Values in Action-1a

Dear Principal,
I am a little surprised that a few Schools said they no longer support “Flag Day” but instead have
transited to Values in Action (VIA) learning. I am concerned about the general understanding of the
true essence of VIA.
The essence of Values-in-Action
Values in Action (VIA) is a platform to facilitate students’ development as socially responsible citizens
who contribute meaningfully to the community.
It is essentially a “Reframing” of the previous CIP Program, which used to make students take part in
various community projects, but focusing more on “doing” while lacking in consciously acquiring
values.
While the approach and methodology may differ from the previous “CIP”, to execute VIA, there is still
a need to make the students participate in community projects, through which they learn the values.
VIA basically should try to foster students’ ownership over how they contribute to the community.
They are to experience a community work platform where they put into practice certain values, reflect
on their experience, and think of how they can continue to contribute meaningfully.
Fund-raising – a viable platform for VIA
One good Desired Outcome for VIA is : for the students to become Active Contributors and
Concerned Citizens . To achieve this, we need to :
a. nurture every student to be socially responsible.

b. help student understand that they have a role to play in enhancing the well being of the
community and the less fortunate.
A Fund-raising project such as Flag Day is a viable platform for service learning. Raising funds for a
charity is one concrete way of helping to ensure that much needed services are provided for the less
fortunate. It is a good way of showing concern and taking action to ensure that the disadvantaged are
well cared for.
A Flag Day event, if done properly, can be turned into a potent vehicle for Values Learning. It is most
unfortunate that previously charities and schools did not come together to plan and execute Flag
Days the way they should, to make it a rewarding experience for the students.
How a Flag Day event links to VIA
I propose a plan for Flag day as follows :
a. students are first given a briefing (by me) on the disadvantaged people they are supporting, the
social issues involved, & how their fund-raising would help. They are also given tips on how to
organize themselves to gain the most out of the fund-raising exercise.
b. students are then inducted into the set of Social Competencies & Values associated with the
exercise, and how these could be experienced & attained :
Competencies
Eg. Self-confidence, public speaking
Inter-personal relations
Customer service
Accepting rejections
Social intelligence
Project planning
Values
Empathy, Respect
Care & concern for the disadvantaged
Love & service towards mankind
Courage
Persistence, Resilience
Zest
Collaboration
Self-awareness : personality, strengths, weaknesses
Graciousness, Forgiveness (towards those who are “mean” & rude to us)
c. They would plan strategies and tactics in groups, to achieve a high amount of funds raised, in
order to clinch the “Top 3 Schools with highest amount of collection” award.
d. They put into practice the competencies and values, experience the difficulties of raising funds,
practise their social grace & ability to deal with the public, while consciously learning the values.
e. The students reflect on their learning experience through learning logs & journals, think of how
they can apply these competencies & values to serve the community in future.
We hope to be able to work with your School to contribute towards your VIA objectives.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity !
aaron ng
General Manager
Nam Hong Welfare Service Society
Values in Action (VIA)
Values in Action (VIA) is a are learning experiences that support students’ development as socially
responsible citizens who contribute meaningfully to the community, through the learning and
application of values, knowledge and skills.
VIA fosters student ownership over how they contribute to the community. As part of VIA, students
reflect on their experience, the values they have put into practice, and how they can continue to
contribute meaningfully
The school’s policy in relation to its responsibility to society is underpinned by its core value of Care
and Concern, which is part of the school’s IsCARE values. The school’s goal is to involve both staff
and students in meaningful activities that will support and meet societal and community needs.
Students are provided with a broad spectrum of experiences and exposure to the needs of society
through the school’s Values in Action (VIA) Programme. Students also work on self-identified VIA
programmes such as Service Learning and Fund Raising projects.
The school’s VIA Programme aims to develop students socially and morally through service to the
school, the environment and the community.To reinforce the learning, structured learning and
reflection experiences are incorporated in the VIA Programme.
Secondary 2 - Care and Concern for the Environment
In 2010-2012, students were involved in the 'Sea Shore' Programme together with National Parks,
where they helped to clean the Singapore beaches. In 2013, students helped to collect recyclable
materials within the school and the community. Together with the Environmental Education
Committee of the school, these activities are planned to help students develop a greater awareness
and a deeper understanding of environmental issues, and to recognise the importance of their roles in
caring for the environment.
Secondary 3 - Care and Concern for the Community
Students participate in Flag Days of welfare organisations such as the SPCA, Children’s Charity
Association and St John Ambulance Brigade. Through these activities, they learn about the problems
faced by different segments of society, and contribute their time and effort and help those in need.
Secondary 4 and 5 - Care and Concern for the Society through Service Learning
Each class initiates 1-2 Service Learning projects with an organisation or group of their choices, to
meet real needs of the society. The students plan, implement and review their projects with form
teachers acting as facilitators throughout the period.

Projects have included raising awareness for organisations like SPCA, collection of clothes and toys
for orphanages, storytelling sessions at the community libraries and mentoring sessions and
conducting art lessons for preschool students.
As part of the CCE level outcome of ‘Active citizens who have pride in nation
building’, our P5 pupils played their part in contributing to the community through
the yearly visits to Kheng Chiu Happy Lodge and Jamiyah Home. Pupils went
through the ‘LOVE’ package entitled ‘One Love Many Lives’ where they went
through a structured approachas part of the VIA cycle – pre VIA, actual VIA and
post VIA..

Before the VIA, the ‘L’ approach was used. Pupils become aware of the lives of the
elderly and the reasons they are in a home. The ‘O’ approach provided
the opportunity for our pupils to take the initiative and plan their own activities for
the VIA. For the actual VIA, our pupils put up performances such as skit, dancing,
singing, magic tricks to entertain and bring a smile to the faces of the elderly.
Activities were also done together with the elderly with mini workshops on cup
stacking and craft work. The elderly even participated enthusiastically in ball games
too! Some of our pupils also got the chance to serve lunch to a group of elderly!

Upon returning from their VIA, pupils continued with the ‘V’ and ‘E’ approach
where they reflected and blogged aboutvalues, skills and experiences that they have
learnt through the VIA preparation and visit. Through the ‘E’ approach, they reflect
on their emotions using the Mirror - Microscope-Binoculars tool and extend their
learning beyond school to home.
Our Primary 5 pupils learnt to:
- recognize that everyone has the ability to help others in our community who
face difficulties in their lives
- share and put others before self
- show empathy and care towards others
Baking @ SSMC Carnival
A group of 20 Key Leaders participated in a fund-raising activity for the PSG of the
school during the SSMC Carnival on 6th April 2013. These pupil leaders attended a
pre-VIA session to equip them with communication and problem-solving skills.
They also learned basic baking skills in order for them to guide and teach others how
to bake cookies. During the SSMA Carnival, they managed to put their leadership
skills into practice through communicating confidently with the staff and family of
SSMC at their stalls promoting the sale of cookies as well as teaching them how to
bake cookies. They were also involved in interacting with a group of elderly at the
carnival.
SparkleTots Pasir Ris West Childcare Centre
A total of 14 Key Leaders attended a Balloon Sculpting Workshop on
21st May to learn balloon sculpting skills. In conjunction with Kindness SG, 7
of these pupils went for a VIA activity to SparkleTots Pasir Ris West
Childcare Centre on 29th May. The objectives of this VIA were to spread
kindness to the community beyond the school through balloon sculpting and
card-making activities. Our pupil leaders gave the K1 and K2 pupils some
balloons and guided the pre-schoolers in making cards for their family
members. Both our pupil leaders and the pre-schoolers enjoyed the
experience through the activities.
Values In Action Programme

Values in Action (VIA) is a platform to facilitate students’ development as socially responsible citizens
who contribute meaningfully to the community. It is essentially a “Reframing” of the previous CIP
Program, which used to make students take part in various community projects, but focusing more on
“doing” while lacking in consciously acquiring values.
While the approach and methodology may differ from the previous “CIP”, to execute VIA, there is still
a need to make the students participate in community projects, through which they learn the values.
They are to reflect on their experience, the values they learned and those they could put into practice,
and how they can continue to contribute meaningfully.
through the learning and application of values, knowledge and skills.
reframing of the Community Involvement Programme (CIP) to give greater focus to pupils acquiring values.
Values in Action (VIA) is a are learning experiences that support students’ development as socially
responsible citizens who contribute meaningfully to the community, through the learning and
application of values, knowledge and skills.
They are to reflect on their experience, the values they learned and those they could put into practice,
and how they can continue to contribute meaningfully.
One good Desired Outcome for VIA is : for the students to become Active Contributors and
Concerned Citizens . To achieve this, we need to :
c. nurture every student to be socially responsible.

d. help student understand that they have a role to play in enhancing the well being of the
community and the less fortunate.
A Fund-raising project such as Flag Day is a viable platform for learning. Raising funds for a charity is one concrete
way of helping to ensure that much needed services are provided for the less fortunate. It is a good way of showing
concern and taking action to ensure that the disadvantaged are being cared for.
A Flag Day event, if done properly, can be turned into a potent vehicle for Values Learning. It is most unfortunate
that previously charities and schools did not come together to plan and execute Flag Days the way they should, to
make it a rewarding experience for the students.
I propose a plan for Flag day as folloows :
students are first given a briefing on the disadvantaged people they are supporting, the social issues involved, &
how their fund-raising would help. They are also given tips on how to organize themselves to gain the most out of
the fund-raising exercise.
students are then inducted into the set of Social Competencies & Values associated with the exercise, and how
these could be experienced & attained :
Competencies
Eg.
Self-confidence, public speaking
Inter-personal relations
Customer service
Accepting rejections
Social intelligence
Project planning
Values
Empathy, Respect
Courage
Persistence
Resilience
Zest
Collaboration
Forgiveness (towards those who are “mean” & rude to us)
They would plan strategies and tactics in groups, towards achieving a high amount of funds raised, in order to clinch
the “Top 3 Schools with highest amount of collection” award.
They put into practice the competencies and values, experience the difficulties of raising funds, practise their social
grace & ability to deal with the public, while consciously learning the values.
The students reflect on the learning experience through learning logs & journals, think of how they can apply these
competencies & values to service the community in future.
other ups and downs through fund-raising, nws
Appreciation (for what we have)
set goals
ing resources for the charity
Social justice
Empathy, Respect
Courage
Persistence
Zest
Resilience
Collaboration
forgiveness
Improving group processes and outcomes
. To enable the students to greater self-awareness and to learn to work collaboratively, a

professional profiling instrument (DISC) is utilised to help students understand their personality,
strengths and weaknesses, leading to improved group processes and outcomes. The skills and
competencies that students acquire in this ViA process are also transferred to other areas in the
holistic curriculum.
Approach
A approach would be to make them “Live and practise core values” through
1. Understand the people they are helping, the social issues involved, co experiential learning
2. Progressive development from class, home, school to community and country
3. Staff lead and model community involvement and contribution to community.
Pupils’ Learning Process

Requirement: Every pupil must fulfil the minimum requirement of 8 hours of community involvement

The Process - PAP
Pre-Activity Action Post-Activity
Practising the values
Understanding the values 1. Pupils put in practice Developing the values
1. Brief pupil on the activity. what they have learnt 1. Pupils reflect on what they have
2. Set the tone. 2. Teachers set goals / learnt through learning logs and
3. Explain purpose of the activity. Link it assign tasks to the reflections
to the SEL competencies, school and NE groups 2. Pupils apply the values learnt
values. 3. Pupils to put into 3. Surveys to evaluate conduct of
4. Teach values practice what they have activity.
learnt.
5. Sec 4 and 5 Values-in-Action

Objectives
 To demonstrate school values of Propriety (礼), Righteousness (义), Integrity (廉)& Self-respect (耻).

 To develop resilience when faced with challenges.
 Lead by example and serve as mentor to secondary three students participating in the same flag
day.
Description
Our sec 3, 4 and 5 students participated in the Teen Challenge Flag Day on 17th May 2014 and Boy’s
Town Flag Day on 4th June 2014. This year our school adopt the mentoring approach to allow the sec
4s and 5s to lead sec 3s during the Flag Day. Students were split into their mentor-mentee groups
and the seniors shared their valuable experiences in Flag Day with their juniors before moving off to
their respective locations.
At the location, the mentors demonstrated the proper way to approach members of public as well as
encouraged their juniors to be more proactive. They stationed themselves at strategic locations that
have more human traffic and put in their best effort to raise funds for the less fortunate.
Despite the heavy rain at some locations, students were in high-spirit and took the donation tins to the
streets to canvass for donations. With the commitment of our students, support from our teachers and
the generosity of the public, we managed to raise $34,199.66!
In Crescent Girls’ School, CCE is infused in both the formal and informal curriculum through a
structured CCE framework. One example of CCE in the formal curriculum is the Crescent's Values
in Action (ViA) programme. This programme engages our lower secondary students in a dynamic
problem-solving process with the aim of encouraging them to make a difference to the
community. The programme is closely aligned with the school’s core values which are
encapsulated in the C-DIET framework.
As part of the ViA curriculum, the lower secondary students are challenged to find areas of
concern and formulate solutions to address them. Students first embark on a needs identification
process, which involves conducting surveys and interviews. Upon identifying the actual needs of
the target community, students are challenged to propose feasible and manageable solutions
through the process of establishing criteria, prioritising, evaluation and finally decision-making.
Students then present their project plans to their classmates and each class then selects the best
project to implement. The ViA projects culminate in collective action that makes a difference to
the target community.
Through the ViA process, students acquire important competencies such as information literacy,
communication and collaboration. To enable the students to greater self-awareness and to learn
to work collaboratively, a professional profiling instrument (DISC) is utilised to help students
understand their personality, strengths and weaknesses, leading to improved group processes and
outcomes. The skills and competencies that students acquire in this ViA process are also
transferred to other areas in the holistic curriculum.
With the Secondary One students focusing on “Awareness and Advocacy”, we establish the basic
principles of problem-solving while the Secondary Two ViA then sees the students putting these
knowledge and skills into action to address community needs. The school is poised to work with
Tanglin-Cairnhill Constituency Office to provide students with authentic platforms for their ViA
projects.
Values in Action Programme


A thematic developmental approach is adopted for all the students in the school:
Secondary 1 - Care and Concern for the School
Students are involved in school maintenance and improvement projects, for example cleaning of
classrooms, common areas and beautifying the school compounds. Through the activities, they
develop a bond with the school and learn to be responsible in taking care of the school environment.
Secondary 2 - Care and Concern for the Environment
In 2010-2012, students were involved in the 'Sea Shore' Programme together with National Parks,
where they helped to clean the Singapore beaches. In 2013, students helped to collect recyclable
materials within the school and the community. Together with the Environmental Education
Committee of the school, these activities are planned to help students develop a greater awareness
and a deeper understanding of environmental issues, and to recognise the importance of their roles in
caring for the environment.
Secondary 3 - Care and Concern for the Community
Students participate in Flag Days of welfare organisations such as the SPCA, Children’s Charity
Association and St John Ambulance Brigade. Through these activities, they learn about the problems
faced by different segments of society, and contribute their time and effort and help those in need.
Secondary 4 and 5 - Care and Concern for the Society through Service Learning
Each class initiates 1-2 Service Learning projects with an organisation or group of their choices, to
meet real needs of the society. The students plan, implement and review their projects with form
teachers acting as facilitators throughout the period.

Projects have included raising awareness for organisations like SPCA, collection of clothes and toys
for orphanages, storytelling sessions at the community libraries and mentoring sessions and
conducting art lessons for preschool students.
In addition to the thematic approach for the level VIA programmes, opportunities are also provided for
students who are confident and ready to participate in VIA activities that are organised at the CCA
level. Overseas educational trips also incorporate service learning. Through a comprehensive
programme, the students are developed into concerned citizens who contribute actively to the society.

Background

In our effort to nurture our pupils to become a morally upright, responsible and
gracious citizen, the school believes in adopting a whole school approach in the
implementation of its Values In Action Programme.

There are 3 areas of community service that the school focuses on; Environment,
Fund-raising andOutreach. Through this extensive approach, it is hoped that our
pupils will learn about citizenship; a citizen who is informed, concerned and
participative.

VIA activities are differentiated and developmental in nature where pupils get the
experience to be involved in community service in stages throughout their primary
school years, according to the objectives that have been spelt out for the different
levels.

Some highlights of our VIA activities include neigbourhood clean up for Primary 3,
coastal clean up for Primary 4, visit to the senior citizens’ home for Primary 5 and
school enhancement activities in Batam, Indonesia for Primary 6.

Primary 4 - Coastal Cleanup


- recognize that they can make a contribution to care for the environment

- make informed and responsible decisions as a citizen and do their part in
conserving the environment

Primary 5 - Service Learning Project at Senior Citizens Homes

- recognize that everyone has the ability to help others in our community who face difficulties
in their lives

Primary 6 - School Enhancement in Batam, Indonesia

Our Primary 6 pupils participate in community outreach programme at two primary
schools and two orphanages, the pupils learnt to:
i) have a deep desire to serve others
ii) show empathy and care towards others
iii) build community through the VIA Programme.

Prior to the VIA, pupils planned and prepared for activities that they would carry out
at the Indonesian schools. During camp preparation day, pupils got into the camp
groups to learn balloon sculpting, plan lesson plans for micro-teaching and games
for friendly matches and prepare materials for setting up the reading corner. They
also helped to pack donated items into duffel bags to be given to the Indonesian
pupils.
Pupils found the VIA activities meaningful as every child had the experience in
bringing joy to and interacting with the local pupils. Such values in action have
indeed come alive as pupils were being immersed in a setting that promotes
compassion, care, friendship and volunteerism.

P4 Value in Action
our P4 pupils participated in a meaningful Values in Action Project, in collaboration
with Pasir Ris West Community Centre. Project Festive, with a focus on
Community, is part of the school’s spiral approach in our VIA curriculum.

The pupils visited the neighbouring blocks of the school and gave out mandarin
oranges and greeting cards to the residents. Pupils were excited and engaged in
conversing with the residents using the Chinese New Year greetings that they learnt
in class. To better prepare our pupils before Project Festive, pupils went through a
series of structured lessons using the PRIDE (Pasir Ris, our home, where we Reach
out to the community and Improve the environment and create the Desired future for
Pasir Ris through the Engagement of self and others) package on the history of Pasir
Ris, the importance of racial harmony in the neighbourhood, and the Do’s and
Don’ts during Chinese New Year visitation.

Through the PRIDE approach, pupils are taught knowledge, values and skills
through pre, actual and post VIA lessons. This VIA programme benefits our pupils
as they develop a sense of belonging to the Pasir Ris neighbourhood and instill a
sense of pride in them. It helps them understand the diversity of race, religion and
practices in Singapore that promotes social cohesion and harmony in Singapore.
Feedback from residents, teachers and pupils have been very positive and
encouraging as the pupils were well-prepared and got to apply what they learnt for
the VIA.
Pupils learnt servant leadership through the VIA litter picking activity. They learnt
to empathize with the cleaners and that it was not an easy job.
- recognize that they can make a contribution to care for the environment
- make informed and responsible decisions as a citizen and do their part in
conserving the environment
P5 Value in Action
As part of the CCE level outcome of ‘Active citizens who have pride in nation
building’, our P5 pupils played their part in contributing to the community through
the yearly visits to Kheng Chiu Happy Lodge and Jamiyah Home. Pupils went
through the ‘LOVE’ package entitled ‘One Love Many Lives’ where they went
through a structured approachas part of the VIA cycle – pre VIA, actual VIA and
post VIA..

Before the VIA, the ‘L’ approach was used. Pupils become aware of the lives of the
elderly and the reasons they are in a home. The ‘O’ approach provided
the opportunity for our pupils to take the initiative and plan their own activities for
the VIA. For the actual VIA, our pupils put up performances such as skit, dancing,
singing, magic tricks to entertain and bring a smile to the faces of the elderly.
Activities were also done together with the elderly with mini workshops on cup
stacking and craft work. The elderly even participated enthusiastically in ball games
too! Some of our pupils also got the chance to serve lunch to a group of elderly!

Upon returning from their VIA, pupils continued with the ‘V’ and ‘E’ approach
where they reflected and blogged aboutvalues, skills and experiences that they have
learnt through the VIA preparation and visit. Through the ‘E’ approach, they reflect
on their emotions using the Mirror - Microscope-Binoculars tool and extend their
learning beyond school to home.

- recognize that everyone has the ability to help others in our community who
face difficulties in their lives
Baking @ SSMC Carnival
A group of 20 Key Leaders participated in a fund-raising activity for the PSG of the
school during the SSMC Carnival on 6th April 2013. These pupil leaders attended a
pre-VIA session to equip them with communication and problem-solving skills.
They also learned basic baking skills in order for them to guide and teach others how
to bake cookies. During the SSMA Carnival, they managed to put their leadership
skills into practice through communicating confidently with the staff and family of
SSMC at their stalls promoting the sale of cookies as well as teaching them how to
bake cookies. They were also involved in interacting with a group of elderly at the
carnival.
SparkleTots Pasir Ris West Childcare Centre
A total of 14 Key Leaders attended a Balloon Sculpting Workshop on
21st May to learn balloon sculpting skills. In conjunction with Kindness SG, 7
of these pupils went for a VIA activity to SparkleTots Pasir Ris West
Childcare Centre on 29th May. The objectives of this VIA were to spread
kindness to the community beyond the school through balloon sculpting and
card-making activities. Our pupil leaders gave the K1 and K2 pupils some
balloons and guided the pre-schoolers in making cards for their family
members. Both our pupil leaders and the pre-schoolers enjoyed the
experience through the activities.
Values In Action Programme

Values in Action (VIA) is a reframing of the Community Involvement Programme (CIP) to give greater focus to pupils
acquiring values.

Desired Outcomes:
Active Contributors and Concerned Citizens

Objectives
e. To nurture every pupil to be socially responsible.
f. To help pupils understand that they have a role to play in enhancing the well being of the community and the
country.
Approach Live and practise core values through

4. Age appropriate and sustained experiential learning
5. Progressive development from class, home, school to community and country
6. Staff lead and model community involvement and contribution to community.
Pupils’ Learning Process
Requirement: Every pupil must fulfil the minimum requirement of 8 hours of community involvement

The Process - PAP
Pre-Activity Action Post-Activity
Practising the values
Understanding the values 1. Pupils put in practice Developing the values
1. Brief pupil on the activity. what they have learnt 1. Pupils reflect on what they have
2. Set the tone. 2. Teachers set goals / learnt through learning logs and
3. Explain purpose of the activity. Link it assign tasks to the reflections
to the SEL competencies, school and NE groups 2. Pupils apply the values learnt
values. 3. Pupils to put into 3. Surveys to evaluate conduct of
4. Teach values practice what they have activity.
learnt.
Character & Citizenship Education - Values in Action @ Westwood Primary

School
MOE Singapore
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Published on Apr 17, 2013

In Character and Citizenship Education, our pupils learn to be responsible to family and community
and understand their roles in shaping the future of our nation.
School and community engagement programmes teach students to put values learnt into action. It
helps shape the students' character and also provides a holistic education beyond the classroom.
Watch our this video clip to find out more about how our students put values into action!
Find out more about Westwood Primary School in Schoolbag.sg:

http://www.schoolbag.sg/archives/2013...
Minister outlines MOE's plans for holistic

education
Channel NewsAsia, 8 Mar 2012
Education Minister Heng Swee Keat has outlined his ministry's plans to create a holistic education system and one
where no child is left behind.
Speaking in Parliament on Thursday, Mr Heng said that to prepare our students for the future, education must
develop the whole person.
"It is less about content knowledge, as content will have to be re-learnt and even un-learnt during one's lifetime," he
said.
"It is more about how to process information, discern truths from untruths, connect seemingly disparate dots, and
create knowledge even as the context changes. It is about developing an enduring core of competencies, values and
character to anchor our young and ensure they have the resilience to succeed."
"Developing the whole child must first begin with instilling the right character and values. We must adopt a student-
centric, values-driven approach," added Mr Heng.
And to reflect the emphasis on a holistic, values-driven education, Mr Heng said that there will be a new Edusave
Character Award to recognise students who exhibit exemplary values, such as resilience and tenacity, integrity, care
and respect, as well as civic responsibility.
The minister said the Community Involvement Programme is an important part of character building as it builds a
spirit of volunteerism.
It will therefore be enhanced and reframed as Values in Action to place a stronger emphasis across all schools on the
inculcation of values through community involvement.
Under Values in Action, students will undertake personal and group reflections to discuss their experience and the
role they can play in the community.
Students will be encouraged to choose community issues they are concerned about, understand them better and
decide how they can make a difference.
Schools will also be encouraged to develop 4-year or 6-year development plans to move towards more sustainable
learning through community involvement.
To ensure opportunities for all students, the Ministry of Education is significantly increasing its coverage of financial
support for needy students.
More funds will also be given to financial assistance schemes.
The income limit for eligibility for the MOE Financial Assistance Scheme or FAS will be raised from S$1,500 to
S$2,500.
Besides assessing applicants by household income, the ministry will assess them using a new Per Capita Income
(PCI) criterion so that more students from larger families can qualify.
This means that students from households with a per capita income not exceeding S$625 per month will now be
eligible.
For example, a family of six comprising two children, two parents and two grandparents living together, with a
monthly income of S$3,600 (that is, per capita income of S$600) will now qualify.
Schools will also be given annual grants of up to S$15,000 per school every year, for the next three years.
This will allow schools to provide additional targeted support in specific ways or to students who might have just
missed the FAS criteria but are deserving.
The ministry will also triple the annual funding allocated to the School Breakfast Programme, from S$4 million to
S$12 million.
This is to ensure children do not start their day on an empty stomach.
However Education Minister Heng said: "But let me emphasise. It is not just about money, but an integrated
approach, addressing financial, socio-emotional and learning support, in partnership with parents and the broader
community.
"Ultimately, being inclusive is about giving each child the best opportunity to realise his or her potential, and in turn
be able to fully participate in the workplace and in society thereafter."
The ministry will also grow the number of school-based student care centres over the next two years.
The ministry is looking to increase the number of student care centres located within schools from the current 57 to
70 by 2014.
The centres provide structured care for students, whether it's help with homework or with problems at home.
Constant interaction between the centre's staff and school teachers also means potential problems can be flagged
quickly.
These centres are just one way in which the Education Ministry is lifting up students who fall behind.
The ministry also has learning support programmes in primary schools to pull up those weak in English and Maths.
Such early intervention programmes are also in place in preschools, where students from disadvantaged families are
given help in English.
About 6,000 children have gone through the scheme, and another 2,200 will be included this year.
Besides helping the low-income, the ministry will also raise the level of resources to schools for them to offer more
customised programmes for students.
Addressing the anxiety of parents over getting their child into a good school, Mr Heng outlined improvements made
over the years, adding that his aim is to ensure that all schools are good schools.
'Neighbourhood' or 'elite' should matter less in

future: Heng
Four-pronged approach to help schools level up to become 'good schools'
By Leonard Lim, The Straits Times, 9 Mar 2012
WERE you from a neighbourhood or elite school?

The answer to that judgmental question should matter less in future, if Education Minister Heng Swee Keat has his
way.
In his book, every school should be a good school, and his ministry wants to develop good schools across the board,
not focus on just a select few.
Yesterday, in sketching out his vision of what good schools ought to be like, he said they should create opportunities
for all and play their part in creating students with strong values and abilities, and an inclusive society.
'A good school is not good relative to another, or good in purely academic terms,' he said during his ministry's budget
debate.
He listed six key attributes of a good school:
First, it cares for students, knows their needs, interests and strengths, and motivates them to learn and grow.
Second, it ensures they acquire strong fundamentals of literacy and numeracy and develops them holistically, in
character, knowledge and critical competencies.
Third, it creates a positive school experience for each student, making him a confident and life-long learner.
Fourth, it has caring and competent teachers who are steadfast in their mission to impact lives.
Fifth, it has the support of parents and the community, working with them to bring out the best in children.
Finally, it gives opportunities to all students regardless of family circumstances.
To help schools level up to become 'good schools', the Ministry of Education will adopt a four-pronged approach, he
said.
This involves giving schools resources to offer customised programmes that best fit their students' needs; raising
teachers' professional standards; encouraging learning and innovation across schools; and promoting partnerships
between the schools and community.
Since taking over the education portfolio after last May's General Election, Mr Heng has touted the tagline 'every
school a good school', as the ministry seeks to quell the anxiety among parents over whether their children are in
'branded schools' or 'neighbourhood schools'.
But as the House heard yesterday, such sentiments run deep.

Before he rose to speak, Mr Teo Ser Luck (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC) and Ms Irene Ng (Tampines GRC) asked if
anything could be done to remove the stereotypes.
Said Ms Ng: 'If left unaddressed, this will lead to ever-dwindling enrolment, and the plunging morale of both staff
and students in the neighbourhood schools.
'Meeting this challenge calls for both a paradigm shift and additional support for neighbourhood schools.'
Mr Teo related how, when he asked some young working adults what schools they were from during a dialogue,
some 'loudly' said they were from branded schools.
Others, however, shyly claimed their schools no longer existed. But after probing, Mr Teo learnt they were actually
from neighbourhood schools.
Agreeing on a point the Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC MP made, Mr Heng said the term 'neighbourhood school' should not
be used as an apology.
'The truth is, our schools are geographically sited in our neighbourhood, so naturally they draw students who are
living in the neighbourhood,' he added.
During the debate, Mr Heng also spoke about Primary 1 places, an annual exercise often riddled with anxiety as
parents clamour for their children to get the schools of their choice.
The ministry has received feedback, but 'for every rule that is currently in place, there is feedback both for and
against it', Mr Heng said.
So, no form of allocation can satisfy all parents if there is a perception that there are only a few good schools. Thus,
the sustainable solution must lie in ensuring that every school is a good school.
Many significant improvements are being made across schools, he said, and they will now publicise their work.
'While we continue to consider the feedback, our schools will make a concerted effort to reach out to parents on the
programmes they have, and engage parents in developing our students holistically.'
And hopefully, the right question over time will be: Did you go to a good school?
Schools debate leaves questions unanswered

Ministry, parents need to stop talking at cross purposes for a start, to bring about understanding
By Ignatius Low, The Straits Times, 9 Mar 2012
FIX the system, MPs wailed yesterday, when Parliament turned its attention to the issue that every parent has an
opinion on - education. Each had his own suggestions of just what needed fixing.
Yes, we are working on it, Education Minister Heng Swee Keat seemed to say in response. Although, the problem
was not so much the system, as the people who use it.
So in the end, the debate resembled that familiar old situation of the student who writes a good essay, but leaves his
reader feeling he has not quite answered the question.
In a day devoted almost entirely to debating the state of education here, MPs stood up one after another to raise
concerns about what they thought to be fundamental problems with Singapore's education system.
Too many examinations that matter too much to the final result, they griped. Too much obsession over getting into a
good school.
The result is stressed-out parents pressurising even more stressed-out children, they warned. There is no joy in
learning any more and no one, literally, stops to smell the flowers, lamented Nominated MP and Nature Society
member Faizah Jamal.
Instead, Singapore has become a 'tuition nation', declared Ms Denise Phua (Moulmein-Kallang GRC).
NMP Laurence Lien even put a number to it, calculating that parents spend more than $820 million yearly on tuition
- 'a massive misallocation of resources nationally', he said.
Acronyms began to fly fast and furious around the Chamber.

Review the Gifted Education Programme and the Special Assistance Plan, some said.
Review the Primary School Leaving Examination, said others - and for good measure, all other such 'standardised
unified exams'.
Review the Primary 1 registration exercise, suggested Mr Lim Biow Chuan (Mountbatten), while Ms Phua proposed
a 'think-tank' get to the bottom of the nation's heavy reliance on tuition.
Review even the term 'neighbourhood schools', urged Mr Teo Ser Luck (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC), a proud graduate
of one himself.
At least four MPs rose to recommend the Finnish model, or at least some aspects of it.
The Finns scrapped PSLE and were none the worse for it, said Workers' Party Non-Constituency MP Yee Jenn Jong,
who must have broken some sort of record yesterday on the number of times a member rose to speak in one session.
Tantalisingly, the Finnish model ensures no assessment based on grades or marks is allowed for any student below
12 years old, noted Mr Lien.
The result is 'less homework, more creative play and critical thinking', concluded NMP Tan Su Shan, yet the Finns
continue to produce leading student scores globally.
Well, if MPs thought they were going to get anywhere with these pithy suggestions, they were wrong.
Cool as a cucumber, and with a gentle and polite insistence that has come to be his trademark, Mr Heng suggested to
the House that the problem lay less with the system, than with those who use it.
South Korea abolished exams, but that did not remove the pressure on students, he noted.
Yes, Primary 1 registration is a vexing exercise for parents, he agreed - but people have argued equally fiercely for
and against every admission rule.
The most sustainable solution to the near hysteria that accompanies the yearly exercise, Mr Heng argued, was for
every school to be a 'good school' and perceived as such.
And tuition?
Again a matter of perception about what works and what doesn't, said the minister, adding that he recently met a
'lovely couple' whose primary school children didn't take tuition but were still doing very well in school.
'I said, 'What do you do with them?' and they said: 'Well, we spend a lot of time with them, not just on academic
work but as loving parents.'
'And I said: 'That's wonderful!''
Heartwarming as it was, I doubt that Mr Heng's little anecdote - or his factually based defence of the Singapore
system - would soothe the army of anxious parents out there, or any of the MPs they must have vociferously
complained to.
The failure on both sides to really connect was a pity, really, because the Ministry of Education has, in truth, made
real and tangible improvements to the school system that too often end up flying under the radar. Mr Heng made
another gallant attempt at summarising them yesterday.
He said that the ministry is not just levelling up students within a school through financial help schemes and special
classes for weak students, but also levelling up schools within the system so that 'every school is a good school'.
Not a lot of people know, for example, that over the past five years, every school in Singapore has added 10 teachers
on average to its staff, as well as six allied educators.
Another point that often gets lost in the jargon of 'edu-speak' is that the ministry has established many 'pathways to
excellence'.
This means starting new types of schools that specialise in the arts or sports, for example, as well as spreading
specialist programmes across existing schools, so that success in education isn't equated with getting into a brand-
name institution like Raffles or Hwa Chong.
The ministry also pledged yesterday to do more work at the two opposite ends of a child's education cycle -
increasing the number and variety of university places, as well as the standards of preschool education.
How can the ministry and parents stop talking at cross purposes? How can it win them round to its view that 'fixing
the system' is more than just a matter of tweaking school structures and rules, but requires a more deep-seated change
in how society values education, and how this is conveyed to the young?
This is critical. For Mr Heng surely knows that the real challenge for his ministry is to reach out to parents and make
them better understand the import of the changes he is making to the system. Only then will their behaviour start to
shift.
Unless that happens, education policy debates might well continue to be summed up this way: 'good effort, but could
do better'.
More student care centres to be set up

Income ceilings raised so that more children qualify for aid schemes
By Amelia Tan, The Straits Times, 9 Mar 2012
THIRTEEN more student care centres will be set up in primary schools to benefit more needy students. This will
raise the number of such centres to 70 in two years' time.
They are where pupils, mainly from low-income families, are given meals and supervised on their schoolwork.
Most are run by voluntary welfare organisations and the average non-subsidised fee is $230 a month but poor parents
can pay as little as $20 a month for their children to spend around six hours a day at the centre after school.
For most, their fees are subsidised by the Government, and this year, it is extending the help to more families by
raising the qualifying income ceiling.
It will be lifted from $2,500 to $3,500 a month.
This will reduce the fee paid by say, a family earning $3,000 a month, from $200 to $125 per month.
More details of the subsidy will be given today by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports.
The move to make student care centres affordable for more families is among several measures the Government is
introducing to help needy students get a leg up, said Education Minister Heng Swee Keat in Parliament yesterday.
Essentially, it has raised the qualifying income ceiling of several aid programmes to open the door to more students.
For the Edusave Merit Bursary, the new ceiling is $5,000 a month, up from $4,000.
It will benefit an additional 10,000 students, bringing the total to 40,000. They will receive cash awards ranging from
$200 to $500 a year.
Mr Heng set out these changes in his reply to MPs, who had asked what his ministry is doing to help students from
needy homes go further in life.
Ms Irene Ng (Tampines GRC) said teachers play an important role in helping such students. She cited a Qiaonan
Primary pupil who was badly affected by his parents' divorce. His teachers took him under their wings and he made
the grade to enter secondary school.
Mr Baey Yam Keng (Tampines GRC) noted how potential dropouts from disadvantaged families would bloom when
mentored by adults.
These stories led Mr Heng to cite Kheng Cheng School in Toa Payoh to illustrate how schools help their needy
pupils by tapping on various schemes and programmes.
He visited it recently and found that teachers would contact parents of new pupils within three days to identify the
needy ones. The school would tap on the Trips for International Experience Fund and the Opportunity Fund to help
these pupils pay for special programmes.
Also, weaker pupils are taught in smaller classes to bring them up to speed in their schoolwork.
Said Mr Heng: 'It is not just about money, but an integrated approach, addressing financial, socio-emotional and
learning support, in partnership with parents and the broader community.'
In the case of the MOE's Financial Assistance Scheme for primary, secondary, junior college and centralised institute
students, the income ceiling is going up from $1,500 to $2,500 a month.
This will double the number of beneficiaries from 40,000 to 80,000. They will have their school fees waived, receive
a 75 per cent subsidy for fees for national examinations, and be given free uniforms and textbooks.
Beyond these programmes, there is another avenue. Students can get help in cash or kind from their school advisory
or school management committees, which will get $15,000 more a year for the next three years.
Both parents and educators cheered the intensified effort to help the needy.
Widow Koh Bie In, who earns $800 a month as a childcare centre cook, pays $20 a month for her daughter Michelle
to attend the student care centre at MacPherson Primary.
The 11-year-old is one of the top primary five pupils.
Said Madam Koh: 'I don't have to worry about my daughter being on her own. But more importantly she gets help
with her schoolwork.'
S$3.6m help for dyslexic students

By Sharon See, Channel NewsAsia, 8 Mar 2012
The Education Ministry is piloting a S$3.6 million school-based dyslexia programme in 20 mainstream primary
schools.
The programme will target Primary 3 pupils identified through a screening process by the end of Primary 2.
It's part of the ministry's efforts to improve the quality, accessibility and affordability of special education (SPED).
Primary 3 student Lee Wei Jun had trouble understanding what he was reading because there were a lot of words he
could not decipher.
Late last year, he was assessed to be dyslexic. But he is now improving, thanks to a special class taught by an Allied
Educator, who is helping him visualise what he is reading.
The lessons, conducted four times a week outside school hours, are part of the school-based pilot programme.
Previously, students with dyslexia who needed more help could go for extra classes conducted by the Dyslexia
Association of Singapore. But the Education Ministry said many of the younger students have found it difficult to
travel to these centres for special classes outside of school hours.
Ms Junainah Sadar, Allied Educator (Learning & Behavioral Support) at Greenridge Primary School, said: "There's a
close partnership between parents, teachers and us. Because it's school-based, the level of communication is very
tight."
The ministry will also streamline the application process for special education (SPED) schools by setting up a Multi-
Agency Advisory Panel.
The panel will develop a standard application process for all 20 such schools.
"With the standard application process, parents would not have to make multiple applications to different SPED
schools - only one will be required. We aim to implement this fully by October 2012," said Senior Parliamentary
Secretary for Education Sim Ann in Parliament on Thursday.
Turning to affordability, as announced in Budget 2012, the household income ceiling for the SPED Financial
Assistance Scheme (FAS) will be raised from S$1,500 to S$2,500.
Larger families with per capita income of S$625 or less will also be eligible for the revised SPED FAS. About 1,500
SPED students are expected to benefit from the enhanced FAS, up from 600 students who benefit from the existing
FAS.
Students on the SPED FAS will receive a full waiver of school fees, free textbooks and uniforms and a 75% waiver
of examination fees.
Ms Sim Ann also explained how the Education Ministry plans to improve the quality of teaching and learning in
SPED schools.
She said the ministry has already been actively expanding training opportunities for SPED teachers.
"All untrained teachers who join SPED schools have to undergo a one-year full-time training programme at NIE,
leading to the Diploma in Special Education (DISE)," said Ms Sim Ann.
"Senior teachers and Heads of Departments in SPED schools can acquire management skills in the NIE Management
and Leadership in Schools (MLS) programme. We also offer scholarships to SPED teachers to pursue Masters
degrees at both NIE and overseas universities."
"We are exploring the possibility of working with overseas partners to offer a SPED undergraduate degree
programme," added Ms Sim Ann.
Besides teacher training, the curriculum development in SPED schools will also be strengthened.
A draft Curriculum Framework launched last November, which specifies a set of Education Outcomes and Learning
Standards that SPED students should attain after 12 years of education, will be developed further.
Curriculum Leadership Teams will also be formed in all SPED schools.
The Education Ministry is also looking at ways to retain talent in the sector so that expertise and knowledge can be
continually built up.
She said: "MOE will support NCSS (National Council of Social Services) and VWOs in reviewing salaries in SPED
schools, so that schools can continue to attract and retain talented and committed teachers, Allied Health
Professionals and other staff members. Additional funding will be available for SPED schools to effect salary
increases this year."
And with the recent announcement to extend the Special Employment Credit to SPED graduates, Ms Sim said the
ministry will also focus on more ways to prepare these students for future employment.
Fewer scholarships for foreign undergrads?
By Amelia Tan, The Straits Times 8 Mar 2012
MR BAEY Yam Keng, an MP for Tampines GRC, yesterday called on the Government to reduce the number of
undergraduate scholarships given to foreigners.
It hands out about 1,000 each year.
Mr Baey said he was not asking for the Government to 'turn off the tap for foreign students'. Rather, he wanted
Education Minister Heng Swee Keat to review the scholarship scheme for foreigners and allocate more resources to
Singaporeans who were needy or had good results.
He told the House he could understand how Singaporeans felt about losing university places to foreigners, as he had
been in their shoes.
After his A levels, he applied to the National University of Singapore's medical faculty. He was rejected.
He found out later that two of his classmates from Malaysia and Hong Kong, whose A-level results were not as good
as his, were admitted to the medical faculty.
Mr Baey, 41, also called on organisations to check the comments scholarship applicants make on social media
platforms, for a thorough background check on them.
Recently, a Chinese undergraduate scholarship holder made insensitive comments about Singaporeans on his
microblog.
Non-Constituency MP Yee Jenn Jong said he was 'uncomfortable' that only 67 per cent of foreign scholars graduated
from the universities with high honours.
He suggested the Government cut the intake by one-third, to admit only those with the potential to get high honours.
He noted: 'I am sure the Public Service Commission sets high standards for our local scholars.'
Minister of State for Education Lawrence Wong said his ministry will continue to control the intake of international
students, and over time they will form a smaller proportion of the student body.
'Over time, the international students will form a smaller proportion of our student body. But we must manage this
carefully and find the right balance,' he said.
International students, he said, added diversity to student life and gave Singaporeans a chance to interact and study in
a cross-cultural environment.
The Education Ministry had earlier announced that the proportion of foreign students will fall further to 15 per cent
by 2015 from the current 18 per cent, even as more places are created for Singaporeans.
Debate over giving cash for showing good values

Some worry it promotes materialism, while others say it sends message that values are vital
By Stacey Chia, The Straits Times, 10 Mar 2012
THIS is one instance where some people feel monetary rewards are not appropriate. While many welcome the new
Education Ministry's Edusave Character Award, they question the need to link a cash value to it.
Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said in Parliament on Thursday that teachers can nominate students for the
award, which will be launched this year.
The yearly award comes with a cash sum of $200 to $500. Up to 10,000 students are expected to get it every year.
The award is in line with the Education Ministry's push to promote values in schools.
But the move has prompted concerns that the award, which is supposed to encourage people to demonstrate good
values, may backfire and promote materialism instead.
National University of Singapore sociologist Tan Ern Ser said praise from authority figures and acceptance by group
members should be sufficient rewards for good character.
'Extrinsic rewards can undermine intrinsic motivation to do good. One may end up doing something just for the
monetary rewards, without a real change of character,' he added.
A parent, Madam Yvonne Lim, 39, feels that verbal recognition is good enough.
'I don't want my child growing up doing things only when he will be rewarded with money,' she said.
Psychologist Geraldine Tan from the Centre for Effective Living said she normally recommends parents avoid giving
incentives such as money and food.
She noted that there were also students who did good passively and that it would be difficult to accurately identify
those deserving of the award.
'You should not be able to put a fixed value on things like good character,' said Ms Tan.
Mr Dennis Ang, 35, a former junior college teacher, said many students are already doing charitable work, and
without a reward.
'It seems more like a formality to me but it's good. There will need to be guidelines to aid the selection process,' he
said.
Psychologist Daniel Koh from Insights Mind Centre said people in general respond better to positive reinforcements,
but the award should not be made glamorous 'because it takes away the basic principle - to help and not to show'.
There was also a lively discussion on The Straits Times Facebook page.
Ms Serene Chew posted that such an award gives people the impression that good behaviour will be rewarded with
money.
'Is this really the way to teach or encourage our next generation to have the right values and expectations in life?'
In a response to queries from The Straits Times, a Ministry of Education spokesman said the new award is to send a
strong signal of the importance of values and character development.
'Similar to the other Edusave awards, the monetary award serves as encouragement but is not meant to reduce
character and values to a dollar figure,' the spokesman added.
But some applaud the move to give the cash award.
Mr Richard Chew, principal of Yusof Ishak Secondary School, said it is like any other cash award, which students
can use to supplement their education.
'The Edusave Scholarship award and Eagles award are also monetary awards; this shows that values are given just as
much importance by the ministry,' he added.
Mr Lim Biow Chuan, who chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee for Education, shares similar views.
He said he supports the award as it is one way to keep the importance of character and values in the minds of
educators, students and parents.
'Perhaps money doesn't have to be attached to it, but it's something that will probably need fine-tuning in time.'
Mrs Jenny Yeo, principal of South View Primary School, said she does not oppose a monetary incentive.
She recalled that a pupil once donated $500 from his Edusave Scholarship award of $800 to the school.
'Selection will be stringent and I believe they will use the money wisely,' she added.
Cash for character sends a wrong signal

Monetary awards for students cheapen the natural drive to do good
By Sandra Davie, The Straits Times, 13 Mar 2012
EDUCATION Minister Heng Swee Keat announced a new Edusave award last Thursday - one that he hopes will
encourage character building in young Singaporeans. Teachers will nominate students for the annual Edusave
Character Awards to be given to those who demonstrate exemplary values and civic responsibility through their
behaviour and actions.
Each year, up to 10,000 students are expected to win the award which comes with a cash sum of $200 to $500.
Mr Heng announced that the ministry will also increase the value and double the number of Eagles awards. These are
given to those who display leadership or excel in non-academic work, such as in co-curricular activities. About
17,000 students receive the award now. The sums will be raised: from $150 and $200 to sums between $250 and
$500, for primary pupils all the way to Institute of Technical Education students.
Like most people who have commented on the initiatives, I welcome the Eagles award for recognising students who
excel in the non-academic areas.
I also welcome the principle behind the new character education awards, as this allows schools to recognise
exemplary behaviour and hold up role models. As an Education Ministry spokesman said: 'Similar to the other
Edusave awards, the monetary award serves as encouragement but is not meant to reduce character and values to a
dollar figure.'
But having a cash amount for such an award may inadvertently end up doing exactly that - raising a citizen who
expects cash for good behaviour. It sends all the wrong signals.
First, cash rewards turn good behaviour into work. It sends the message that if they are paid for it, then it must be
work. Students may also conclude that showing kindness must be difficult or noteworthy, as they are rewarded for it.
A school principal related the instances of good behaviour for which some of her students were rewarded with book
vouchers. One student was rewarded for helping an old lady cross the road. Another, for helping a classmate on
crutches.
'Aren't these acts of kindness something that should come naturally to all your students? Why the need to reward
them with vouchers?' I asked her.
I hope the character education awards given out to students will not be for acts such as returning money found in the
school field or helping a disabled classmate. I was brought up to believe that helping others was my duty - and would
be loath to have a new generation taught that helping others deserves a cash award.
Giving money to students for character and good behaviour also creates in students a sense of entitlement: They may
come to expect to be paid for doing something they should already be doing. It could lead them to expect rewards
and recognition when they follow school rules or don't talk in class.
Worst of all, cash rewards cheapen the intrinsic motivation to do good. Good behaviour carries its own reward
because it offers students self-respect, confidence, and the feeling of being part of a class grouping or school body
that needs and appreciates them.
Rather than resort to giving money, schools and parents can be a little more creative in coming up with ways to
reward exemplary behaviour.
Most psychologists and parenting experts would agree that giving recognition encourages desirable behaviour.
Schools and parents can capitalise on young people's natural desire to be praised and get recognition, by highlighting
exemplary deeds in class or in the community, and holding up such students as role models to their peers.
A very simple device for teachers is to write a note home, as my primary school teacher used to do. If I performed a
good deed, my teacher would note my good behaviour in a 'character report card', to take home to my parents. The
teacher would write down in detail what I did and attach a gold star to it.
I still remember how thrilled I was to receive one of these notes for helping a classmate in composition writing.
There was the initial presentation of the note in class, which brought applause and appreciation from my classmates.
Psychologists will say that the use of such group rituals is a very good way of recognising and rewarding desirable
behaviour.
A second round of positive stroking came when I went home and showed my parents the note. And because it was
displayed on the dining table, I received further praise and reinforcement when friends and relatives visited my
home.
Buoyed by that experience, I started offering free English tuition to my classmate and her two siblings regularly.
It was a simple note, but one that had real value that lasted. I suspect the feeling would have been different if I had
been given money or a book voucher.
Cash is not always the best way to recognise students for their efforts.
As it is, many schools already have simple, effective ways to promote good, kindly behaviour - such as awarding
students collar pins and certificates.
Some school heads have said they intend to keep their school-based awards that recognise character and good
behaviour, and make the Edusave cash awards the pinnacle awards. This is wise.
I would go even further. I would prefer the ministry to keep its cash awards and come up with other more meaningful
ways to recognise good values. For a start, they can encourage schools to come up with school-level awards and fund
programmes that do this.
And for the Ministry of Education (MOE)-level Edusave Character Awards, a trophy or medal might suffice. It could
be presented at an annual ceremony, perhaps with a video or a booklet that documents some noteworthy acts of
character or that shares inspiring stories of students' good or brave deeds.
There is no shortage of creative ways to recognise character and promote the inculcation of good values in schools.
A cash cheque is not the best option.
Edusave Character Award as vital and valuable as

its academic equivalent: MOE
WE THANK senior writer Sandra Davie ('Cash for character sends a wrong signal'; Tuesday) and readers for their
feedback on the new Edusave Character Award, and for the opportunity to reiterate the rationale behind it.
The Ministry of Education's (MOE) aim is to provide a holistic education to all our students, centred on the
inculcation of values and character.
We are glad that many parents and members of the community agree with us about the importance of character and
values. Currently, there is a range of Edusave awards that recognise outstanding students in each school, such as the
Edusave Scholarship.
However, these are primarily based on academic achievements. This is why we introduced the Edusave Character
Award, and pegged it at the same level as the Edusave Scholarship. The objective is to send a clear and strong signal
of the importance that the MOE places on character and values, on a par with achievements in the academic domain.
The Edusave Character Award will recognise a small number of students in each school who are exemplary in
character, and who can inspire others as role models.
For instance, these may be students who have shown resilience and have done well despite their difficult
circumstances.
The monetary award can be used by students for their educational needs, such as books and stationery. Our school
leaders and teachers are very mindful of the need to foster the intrinsic motivation of their students to do good deeds.
Indeed, the building of character and inculcation of sound values are part of the important work that our schools do
on a daily basis. Many schools have already devised their own ways of recognising good character and exemplary
values in their students.
Taken together with other initiatives, such as the reframing of the Community Involvement Programme as 'Values in
Action' and the integration of Character and Citizenship Education in all aspects of the curriculum, the Edusave
Character Award is part of the MOE's ongoing effort to provide a more holistic educational experience for all our
students.
We will continue to work closely with parents and the community on this journey.
Dr Cheong Wei Yang
Director, Planning Division
Ministry of Education
ST Forum, 17 Mar 2012
Strict criteria for character award
By Amelia Tan, The Straits Times, 20 Mar 2012
STUDENTS who are given the new Edusave Character Award would have come through a rigorous selection
process, Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said yesterday.
He said it was important that schools prevent the process from degenerating into 'a contest among students to show
who is better'. He added that getting the award was not a matter of a student simply having helped someone cross the
road, but would be the result of 'key factors' having been considered. The schools and his ministry will work together
to set up the criteria.
The minister was speaking to reporters, who asked him to respond to readers who had written in to the Forum page
of this newspaper to say giving a cash award to students who had carried out praiseworthy deeds diminished the
value of those deeds. The Education Ministry announced this month that up to 10,000 students each year could
expect cash sums of between $200 and $500 for being of good character.
Mr Heng said yesterday: 'The award should not detract from the fact that doing good should come from intrinsic
motivation, and it should be seen in relation to all the other things that we are doing to promote this 'values and
character' education.'
Shaping character is everyone's job

Editorial, The Straits Times, 19 Mar 2012
THE cash that comes with the Edusave Character Awards for students, announced recently by Education Minister
Heng Swee Keat, is just a token, of course, and does not diminish the intent of recognising worthy actions by putting
a dollar value to them. However, the flurry of comments that followed the announcement point to what might lie
ahead as discussions grow around the formidable task of character and citizenship education, described aptly by Mr
Heng as the 'most difficult' to teach well. First, the widespread interest and contributions of the community as a
whole will be essential for the sustained development of strategies and practical programmes geared for different
groups. Second, the tone and tenor of the discussions that take place will matter - for example, whether philosophical
divides will surface on how to balance individualism and teamwork. Not least, all should be able to constantly see
the wood - namely the desired outcomes of character education - for the trees.
The new programme will bring together Civics and Moral Education, National Education, and Social and Emotional
Learning. But schools alone certainly cannot build character and citizenship, as many have noted. Ultimately, parents
and the immediate family circle might well have the most profound impact on the young.
On the push for imparting lasting values, some educators are frank in their admission of doubts, as observed by a
National Institute of Education professor: 'Teachers come to me and say, 'I'm embarrassed, I'm not sure if I'm
practising the values that I'm teaching'.' This is a central question that all parents ought to address, as it will be futile
to tell the young to 'follow what I say and not what I do'. Serving as a role model for the young at home becomes all
the more important as their world is often dominated by celebrities and popular culture that convey antithetical
values. For example, a role model like Bobby Charlton is hopelessly outnumbered by others in the spotlight like
Ryan Giggs and Carlos Tevez. Parents can help counter the influences of media personalities by quietly and
steadfastly demonstrating the values that guide their own actions. It takes considerable time and effort to build
character, of course - one more task on a parent's already long list of priorities. But it is not something that can be left
to schools alone, or left to chance.
As former US president Theodore Roosevelt observed: 'Character, in the long run, is the decisive factor in the life of
an individual and of nations alike.'
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Values in Action Schools Project: Final Report

Giving Voice to the Impacts of Values Education – The Final Report of the Values in Action
Schools Project, October 2010 is a report of the learnings and outcomes of the Values in
Action Schools Project (VASP). It presents an evaluation of the impact of the VASP on
teachers, students and parents of participating schools.
The core purpose of the VASP was to further develop the evidence base for informing
improved school policy and practice in values education. The project builds on the work of
Stages 1 and 2 of the Values Education Good Practice Schools Project, and explores additional
evidence of the impacts that result from effective values education practice.
VASP was conducted between December 2008 and November 2009 and involved 86 schools
working in 15 clusters (of 3 to 10 schools). The clusters were funded to design, implement,
evaluate and report on targeted and directed projects that met local needs. Clusters focused
on designated special interest areas such as student wellbeing, resilience and positive
education, social inclusion, service learning, improving academic outcomes, civics and
citizenship, and Indigenous, interfaith and intercultural approaches. VASP clusters were
encouraged to consider the ten principles of good practice that emerged from Stages 1 and 2.
Giving Voice to the Impacts of Values Education identifies five key and interrelated impacts of
the VASP:
1. Values consciousness
2. Wellbeing
3. Agency
4. Connectedness
5. Transformation

The Final Report features many firsthand ‘stories’ about the project’s impact from the perspective of parents, students, and
teachers.
The Final Report and an executive summary are available for downloading.
Download The Final Report for the Values in Action Schools Project
 Giving Voice to the Impacts of Values Education – The Final Report of the Values in Action Schools Project: Executive
Summary 709kb pdf.
 Giving Voice to the Impacts of Values Education – The Final Report of the Values in Action Schools Project 3124kb pdf.
Values in Action Schools Project: Evaluation Summit

The Evaluation Summit, the third national session for the Values in Action
Schools Project (VASP) was held in Melbourne on 16 October 2009.
Unlike the national briefing sessions, the Summit participants included parents

and students. There were over 70 participants with two teacher representatives
and generally two parent and two student representatives from each of the 14
school clusters that attended, six university advisor (UA) colleagues from
universities across Australia, thirteen state and territory Values Education Contact
Officers, Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and
Workplace Relations representatives, project academic advisors and consultants
and the Education Services Australia VASP team.
The objectives of the Evaluation Summit were:
 to share the outcomes from the VASP projects from across Australia
 to participate in a Most Significant Change (MSC) story selection process
 to be informed about and prepare for final VASP project activities, including cluster final reports and the project final
report
 to acknowledge and celebrate project outcomes

Each cluster prepared a poster for the Summit summarizing their project intentions and key outcomes and gave a brief
presentation elaborating on the four questions the poster addressed:
 What were the goals of our values project?

 Why were these the selected goals?
 What did we do in our project?
 What was achieved?

A primary purpose of the Summit was to finalise the MSC process of selecting
stories that demonstrated the most significant changes to school communities
resulting from the VASP work. Each cluster had selected four MSC stories (one
from each cohort of parent, student and teacher plus one more) from their school
community to go to the MSC panel. Fifteen of these stories were selected by the
panel for the Summit. Dr Tracey Delaney led the Summit process which consisted
of groups deciding which of these stories demonstrated the most significant
change and the reasons for its selection. Emerging themes and key helping
factors that caused the changes were compiled. These elements and the final
selection of stories informed the Final report for the project.
The majority of the students at the Summit worked in small groups, with Roger
Holdsworth and Nada Jackson, to create artworks based on changes exemplified
through some of the MSC student stories. At the end of the day the students
presented their artworks to the rest of the Summit participants.
Participant evaluations expressed high levels of satisfaction with the evaluation

summit program. They appreciated the opportunity to hear about the experiences
and challenges of different clusters, to discuss and reflect on the MSC stories and
to admire the student work and their depth of understanding.
See VASP Evaluation Summit stories and videos for a series of video clips taken on the day of the Summit.
Values in Actions
Subject Head/ Values-in-Action
Mr Joe Hioa
Special Projects Coordinator

Mdm Rosmiyati
Level Coordinators
Sec 1 – Ms Tan Shu Yi
Sec 2 – Mr Jimmy Chiang
Sec 3 – Mr Raymond Khoo
Sec 4 – Mr James Goh
Programmes
1. Sec 1 Values-in-Action (School Improvement)
Objectives
- To provide opportunity for students to demonstrate perspective-taking, responsible decision making, moral reasoning
and reflection skills while working together in teams.
- To provide opportunity for students to demonstrate school values by being socially conscious in taking care of the
school environment for the common good.
Description
The secondary one students were involved in school improvement projects that allows them to apply the design thinking
problem-solving methodology to identify problems around the school campus and propose solutions. Some of the students
were eventually given the approval to implement their solutions to improve the school environment for the benefit of
others.
2. Sec 2 Values-in-Action (Conduct Learning Journey to Lor Halus & Punggol Ecotown
Objectives
- To provide opportunity for students to learn and appreciate their living environment by becoming role models on good
neighbourliness, responsible heartland living as well as to adopt water and energy conservation lifestyle.
- To create opportunity for our students to demonstrate school value of Propriety (礼 ) and Righteousness (义) - Social
Consciousness through educating others on gracious and eco-living.
Description
Our secondary two students were involved in conducting learning journeys for their juniors and Punggol residents to Lor
Halus and Punggol Eco-town for their values-in-action project. They researched on the following topics:
 the challenges faced by Singapore without natural water source.

 how different types of water technology and treatment works.
 how Lor Halus have contributed to Singapore from the past to the present and future.
 the importance of balancing the societies’ needs with our natural conservations.
 the importance of living harmoniously in the heartlands.
 how the different types of greenery help in energy conservations in the heartlands.
 the different ways to conserve energy.
 the different ways to conserve water.

From their research, they created interesting learning aids that allows the participants to learn about being a good
neighbour as well as eco living. The students were interviewed by reporter from Singapore Press Holdings and an article
was published in SPH Zao Bao Student’s Edition Comma.
3. Sec 2 HDB Heartland Ambassador Programme
Objectives
- To create opportunity for students to learn and appreciate their living environment by becoming role models on good
neighbourliness, responsible heartland living as well as to adopt eco lifestyle.
- To create opportunity for our students to demonstrate propriety and social consciousness during their interaction with
residents.
Description
As part of the HDB Heartland Ambassador Programme, our secondary two students collaborated with Punggol RC to
reach out to the residents and shared with them important messages of good neighbourliness, responsible heartland living
as well as adopting eco lifestyle. The residents were pleasantly surprised that our young students are taking the lead to
educate others on social consciousness with the aim to transform the community and Singapore into a more gracious
society. Well done!
4. Sec 3 Values-in-Action
Objectives
- Students aware of current issues faced by locals in Malaysia.
- To inculcate social cultural sensitivity by relating to others from different socio-cultural groups in a sensitive way,
through words and actions.
- Students to understand the uniqueness of the people from different socio-cultural groups – in terms of culture, beliefs
and etiquette.
- To enable students to reflect on how their contributions through Service Learning Activity/Project has benefited the
environment and the lives of others.
- Students to demonstrate the School Values and Characteristics of Righteousness by being socially conscious – serving
the common good by taking care of the Malaysian community.
Description
Our secondary three cohort went on a four day three night camp at a small village called Pekan Asahan, located in
Malacca, Malaysia. There, the students put the skills they learned to the test as they grappled with various challenges,
each more grueling but also more fun than any other school activity they had ever participated in. They were required to
conduct lessons at the local school for the children which they prepared themselves to assess their planning and teaching
skills. While the trip served as a new and unique means of evaluating the students in terms of their VIA, it was
undoubtedly an enjoyable learning experience that also provided them with the much needed opportunity to bond with
their new classmates, while learning the importance of social responsibility.
Apart from the lessons, the students also got the chance to help to paint the houses of some of the locals. It was truly
enriching for them as they worked together with their ever-energetic instructors, but not a single one of them grimaced and
they all accepted the task with enthusiasm and zest.
The students also engaged in multiple group bonding games, as they learned many important lessons while having fun.
For some, they also got to overcome their fears as they went for outdoor activities where they left their comfort zones and
braved daring heights such as the Flying Fox and the High Elements. Meanwhile, they also trekked the lush and exotic
forest area, and came to appreciate nature, all while faced with obstacles on their path.
On the final night, the camp ended as any other camp would, with a campfire. Students got to unwind as they enjoyed the
performances they all put up for one another: from vibrant dancing to rapturous cheers.
5. Sec 4 and 5 Values-in-Action
Objectives
 To demonstrate school values of Propriety (礼), Righteousness (义), Integrity (廉)& Self-respect (耻).
 To develop resilience when faced with challenges.
 Lead by example and serve as mentor to secondary three students participating in the same flag day.
Description
Our sec 3, 4 and 5 students participated in the Teen Challenge Flag Day on 17th May 2014 and Boy’s Town Flag Day on
4th June 2014. This year our school adopt the mentoring approach to allow the sec 4s and 5s to lead sec 3s during the
Flag Day. Students were split into their mentor-mentee groups and the seniors shared their valuable experiences in Flag
Day with their juniors before moving off to their respective locations.
At the location, the mentors demonstrated the proper way to approach members of public as well as encouraged their
juniors to be more proactive. They stationed themselves at strategic locations that have more human traffic and put in their
best effort to raise funds for the less fortunate.
Despite the heavy rain at some locations, students were in high-spirit and took the donation tins to the streets to canvass
for donations. With the commitment of our students, support from our teachers and the generosity of the public, we
managed to raise $34,199.66!
Values in Action
In Crescent Girls’ School, CCE is infused in both the formal and informal curriculum through a
structured CCE framework. One example of CCE in the formal curriculum is the Crescent's Values
in Action (ViA) programme. This programme engages our lower secondary students in a dynamic
problem-solving process with the aim of encouraging them to make a difference to the
community. The programme is closely aligned with the school’s core values which are
encapsulated in the C-DIET framework.
As part of the ViA curriculum, the lower secondary students are challenged to find areas of
concern and formulate solutions to address them. Students first embark on a needs identification
process, which involves conducting surveys and interviews. Upon identifying the actual needs of
the target community, students are challenged to propose feasible and manageable solutions
through the process of establishing criteria, prioritising, evaluation and finally decision-making.
Students then present their project plans to their classmates and each class then selects the best
project to implement. The ViA projects culminate in collective action that makes a difference to
the target community.
Through the ViA process, students acquire important competencies such as information literacy,
communication and collaboration. To enable the students to greater self-awareness and to learn
to work collaboratively, a professional profiling instrument (DISC) is utilised to help students
understand their personality, strengths and weaknesses, leading to improved group processes and
outcomes. The skills and competencies that students acquire in this ViA process are also
transferred to other areas in the holistic curriculum.
With the Secondary One students focusing on “Awareness and Advocacy”, we establish the basic
principles of problem-solving while the Secondary Two ViA then sees the students putting these
knowledge and skills into action to address community needs. The school is poised to work with
Tanglin-Cairnhill Constituency Office to provide students with authentic platforms for their ViA
projects.
All the participants agreed that the reflection process that takes place before and after the service
experience is a very crucial part of the growth process and it is the prime time for introducing the
meaning of life questions, justice, love and service towards human beings. When questioned about
the presence of God in such projects, Bro George van Grieken pointed out, “for young people it works
better to go from love or service to God rather than from God to love”. It was also acknowledged
that, after a service experience, most students feel that they have received more than they have
given.
St. Gabriel’s Secondary School shared the importance of selecting the right service partners to ensure
that the students are not seen as free labour but their learning is taken to heart as much as the
interests of the recipients of the service. The importance of the students’ journaling was emphasised
as an instrument for reflection rather than a mere work log.
All schools present shared that they make a strong link between the VIA projects and the school
values as well as the Character Education values, in particular Empathy, Respect and Resilience were
mentioned.
Social justice
Empathy, Respect
Resilience
The evaluation of the experience is carried out by teachers and by peer assessment using a tailor-
made rubric. The whole VIA programme is embedded into the curriculum by making use of the
students’ elective modules (i.e. music, computer animation, hairdressing, cooking): after the
students have learnt new skills, they move onto using them for their service project.
It was also stressed that, after the service experience has taken place, feedback should be sought
from the service partners and recipients. The results can sometimes be surprising: some old people
have noted that they would have liked to be able to spend more than five minutes with any one
person.
The CMECS (Civics and Moral Education for Catholic Schools) programme produced by ACCS, which
St Nicholas’ Girls School is currently using, was presented to the participants. The CMECS module for
Sec 3 “Stewardship in Action- service in the community” facilitates VIA in 5 lessons, using the
Integral Pedagogy Process. The 5 sessions assist teachers with preparation for the project, reflection
during and after the project as well as going deeper to understand concepts like “Service” and “Care”.
Download the CMECS presentation

Before the afternoon closed, Wendy Louis of ACCS introduced the possibility of using “Appreciative
Enquiry” as a method for looking at situations. Instead of seeing the Elderly as a problem we can look
at their situation and ask what is going well with them, what gives life and how can we do better. The
positive approach builds confidence and hope rather than starting with Problems.
Another point mentioned by Ms Louis was that the emphasis of overseas or local outreach could be
more towards exposure, immersion and dialogue to understand the situation from within. For this to
succeed we need to ensure that our students come close to one person and write up their life story
which they can share later. These life stories are a treasure for analysis later on as well as affecting
the heart and not only the head. More about this method can be found on the Exposure and Dialogue
Programme (EDP) website.
A coordinated VIA project to take place at the same time in all Catholic schools was suggested for
future consideration.

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Dear Principal,

The essence of Values-in-Action

Fund-raising – a viable platform for VIA

a. nurture every student to be socially responsible.

How a Flag Day event links to VIA

I propose a plan for Flag day as follows :

Thank you for giving us the opportunity !

Values in Action (VIA)

Values In Action Programme

c. nurture every student to be socially responsible.

I propose a plan for Flag day as folloows :

other ups and downs through fund-raising, nws

Appreciation (for what we have)

Improving group processes and outcomes

. To enable the students to greater self-awareness and to learn to work collaboratively, a

Pupils’ Learning Process

5. Sec 4 and 5 Values-in-Action

Values in Action Programme

Our Primary 5 pupils learnt to:

Values In Action Programme

Approach Live and practise core values through

Character & Citizenship Education - Values in Action @ Westwood Primary

Published on Apr 17, 2013

Find out more about Westwood Primary School in Schoolbag.sg:

Minister outlines MOE's plans for holistic

More funds will also be given to financial assistance schemes.

This is to ensure children do not start their day on an empty stomach.

'Neighbourhood' or 'elite' should matter less in

WERE you from a neighbourhood or elite school?

He listed six key attributes of a good school:

Finally, it gives opportunities to all students regardless of family circumstances.

But as the House heard yesterday, such sentiments run deep.

Schools debate leaves questions unanswered

Acronyms began to fly fast and furious around the Chamber.

'And I said: 'That's wonderful!''

More student care centres to be set up

It will be lifted from $2,500 to $3,500 a month.

The 11-year-old is one of the top primary five pupils.

S$3.6m help for dyslexic students

Curriculum Leadership Teams will also be formed in all SPED schools.

It hands out about 1,000 each year.

Debate over giving cash for showing good values

But some applaud the move to give the cash award.

Cash for character sends a wrong signal

A cash cheque is not the best option.

Edusave Character Award as vital and valuable as

Shaping character is everyone's job

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Values in Action Schools Project: Final Report

Values in Action Schools Project: Evaluation Summit

Unlike the national briefing sessions, the Summit participants included parents

The objectives of the Evaluation Summit were:

 What were the goals of our values project?

Participant evaluations expressed high levels of satisfaction with the evaluation

Special Projects Coordinator

 the challenges faced by Singapore without natural water source.

- Students aware of current issues faced by locals in Malaysia.

Care & concern for the disadvantaged

Love & service towards mankind

Download the CMECS presentation

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