instead of six. The change is meant to ease academic load, but whether it reduces stress for students and parents remains to be seen.
Singapore Education Minister Chan Chun Sing sits down with Steven Chia and Crispina Robert to unpack the changes."
The 'underachieving' student who became a successful private banker and now gives back as a respite foster parent (15 March 2025)
"Growing up, Mr Leon Qiu lived in a home surrounded by stacks of scripts written by his father who had an unwavering dream: to create Singapore's first commercially successful film.
His father, filmmaker Tony Yeow, spent all his life searching for potential investors and writing scripts non-stop.
He created Singapore’s first gong fu film, Ring of Fury, in 1973 but it was not screened for over 30 years due to its depiction of gangsterism. The movie, one of his many films, was later restored and finally screened in 2017, two years after his death."
‘We saw her as our safe space’: Tributes pour in for ex-national runner Renuka Satianathan who died at 37 (18 March 2025)
"SINGAPORE: She was a teacher who inspired her students far beyond their time in school, and an athlete who gave her all in training, while being gracious to her competitors.
These are among the tributes that have poured in from the running fraternity, friends, and former students after the death of ex-national runner Renuka Satianathan on Mar 12 at the age of 37.
Details of her wake began circulating last week over social media, leading to many such tributes and past photos of her."
S$200,000 raised for scholarships at Singapore universities for Palestinian students (18 March 2025)
"SINGAPORE: Members of the public have raised S$200,000 (US$150,100) in an effort to sponsor Palestinian students to study at Singapore universities.
The Palestinian Scholarship Initiative (PSI) was launched in October last year and the administration committee is co-chaired by former Nominated Member of Parliament Anthea Ong and former minister Professor Yaacob Ibrahim.
PSI has set a fundraising target of S$400,000 for two Palestinian students – S$200,000 each – which will cover university fees, lodging and other expenses."
Singapore considering home-based learning in event of heatwave; indoor sports halls to act as 'cooling spaces' (19 March 2025)
"SINGAPORE: Schools in Singapore may shift to partial or full home-based learning as part of heightened measures in the event of a heatwave.
Cooling spaces such as community centres and indoor sports halls with air conditioning will also be opened up for the public to seek respite from the heat.
These measures were announced by an interagency Mercury Task Force on Wednesday (Mar 19) as it laid out the government's heat response plans."
Commentary: If bookstores cease to exist in Singapore, would most of us care? (21 March 2025)
"SINGAPORE: It’s pretty obvious – bookstores in Singapore are on the decline. Kinokuniya Singapore recently downsized its flagship store at Takashimaya shopping centre, after closing outlets at Jem in 2022 and Liang Court in 2019. Homegrown publisher Epigram Books shuttered its only physical store operations earlier this year. Times Bookstores closed its last outlet at Holland Road in 2024.
When news breaks of a bookstore's closure, social media often lights up with expressions of sadness and nostalgia. But how representative are these reactions of the broader Singapore public? Do most people genuinely care about the fate of bookstores or just a vocal minority of passionate readers?
Perhaps the issue lies deeper: Are we just not a nation of readers who can keep bookstores thriving?"
Losing my Teochew skills has eroded my relationship with my grandma. I’m trying to fix it, but it’s not easy (21 March 2025)
"During a meet-the-teachers session in primary school, my Chinese teacher told my mother: “You need to stop speaking Teochew at home and start speaking more Chinese.”
At nine years old, I was fluent in Teochew, having picked it up from my grandparents who took care of me. We spoke little Chinese at home and it showed in my Mother Tongue grades.
In response to my teacher’s concerns, I was swiftly enrolled in weekly Chinese tuition classes for the next seven years. At the O-Levels, I miraculously passed the subject with a C6 grade."
A Letter to Myself Podcast: The budding musician who made an academic deal with her parents to pursue her passion (22 March 2025)
"Renny Goh always dreamed of becoming a musician, but her parents had one condition — she had to earn a degree first. While she was in NUS, she continued playing in her band, singing covers on YouTube and getting gigs. But it was a cousin’s near-death which clarified her goals, and she decided to chase her ambition in Los Angeles.
In this episode of A Letter to Myself, Renny tells Joel Chua how she navigated an unusual path for a Singaporean."
My children were shown kindness and empathy in school. This was what happened after that (22 March 2025)
"When I first became a parent, I was determined to raise my children to be kind, considerate and empathetic.
“Why can’t I?” I thought. Kindness doesn’t have to come at the cost of success.
Five kids and 12 years later, I still often find myself grappling with this."
SUSS to launch school for social work in third quarter of 2025 (25 March 2025)
"SINGAPORE: The Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) will launch its sixth school – for social work and social development – in the third quarter of 2025, it announced on Tuesday (Mar 25).
Currently, SUSS and the National University of Singapore are the only two universities in Singapore that offer undergraduate and graduate social work degree programmes.
Making the announcement, provost Professor Robbie Goh noted that there is a lot of attrition in the social work sector, with many suffering from burnout after some time."
Jail, caning for ex-NTU student who molested 18-year-old girl, got a 13-year-old to pose in lingerie in his dorm room (25 March 2025)
"SINGAPORE: He molested an 18-year-old girl in his hostel room on Nanyang Technological University’s campus in 2018, while he was a part-time student.
That same year, he procured an indecent act from another girl, who was aged 13 at the time, by having her pose in lingerie for him in a photoshoot.
On Tuesday (Mar 25), Tnee Chin Kiat, 32, was sentenced to 27 months’ jail and five strokes of the cane, after he pleaded guilty to one count of outrage of modesty, one count of procuring the commission of an indecent act by a child, and one count of possessing child abuse material."
Secondary school operations manager, company director charged with corruption offences (26 March 2025)
"SINGAPORE: While working as an operations manager at St Anthony's Canossian Secondary School (SACSS), a woman allegedly accepted bribes from a company director on six occasions.
Goh Jong Lih, 61, was on Wednesday (Mar 26) charged with multiple offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The director, 45-year-old Loo Wei Kiat, was also handed multiple charges under the Act.
In a media release, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) said that Goh allegedly obtained bribes in the form of loans totalling S$9,500 (US$7,100) from Loo on six occasions between February 2020 and December 2021."
National Library Singapore exhibition in late 2026 to showcase 17th century rare artefacts from China (28 March 2025)
"The National Library Singapore will have a special exhibition in late 2026 featuring rare artefacts of the four great classic Chinese novels: Journey To The West, Water Margin, Romance Of The Three Kingdoms and Dream Of The Red Chamber.
These artefacts from as early as the 17th century will be on loan from the National Library of China and haven't been seen outside China, the National Library Board (NLB) said in a press release on Friday (Mar 28).
The exhibition follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between NLB and the National Library of China on Friday afternoon."
NUS Singapore History Prize doubles to S$100,000, now open to non-print media works (1 April 2025)
"The Department of History at the National University of Singapore's (NUS) Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) announced on Tuesday (Apr 1) that it will increase the prize money for the upcoming edition of its NUS Singapore History Prize, amongst other changes.
The award, announced every three years, honours works that delve into the history of Singapore, and is financed by an anonymous donor.
The winner of the next iteration of the NUS Singapore History Prize in 2027 will be awarded S$100,000."
Singaporean Islamic State supporter the first female youth caught under ISA; another teen detained for far-right extremism (2 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE: Another two Singaporean teens who were self-radicalised have been caught under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
One of them is a 15-year-old girl. An Islamic State supporter, she is the first female youth and second-youngest to be dealt with under the ISA, with a restriction order imposed.
The other is a 17-year-old who has been detained. He was identified as an online contact of 18-year-old Nick Lee Xing Qiu, who was detained last December after being radicalised by violent far-right extremist ideologies."
Suspension lifted for FirstCom Academy after non-compliance with SkillsFuture marketing guidelines (3 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE: Training provider FirstCom Academy has been given the green light to resume SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG)-approved courses.
In response to CNA's queries, SSG confirmed on Thursday (Apr 3) that the three-month suspension period had been lifted two days ealier.
"With this, FirstCom Academy can resume conducting SSG-approved courses, and their courses are eligible for SSG funding including SkillsFuture Credit, provided conditions as stated in the SSG terms are fulfilled," it said."
Her fashion shows hit different: Meet the Singaporean empowering youths with special needs on the runway (4 April 2025)
"A shop unit tucked inside Marina South Pier MRT station comes to life every afternoon, from Monday to Saturday. Here, groups of eight to 15 young adults with special needs come to learn how to design patterns, sew, model and dance.
At its helm is Eileen Yap, who runs Singapore Fashion Runway (SFR), a social enterprise dedicated to nurturing underprivileged youths in artistic and hard skills, to help them assimilate into society.
Through SFR’s workshops, these youths, aged between 18 and 25 years, are developed in different areas, for instance, in design. SFR turns their artwork into pouches, hats and bags, selling the merchandise at the Marina South Pier shop (#B1-03, 31 Marina Coastal Drive). Some even go on to work on projects and events with the enterprise."
'We get stares ... people say bad things': These parents just want their kids with autism to be included (4 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE: It was a Friday four years ago, and Singapore's national football team captain Hariss Harun and his son were seated in the middle of a crowded mosque.
The father sensed that Naufal Hariss was getting restless, and handed him his phone to watch videos on mute. But Naufal, who was diagnosed with moderate autism at age seven, turned the volume up enough to disturb others.
Shortly after, a fellow worshipper approached Mr Hariss and angrily asked why his son was playing with a phone in a mosque.
“He just kept going on and on. I felt so down. I didn’t feel defensive, I just felt helpless," the footballer, 34, told CNA."
ECDA scraps proposal to close preschools on Mondays after Saturday public holidays due to parents' objections (4 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE: The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) has scrapped a proposal to mandate preschool closures on Mondays if the Saturday before that is a public holiday, following objections from parents.
A survey seeking views was rolled out on Apr 1, and ECDA received more than 30,000 responses.
“While almost all preschools are supportive, about two-thirds of parents did not support the proposal due to the impact on their families’ caregiving arrangements,” the agency said in a notice on Friday (Apr 4), informing parents of the decision not to go ahead with the plan."
Former SUTD director, NUS deputy director jailed 46 weeks for cheating, taking upskirt videos and photos (8 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE: A former National University of Singapore (NUS) employee who cheated his reporting officer out of S$205,500 (US$152,000) was jailed for 46 weeks on Tuesday (Apr 8).
Foo Siang Chi, 55, deceived the victim, a 58-year-old deputy director of Office of Facilities Management (OFM) at NUS into believing that he needed money to settle outstanding debts from a renovation business.
In fact, Foo was deep in the straits also because of gambling.
Apart from pleading guilty to cheating, Foo also pleaded guilty to charges of insulting the modesty of women and voyeurism, after obscene videos and photos were found in his phone while he was being investigated. Two charges related to these offences were considered for his sentencing."
More Singaporeans taking up courses with employment objectives, dipping into SkillsFuture credits in 2024 (9 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE: About 260,000 Singaporeans used their SkillsFuture credits in 2024, 35 per cent more than the year before, announced SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) on Wednesday (Apr 9).
Of this group, 28,000 Singaporeans dipped into their SkillsFuture mid-career credits after the scheme was rolled out in 2024.
Singaporeans aged 40 and above received an additional S$4,000 (US$2,900) in SkillsFuture mid-career credits in May 2024. Younger Singaporeans will receive the same amount when they turn 40, and more than 7,000 courses are eligible to be used with the credits."
Singapore badminton player Jessica Tan retires at 31 to pursue university degree (11 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE: After more than a decade in competitive badminton, one of Singapore’s most decorated players Jessica Tan announced her retirement on Friday (Apr 11), citing injuries and the decision to pursue her studies in sports management.
“After dedicating so many years of my life to the sport of badminton, there is an inevitably bittersweet feeling stepping away from these exhilarating competitions,” said Tan, 31.
“But one never really retires from badminton; it will always be a part of my life. I’m excited about going back to school again, and I’m grateful to the Singapore Badminton Association, Sport Singapore and sponsors for their generous support throughout my career,” she added."
Stop fussy eating: How this frustrated mum transformed mealtimes with her specially designed plate for kids (12 April 2025)
"Mother-of-one Rachel Raeburn recalled when her daughter, Oia Tan, was four years old and mealtimes would be a dreadful experience.
“Oia was easily distracted and would take an hour to finish her meals, and even then, often not finishing the contents on her plate. She didn’t like mushy food and green leafy vegetables with stems,” said the 49-year-old.
The founder of her public relations firm, Relish PR, would be tearing her hair out, coaxing Oia to finish her meals. The girl is now nine years old."
As a child, I loved reading. As a parent, here’s how I’m teaching my kids to love it too (12 April 2025)
"As a kid, my favourite place in the world was my neighbourhood library.
From there, I travelled the globe and other universes. I went back in time to the Crusades and far into the future on spaceships bound for other stars. I befriended ethereal creatures, fought vampires and escaped zombies – all through the pages of my books.
I read everything and anything in front of me, from brochures and menus to even the nutritional information on food packaging. Nothing was too boring for my hungry eyes."
No conclusive evidence linking ready-to-eat meals to food poisoning during Total Defence exercise: SFA, MOH (15 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE: There is no conclusive evidence linking the gastroenteritis cases that emerged during a national preparedness exercise earlier this year to the consumption of ready-to-eat (RTE) meals, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Tuesday (Apr 15).
A total of 187 people – representing about 0.2 per cent of those who consumed the meals – came down with gastroenteritis symptoms during the exercise.
"Based on investigation findings, there is no conclusive evidence linking the reported gastroenteritis cases to the consumption of RTE meals," SFA and MOH said in a statement posted on the SFA website."
Commentary: The AI-fuelled child exploitation crisis is global – so must be our response (15 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE: Child sexual exploitation is one of the most universally reviled crimes in society.
While governments are implementing regulations to stem this abuse, the problem is a transnational one. A recent regional cross-border operation which led to over 400 arrests – including 21 men in Singapore – laid bare this disturbing reality.
This is not only a law enforcement issue; it is a collective challenge to update our moral, legal, and technological defences against a crime that is growing faster than most systems can keep up."
GE2025: Monday after Polling Day declared a school holiday (16 April 2025)
"SINGAPORE: May 5, the Monday after Polling Day, will be a school holiday, announced the Ministry of Education (MOE).
Since Polling Day is a public holiday and falls on May 3, which is a Saturday, the following Monday will be a designated day off-in-lieu, MOE said in a statement on Wednesday (Apr 16).
This will apply to all staff in MOE kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, as well as junior colleges and Millennia Institute, the statement read. "
'Want to join?': These 4 mums started the Mindful Mamas community to make motherhood a less lonely journey (18 April 2025)
"It was at MacRitchie Reservoir that I met the four founders of Mindful Mamas. The late afternoon sun filtered through the canopy, and a breeze cooled our brows. Each woman had her baby in a carrier or in her arms, looking more than ready to go for their regular walk.
A year ago, they were strangers. Today, they work closely to build their growing community of nearly 1,000 mums in Singapore, who want to slow down, manage their stress better, and raise their children in a mindful, unrushed and intentional manner.
Before they found each other, motherhood mostly felt like a struggle."