280 needy kids get kick-start in life with KidStart

This post came out from The Straits Times (6 November 2016)

Housewife Melissa Lee, 21, is thankful to have picked up some parenting skills over the past five weeks in a playgroup session. "I've learnt that it's important to talk gently and keep calm, even if I'm frustrated when the child whines. It's helpful that there are facilitators who role-play how we should interact with children," said the first-time mother, who has a 10-month-old daughter, Mathilda. "Initially, she was not used to new environments and would not allow strangers to carry her. But now I notice she's somehow more sociable."

Mathilda is one of 280 young children from disadvantaged families who have benefited from KidStart, a government scheme which started in July to help such children get a leg-up in life. The three-year pilot scheme is led by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) and $20 million has been set aside for it. About 1,000 low-income children up to age six are expected to benefit. They live in five areas where the scheme is being piloted - Kreta Ayer, Bukit Merah, Taman Jurong, Boon Lay and Geylang Serai.The scheme was first announced during the Budget speech in March, and ECDA gave an update yesterday about how it works and has progressed so far.

The playgroup session, called KidStart Group, is one of three components of KidStart being piloted. This is for children up to three years old and their parents, who learn parenting skills and how to strengthen the bond with their children. Because the concept behind the KidStart Group sessions is new here, a five-week trial was held from Oct 1. A total of 33 children and 29 parents took part, going for weekly sessions at the volunteer-run We Love Learning (WeLL) centre at a void deck in Henderson.

ECDA said the response has been encouraging, with 80 per cent attendance on average per session. Partners involved in the trial include EtonHouse International Education Group, National Library Board and family service centres. Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin said on the sidelines while visiting a session yesterday that it was vital to have community partners involved.

The KidStart Group sessions use evidence-based curricula from Australia and the US, and ECDA said it will use learning points from the trial to finalise the curriculum for sessions that will be rolled out in the other pilot sites next year. The other two components of KidStart are regular home visits and enhanced pre-school support. Under the regular home visits, staff from KK Women's and Children's Hospital or ECDA have dropped in at the homes of 50 infants and their parents or primary caregivers. This will continue until the child turns three. During the visits, the parents receive support in skills and knowledge about stages of a child's growth, health and nutrition.

The enhanced pre-school support component has about 200 children across selected pre-schools run by PAP Community Foundation and NTUC First Campus receiving help so far. Staff from the pre-schools help to monitor the child's attendance, address barriers that hinder the child from attending pre-school, and look out for the child's developmental needs.

Thoughts anyone?

Yours,

Something Small Thinking Big

Care for at-risk kids to go on after pre-school

This post came out from The Straits Times (3 December 2016)

A four-year-old programme to help underprivileged children in pre- schools has reaped benefits, and is now being extended to ensure that the beneficiaries transition smoothly into Primary 1. The Circle of Care (COC) programme, involving 140 children at 10 pre-schools, has social workers and educational therapists working alongside pre-school teachers. They identify the causes of a child's difficulties and provide help on different fronts.

The scheme, piloted by philanthropic group Lien Foundation and welfare organisation Care Corner, has led to higher rates of school attendance and learning gains among the at-risk children receiving help. Now, to ensure that the gains do not fade out, the pre-school teachers and social workers who worked with the children will collaborate with primary school teachers and counsellors to continue supporting them until they reach Primary 3.

COC programme manager Lynn Heng said 39 of the 140 children receiving help are heading to Primary 1 next year. All the children have progress reports prepared by the pre-school teachers, educational therapists and social workers, which will be shared with the primary schools they are going to.

Besides detailing the gains that the children made in literacy and numeracy skills, the reports give information on other skills that are important for learning, such as the ability to pay attention. Prepared with the children's parents, the reports also provide information on how the parents can be helped to support their children's learning at home.

At two primary schools, Lakeside Primary and Gan Eng Seng Primary, which are receiving 12 of the children next year, the collaboration will be more structured and deeper. COC teachers and social workers have been meeting the teachers and school heads of the two schools since September to share information about the children and look at how various kinds of support can be given to them and their families. Mrs Heng said: "Some of them come from difficult home circumstances. It is important that there are various kinds of support in place to enable the family to help the child. I have seen some children make good progress in pre-school, only to slide back when they enter Primary 1."

Mrs Wang-Tan Sun Sun, principal of Lakeside Primary, said the meetings have been useful for the Primary 1 teachers who will be receiving five children from the COC programme. "We get a head start in addressing the specific needs of these children and their families," she said, adding that the school staff already hold regular meetings to discuss how children with learning or emotional needs can be given extra support. "Now, we have input from the pre-school teachers and social workers who have worked with these children and their families, and together we can come up with ways in which we can help these children progress."

Madam S. Khafifah, 46, a single mum whose daughter is on the COC programme, is glad she got to meet a school teacher and the principal of Gan Eng Seng Primary last week. "As a hawker assistant, I don't make much and I work until 9pm every night. So I was glad to hear about all the financial help I can get. The books alone add up to a lot. I am also happy that my daughter can go to the student care centre after school hours."

Lien Foundation chief executive officer Lee Poh Wah said the extension of COC to primary schools ensures continuity of support and builds on the children's hard-won progress made in pre-schools. For instance, the teacher may notice that a child is unable to pay attention in class because she is overly anxious. The social worker, after investigating the cause of the child's anxiety, will then bring together different aspects of care - ranging from educational therapy to nutrition to parental counselling - to help the child. Mr Lee said: "While pre-schools may do their best to prepare at-risk children for Primary 1, the primary school system must be... ready to better support their needs."

He stressed that primary school education must be "a more effective equaliser - where all children gain equal opportunities to achieve their true potential". "For education to make a difference, we also need to pay attention to what goes on outside the schools, be it a poor living environment or toxic stress of families under strain," he said.

Thoughts anyone?

Yours,

Something Small Thinking Big

Caregiving help at hand for parents busy at night

This post came out from The Straits Times (3 December 2016)

A student care service provided after office hours is being piloted to help parents from low-income families get respite from caregiving at night. These include parents taking night classes to improve their employability, those doing shift work and those who need to attend to family emergencies, among others.

The CareNights@Morning Star programme offers student care services - such as homework supervision and enrichment activities - for children aged seven to 14. It is held from 6pm to 10pm on weekdays, unlike most centres which operate till 6.30pm on weekdays.

It is free for parents, and they can enrol their children for up to six months while they work on their short-term challenges. Temasek Foundation Cares, a philanthropic arm of investment company Temasek, has committed $683,000 to the three-year pilot programme, which is expected to benefit 540 children and their families.

Its chairman Richard Magnus said: "We met parents who would like to upgrade their skills to improve their employability but are limited by their family commitments to take care of the children." The programme allows them to go for night classes with peace of mind, knowing that their children are well taken care of, he said.

It was officially launched yesterday by Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin at a student care centre run by Morning Star Community Services in Bedok. It has helped 19 children there since it started in July, and will be rolled out to three more Morning Star centres by 2018.

While the evening student care service is mostly run by volunteers, Morning Star executive director Freddie Low said they are well-trained, and the activities are similar to those held in the daytime. Many of the families helped so far are single-parent ones. One single mother, who wanted to be known only as Paula, was allowed to enrol her special needs son in the programme even though he was only five years old. The office administrator, 35, takes night classes in early childhood and hopes to make a career switch and become a pre-school teacher. She said: "It would be good if such services were extended to younger children, especially those from single-parent families because they don't have much family support."

Thoughts anyone?

Yours,

Something Small Thinking Big

Low-income families get help for new school year

This post came out from The Straits Times (5 December 2016)

Low-income families and their schoolgoing children yesterday received some help in preparing for the upcoming school year. At the 13th annual Ready for School event, organised by the Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC), 6,300 beneficiary families, including 12,600 children, were given family and school-ready packs containing vouchers.

Each family pack contained $140 worth of transport and NTUC FairPrice vouchers, while the school-ready packs held $80 worth of vouchers for school supplies. CDAC chairman Gan Kim Yong helped to distribute the packs at Nanyang Junior College, where students also received free haircuts.

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Mr Gan, who is also Health Minister, said the CDAC will provide greater support to students and parents in the coming years by expanding school-based student care centres. There are now 10 such after-school care centres in primary schools, and five more will be launched next month.

"Tuition alone is not enough, as students also need a supportive and conducive environment within the family," said Mr Gan. The expansion is part of previously announced plans to fine-tune the CDAC's core programmes on the heels of its 25th anniversary next year. More details will be announced at a later date, said Mr Gan.

Thoughts anyone?

Yours,

Something Small Thinking Big

School meal subsidies for more students

This post came out from The Straits Times (5 June 2016)

Subsidies under the Ministry of Education's (MOE) School Meals Programme will be extended to benefit older children when the second school semester starts. Currently, only primary school pupils on MOE's Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) and special education (SPED) pupils aged seven to 12 on the SPED FAS benefit from the programme.

From June 27, subsidies will be extended to all secondary school and special education students on these two schemes. Some 25,000 to 27,000 more students will benefit, said Acting Minister for Education (Schools) Ng Chee Meng. He said yesterday that the programme is being extended so that there will be a "more inclusive education system, where all can benefit from the opportunities provided, regardless of background. We hope that with the School Meals Programme, students can learn better with a full stomach. Their concentration and ability to focus will be enhanced, and their learning journey would be better."

Under the School Meals Programme, primary school pupils receive subsidies of $2 a meal for seven meals per school week. Secondary school students will receive subsidies of $2.50 a meal. Special education students will receive the same amount as those in mainstream schools.

Thoughts anyone?

Yours,

Something Small Thinking Big

Hokkein clan to boost fund for undergrads to $20m next year

This post came out from The Straits Times (13 June 2016)

Chinese clan association Leong Khay Huay Kuan will double its Education Trust Fund to $20 million from next year to help more needy students and extend its aid to include all Singaporeans, irrespective of race or Chinese dialect, at the five public-funded universities here.

The association, a Hokkein clan group whose 220 members trace their roots to a city in China's Fujian province, started a $10 million fund in 2013 to help members' children who were undergraduates. Last year, it signed agreements with the National University of Singapore, Singapore Management University (SMU), the Singapore University of Technology and Design and the Singapore Institute of Technology, allowing non-members' children to benefit as well, although one of their parents must still be a native Hokkein speaker.

Under the agreements, Leong Khay pledged a total of $120,000 annually to the institutions for three years, so each could give up to eight bursaries or cash awards of $3,000 to needy students every year. The association leaves the selection and definition of 'needy students' to the individual universities. SMU, for example, defines them as 'students whose per capita household income is under $1,900'.

The Fund's chairman, Mr Ko Oon Joo, 62, told The Straits Times: 'We just wanted to do more'. He will announce the increase in the fund's amount and the association's plans to benefit more needy Singapore students at Leong Khay's 77th anniversary dinner on Saturday. He noted that more than 60 students have benefited since the fund was started three years ago.

The new agreements would allow each of the universities to give out 12 instead of eight awards every year, and the quantum of the awards would also be increased. More than 40 students who benefited from the fund met Leong Khay clan leaders for the first time last month, at an ice cream parlour at Gillman Barracks. 'We intend to encourage them to be volunteers at our association, and to find out from them how else we can help students like them,' Mr Ko Oen Tjiang, Leong Khay chairman, said.

Thoughts anyone?

Yours,

Something Small Thinking Big

Circle of Care to cover more children

This post came out from The Straits Times (23 May 2016)

A three year old programme to help children from disadvantaged backgrounds level up has reaped benefits, and is being expanded to include more children and families. Piloted by Lien Foundation and Care Corner at two pre schools in 2013, the Circle of Care programme has social workers and educational therapists working alongside pre school teachers.

It led to higher rates of school attendance and gains in learning for the at risk children at those two centres in Leng Kee and Admiralty. The scheme is now being expanded to 15 pre schools. Two primary schools - Lakeside and Gan Eng Seng - have also come under the programme to see how children can be helped with the transition to Primary 1. Social workers will collaborate with the school's counsellors, teachers and allied educators to follow the child until Primary 3. With the expansion, it is estimated that 30 per cent of the 1,700 pre schoolers enrolled at the 15 pre schools will need further help through the programme.

The programme uses an integrated approach that weaves a 'circle of care' around the child. Teachers, social workers, education therapists and community partners - who typically work apart - come together to identify the root causes of a child's difficulties and provide help on different fronts.

The model was shown to work for the 76 at risk children at the two pilot centres, where 95 per cent of them come from families with household incomes of below $3,000 a month. The Circle of Care team raised their average attendance from about 30 per cent to 70 per cent by working closely with their families. Educational therapists working with pre school teachers helped improved their literacy and numeracy skills.

Despite the encouraging results, Lien Foundation officials who went on a trip earlier this month to look at children's centres in Adelaide and Melbourne said they and their partners are looking at how the programme can be improved further. They said they were struck by the comprehensive and high quality programmes and services offered to disadvantaged children and their families in the two Australian cities.

Besides providing kindergarten and childcare services, centres offered antenatal care for mothers to be, health checks and play sessions for babies and toddlers where mothers learn about the importance of play, talk and reading.

Lien Foundation chief executive officer Lee Poh Wah said one of the takeaways for him was how the programme focused on not just helping the child, but the families too. 'Good parenting is key to helping these children. We must ensure that these kids have a strong family and good home environment.' He also noted the emphasis placed on helping children develop traits such as grit and resilience. Several of the children's centres had mindfulness programmes to help children develop concentration and self awareness. Said Mr Lee: "We shouldn't just focus on boosting their literacy and numeracy skills. Research shows that their socio-emotional skills such as impulse control and persistence and grit are as important for success."

Thoughts:

1. It is of increasing importance that service providers and institutions see themselves not as a silo, but as an ecosystem that can work together to bring tailored help for the client and the family members. Who's first? Somebody has to start somewhere!

Thoughts anyone?

Yours,

Something Small Thinking Big

Social workers help at-risk kids in schools

This post came out from The Straits Times (22 September 2014)

Social workers are getting into schools to work with students who may be in danger of dropping out. Since April this year, 200 lower secondary students from four schools have been getting help to stay motivated in school through a new pilot programme.

These students, some of whom are at risk of becoming dropouts due to family circumstances, are also being taught life skills to overcome difficulties. Under the three year scheme, social workers from voluntary welfare organisations such as Students Care Service and Care Singapore work with 800 students who may have troubled family backgrounds, poor grades and low self-esteem.

The Scaffold Programme, run by the National Council of Social Service (NCSS), is based on a "possible selves" theory developed by University of Michigan professor Daphna Oyserman. It is broadly about examining an individual's expectations for the future. Research in the United States has shown that the use of this method has led to students skipping school less, getting improved grades and behaving better.

Once a week, trainers take over a few classes to teach students life skills, such as how to cope with setbacks and achieve goals with good decision-making. After-school activities, such as outings or participation in the arts and sports, are also regularly arranged for the students. It is hoped that these sessions will build up their confidence and distract them from unwholesome peers or activities outside school.

According to the NCSS, students tend to drop out of school at two key points. The critical junctures are during the transition from Primary 6 to Secondary 1, and at Secondary 3. When asked for data on this, the Ministry of Education would say only that attrition rates have gone down. In 2000, 4 per cent of each Primary 1 cohort did not complete secondary education, but this has been less than 1 per cent in each of the last five years.

The transition to Secondary 1 can be particularly stressful for some students because it is a new environment, said Ms Tina Hung, deputy chief executive of NCSS. Behavioural problems also typically emerge in the upper secondary years, especially if the teenagers hang out with bad company.

Social workers say these periods can be trying for some teenagers, who not only come from socially disadvantaged backgrounds but are also grappling with identity issues. To gauge the effectiveness of the programme, NCSS will do data analysis and an evaluation with the students before and after it is run. It will be extended to more schools if successful.

Mr Gary Chia, a manager at Care Singapore, said he is encouraged by the students' gradual improvement. "They are participating more in class, showing fewer behavioural issues and sharing more with us," he said. "Sometimes what they need is for people to understand that there are reasons why they are always tired in class or not doing their homework."

Thoughts anyone?

Yours,

Something Small Thinking Big

More kids getting help with dyslexia

This post came out from The Straits Times (14 March 2016)

Few people in Singapore would have heard of dyslexia, which affects how a person reads and writes. But, with growing awareness of the condition over the years, more people are seeking help for it.

Last year, a record of 3,012 students enrolled in the Dyslexia Association of Singapore's (DAS) main literacy programme - run at its 13 centres - up from 2,465 in 2013. The programme, co-funded by the Ministry of Education (MOE), aims to improve students' reading, comprehension and writing skills, and help them differentiate between phonemes, or sound units.

About 280 pre-school children sought help last year, thrice the 89 in 2013. DAS will also start a programme later this year for post secondary dyslexic students. These students will have support from a pool of 30 DAS alumni who will be their mentors and buddies.

People with dyslexia have difficulty reading, writing and spelling. The condition ranges from milk to severe forms and often occurs alongside other learning disabilities such as attention deficit disorder. About 4 per cent of each cohort of students suffer from dyslexia in a severe enough form to warrant intervention.

Thoughts anyone?

Yours,

Something Small Thinking Big

Scheme expanded to help at risk pre-schoolers

This post came out from My Paper  (3 March 2016)

When you are a pre-schooler from a disadvantaged family, living in a rental flat, attending classes may not be a top priority. But a three year old scheme piloted at two pre-schools has shown that such children can be brought back into the fold, with their parents getting more involved in their development.

So encouraging were the results that the Circle of Care scheme - piloted by philanthropic group Lien Foundation and welfare organisation Care Corner - will be extended to another seven pre-schools and two primary schools this year. This is so that children will have a smooth transition from kindergarten to primary school.

Care Corner and Lien Foundation said yesterday they will partner anchor pre-school operators MY World Preschool, PAP Community Foundation, Singapore Muslim Women's Association as well as Lakeside Primary and Gan Eng Seng Primary School to extend the scheme. The model was piloted at two of Care Corner's Leng Kee and Admiralty childcare centres in 2013.

Teachers, social workers, education therapists and community partners worked as a steam to identify the rot causes of a child's difficulties and to help on different fronts. For example, a six year old boy lagging behind was taught how to focus better and given help to develop his reading and math skills. His mother learnt effective parenting techniques including how to coach her son.

Of the 76 at risk children at the two centres, 95 per cent came from families with household incomes of below $3,000 a month and most lived in HDB rental flats. Many had jobless parents and money troubles too. The Circle of Care team raised their average attendance from about 30 per cent to 70 per cent by working closely with their families. But without formal collaboration between pre-and primary schools, some of the hard-won progress made by these at-risk children can be lost.

To prevent this, the team will organise workshops and school visits for the children and their parents to prepare them for Primary 1. Social workers will also collaborate with the schools' counsellors, class teachers and allied educators and follow the child and his parents until Primary 3.

Thoughts:

1. I am quite surprised that there is the element of continuity of help for the children from pre-school to primary school that is formalised! Isn't it great to know that the children are 'handed over' properly with the primary school knowing that these 'at risk' children needs more attention to ensure that the hard work of getting them to school does not collapse after the transition.

Thoughts anyone?

Yours,

Something Small Thinking Big

More help for needy, seniors to embrace IT

This post came out from The Straits Times (18 September 2014)

Needy students from low income households will receive more help from the Government in its latest push towards computer ownership.

The income cap for the NEU PC Plus scheme run by the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) will be raised. The scheme currently allwos households earning less than $2,500 to buy new computers bundled with three years' free broadband access for as little as $146. The cap will be revised to $2,700 from November and will benefit more than 400 households. More than 31,000 households have benefitted since the scheme began in 1999.

IDA will set aside $40,000 to fund more activities such as educational talks for senior citizens. To date, 45,000 seniors have participated in Silver Infocomm programmes. Besides that, there will also be an increase in the number of IT learning hubs, as well as hot spots that provide free Internet access to the elderly.

Thoughts:

1. With the increase in usage of technology and internet, it is good that the government is trying to help bridge the digital divide among the needy and seniors. This helps ensure that they do not get left out too far behind, a good way to reduce effects of social isolation and improve social mobility!

Thoughts anyone?

Yours,

Something Small Thinking Big

Subsidies for dyslexic youth in remediation programme

This post came out from The Straits Times (18 August 2015)

From January next year, eligible students in specialised independent schools who suffer from dyslexia will be able to receive subsidies when they take part in the remediation programme conducted by the Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS).

Minister of State for Education Sim Ann told Parliament yesterday that specialised schools, which offer a customised curriculum for students with an aptitude in mathematics, science, sports and other areas, are a recent development in Singapore's education landscape.

"Currently, there are a few students in (these schools) attending the DAS' remediation. We have worked with the schools to provide school-based financial assistance for students in need," she said.

Ms Sim was responding to Bishan - Toa Payoh GRC MP Hri Kumar Nair's questions as to why students in the schools were excluded from subsidies available to other students, and whether MOE would review that policy.

Thoughts:

1. I'm not too sure, but Dyslexia and Autism seemed to have strong backing/ support and higher level of awareness as a learning and behavioural disability. Would this have an impact on shifting spotlight away the other types of disabilities? What about mental health issues too? These are harder to tackle problems which not many agencies/ Government is looking at.

Thoughts anyone?

Yours,

Something Small Thinking Big

NTUC Income programme helps poly student who works to support family after father's death

This post came out from The New Paper (28 July 2015)

Hari Raya is a time when Muslims come together to enjoy the month-long celebrations. But for MR Syaryan Ruzaini, 19, the month opens up old wounds. Last year, during the third week of the festive period, his father, MrAhmad Ruzizad Mohammad Isa, died from heart attack. He was 47.

The loss of his family's sole breadwinner meant Mr Syaryan, a first year nursing student at Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP), had to work on weekends, time that he could spend on his studies.

Then NTUC Income stepped in. Under its new Future Development Programme, Mr Syaryan will receive a bursary of $3,000 a year to help with his family's expenses.

This programme is designed to help needy students from the polytechnics and the Institutes of Technical Education (ITE) with school fees and living expenses, so they can focus on their education. 1,000 needy students from polytechnics will receive $3,000 annually while those from ITE will each receive $1,800. These bursaries will be given over out over three years. Students whose monthly per capita income is below $560 are eligible for the bursary and can apply through their respective schools.

NTUC Income will also offer financial literacy lessons and provide internships and contract jobs to the students to help in their personal and career development.


Thoughts:

1. A bursary that comes with financial literacy lessons and opportunities for internship is very helpful for low income families! Students from such families tend to have lesser social mobility and exposure to connections that can be useful for their employment opportunities. This move will therefore help these students get a head start, and hopefully reduce the cycle of low income from repeating!

Thoughts anyone?

Yours,

Something Small Thinking Big

Applications for NTUC assistance programmes open today

This post came out from Today (15 June 2015)

Applications open today for two assistance programmes run by the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) - U Stretch and U Care Back to School.

The income criteria for both programmes, which are to help with the costs of basic necessities and school supplies respectively, were increased this year. In total, more than S$6.4 million has been set aside this year.

Successful applicants who have dependents staying in the same household will get S$100 worth of U Stretch Vouchers and S$125 worth of U Care Back To School Vouchers for each eligible school-going child. Otherwise, they will get S$50 worth of U Stretch Vouchers.

Members can apply at www.ntuc.org.sg/ucare/apply or via application forms available at their unions. Queries can be directed to the NTUC Hotline at 6213 8008.

Thoughts:

1. I didn't know that Unions do this much for their members! Well, this is really something new to me.
2. Then again, if you are not a union member, you will miss this out. I would have thought NTUC is meant for all Singaporeans!

Thoughts anyone?

Yours,

Something Small Thinking Big

Needy residents in Jurong Central get more assistance

This post came out from Today (15 June 2015)

About 60 families in Jurong Central will benefit from the latest round of the South West Community Development Council (CDC) Adopt-A-Precinct assistance scheme - the largest number of beneficiaries since the programme started in Hong Kah North three years ago.

As part of the latest roll out, the Science Centre Singapore and General Electric (GE) Singapore will hold enrichment activities for about 80 children from 60 low income and needy households, the South West CDC said. This exposure will keep them meaningfully engaged and equip them with practical skills.

The Science Centre said it would run two enrichment programmes and a carnival aimed at cultivated an interest in science in the beneficiaries, while GE hopes to organize excursions of provide job-shadowing opportunities to help the children widen horizon.

Since its launch in 2012, Adopt-A-Precinct has benefited more than 160 families in Hong Kah North, Choa Chu Kang, Taman Jurong, Telok Blangah and Bukit Batok. It is part of a S$2.5 million initiative by the South West CDC aimed at strengthening the social safety net for the needy as well as the vulnerable.

Thoughts:

1. It seems that this assistance program has an educational component where the students gain exposure to science and job shadowing. This is useful as the assistance that benefits the families did not miss out the children, which was quite often the case in my view.
2. Additional exposure to education, and especially such exposure to fun, enrichment and educational activities can not only spur more interest to enjoy studying among children from low income groups, but also to ensure that assistance given as a package to the family does not miss them out. Meaningful engagement for the children is something that we need to be mindful about.

Thoughts anyone?

Yours,

Something Small Thinking Big

Straits Times Pocket Money Fund award ceremony

This post came out from The New Paper (9 June 2015)

The Straits Times Pocket Money Fund (STPMF) is a charity that started as a community project in 2000. It gives pocket money to children from low income families for school related expenses.

By providing financial aid to students, the fund seeks to lessen their stress and help them better focus on their studies.

THe STPMF held a ceremony yesterday to award 14 students for doing well in their PSLE last year. And in a partnership with Samsung, the STPMF awarded its top students for the first time by giving wach a Samsung Galaxy Tab S.

If you would like to donate to The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund, visit www.spmf.org.sg/web/how-to-donate.php


Thoughts:

1. This is an interesting assistance that is very targetted - to help students with school expenses.
2. I think there are students who skip school because they do not have the transport money, or pocket money for their meals.
3. Despite provision of money to help narrow the gap, I think some of the students need more help to motivate them in school and work harder. Also, we should take into consideration of issues at home that prevents them from having a conducive studying environment too. 

Thoughts anyone?

Yours,

Something Small Thinking Big