Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Wastage in 'required' school textbooks

I REFER to Mrs Lee-Huan Ai-Min's letter last Thursday, '2-in-1 textbooks not a good idea'. I agree wholeheartedly. Most parents of schoolchildren are frustrated with the rampant wastage of textbooks we are 'required' to buy each year. Other than the two-in-one textbooks Mrs Lee-Huan described, there is other evidence of wastage:

  • For many years, there have been incessant changes in textbooks. While I appreciate that this is because of updates or changes in the syllabus, there have been instances when only minimal changes are made on a few pages. As a result, parents have to buy the new edition, while the older one, though only a little 'out-dated', is no longer usable. Even if the update is necessary, does it justify the waste of resources?
  • Many times, books that are 'required' on the booklist are not used, or hardly used. This sometimes occurs because teachers do not have sufficient time to complete the syllabus. But there are also times when unnecessary books are on the compulsory booklist. For example, from 2005 to last year, Use Of The Abacus Workbook was on the booklist of Primary 2 pupils in at least two different primary schools, though it did not appear that any time was planned during lessons to teach the subject. It is ironic that, while students are drilled on the importance of reducing, re-using and recycling, they see such blatant disregard of the environment. It is stated in some textbooks that their paper has been manufactured from sustainable forests. While this is commendable, it would be better to use recycled paper. Otherwise, can paper thickness be reduced? Books and schoolbags will be lighter, and cost savings can be passed on to parents. I appeal to the Ministry of Education, schools and publishers to consider the plight of many poor families who can do without such wastage. I also urge them to act responsibly towards the environment, because we have only one Earth to care for. Chan Pui Yee (Ms)
 

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Hip new student weekly with Zaobao

CHINESE-LANGUAGE daily Lianhe Zaobao is replacing its 17-year-old student newspaper Friday Weekly with a more hip, news-driven product from next Wednesday.

The new title, zbComma, will go out to schools every Wednesday with Lianhe Zaobao, instead of being sold separately, in a bid to raise awareness of the parent newspaper among the young.

The weekly also plans to tie up with the Education Ministry to use the newspapers as a Chinese- language teaching aid in schools, said zbComma editor Lim Soon Lan.

Friday Weekly, launched in 1991, ended its run in November, just before the school holidays started. Its circulation of more than 50,000 covered two-thirds of all secondary schools.

zbComma, like its predecessor, is a 24-page weekly targeted at 12- to 17-year-olds and is available through school subscriptions and at buzz pods at bus interchanges.

However, its cover price is $1.80 compared to Friday Weekly's 50cents. Discounts will be given to schools based on how many copies they take.

The cover price is higher because the new title comes bundled with Lianhe Zaobao and Popcorn, an insert for older teens in the main paper's lifestyle section.

This is similar to The Straits Times' practice. It packages its student weeklies In and Little Red Dot with the parent newspaper.

While Friday Weekly, as an independent publication, established itself as a teaching tool, its separate existence from Lianhe Zaobao resulted in 'secondary school students losing touch with the latter after leaving school', said Mr Robin Hu, executive vice-president of Singapore Press Holdings' Chinese newspapers and newspaper services.

Consequently, they do not appreciate Lianhe Zaobao as the best channel for insights into the Chinese community and culture as well as contemporary China.

This is 'regrettable' and it is Zaobao's 'responsibility to help every generation of Singaporeans consolidate our unique bilingual and bi-cultural strengths', added Mr Hu, who is also chairman of the Singapore Centre for Chinese Language (SCCL).

Another change is that zbComma will include more local and world news compared to Friday Weekly, where the staple diet was entertainment and lifestyle features, said Lianhe Zaobao's local news editor, Ms Lee Huay Leng.

'We want to show students that Chinese is a living language and the language of current affairs, not something found in 5,000-year-old literary texts or popular culture alone,' explained Ms Lee, who is coordinating the revamp.

The news will be presented in a fun and insightful way for students. For example, a section dedicated to court cases involving teens will have lawyers and counsellors explaining how these crimes might have happened.

zbComma's collaboration with the Education Ministry and the SCCL will help make newspapers more effective as a teaching tool in the classroom.

This is in line with one of the ministry's targets following the overhaul of Chinese-language teaching four years ago: that by the end of Secondary4, a student should be able to understand most stories in Chinese newspapers.

 

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Nurturing principal wins praise

A TIME-OUT programme begun at Outram Secondary School by its principal has won her praise from Education Minister Ng Eng Hen.

Speaking at the 11th appointment ceremony yesterday for principals, Dr Ng said the programme, initiated by Madam Choy Wai Yin, had helped turn many lives around.

Madam Choy, 43, was among several principals praised by the minister yesterday for the leading role they play in Singapore's education system.

Said Dr Ng: 'Education is all about tending and nurturing, and the principal is the chief gardener.

'As we provide even more autonomy and resources to schools in the next few years, I am confident that more principals will create unique programmes that will add value to their students.'

Madam Choy began the time-out programme for her school to help students who have disciplinary problems, such as those who are caught smoking or playing truant.

They are not allowed in class, but are sent to the programme and take part in activities designed to help wean them off their bad habits.

They also participate in community involvement projects at homes and organisations for the intellectually impaired, and learn about teamwork through activities like rock climbing and starting a business.

Teachers are also on hand to coach them in English, maths and science.

Once they show improvement, they are sent back to class, and school counsellors and teachers then follow up by meeting the students regularly.

The programme was so successful that it was extended to the other four schools in the South 4 Cluster last year.

Said Madam Choy: 'I feel that as far as possible, students should be kept in the school setting where they can be supervised...Some of them just need an adult mentor who can provide them with support and show concern.'

Another principal hailed for her use of innovative teaching methods was Ms Tham Yoke Chun of Jurong Secondary School, who expanded lessons beyond the classroom.

Biology lessons, for example, came alive for students when they worked with the JTC Corporation to look at how extensive use of the Jurong Lake Park can affect the growth of flora and fauna.

For history lessons, students explored the Taman Jurong neighbourhood and interviewed residents.

'The students are more engaged. It is fulfilling to see them motivated to ask questions and find out more for themselves,' said Ms Tham.



MENTORS IN SCHOOL

'I feel that as far as possible, students should be kept in the school setting where they can be supervised...Some of them just need an adult mentor who can provide them with support and show concern.' <\br>Outram Secondary School principal Choy Wai Yin, who started a time-out programme where students with disciplinary problems take part in activities designed to help wean them off their bad habits. The programme was so successful that it was extended to other schools.

 

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MOE to hire 7,500 next year

MORE than 7,000 teachers and support staff will be hired next year despite the slowing economy.

The Ministry of Education (MOE), which will aim to add 7,500 employees to its payroll next year, also plans to give the economy a fillip by speeding up its scheme to equip every school with an indoor sports hall by 2014 and to look into building centralised facilities for arts, music and sporting activities.

In addition, it will go ahead with plans to build six schools, which had been put on hold earlier because of spiralling construction costs.

These announcements, made by Education Minister Ng Eng Hen at the appointment ceremony for school principals yesterday, make the MOE the latest government department to launch a major recruitment drive or projects to stir the economy.

Earlier this month, the Home Affairs Ministry said it would hire about 1,000 people and, last month, the National Development Ministry said it would push ahead with key building projects.

Dr Ng said: 'In these difficult times, where we can afford it, what we spend may actually achieve more. This is the stance MOE will adopt in the coming year... across all levels - in schools, ITEs, polytechnics and the universities.'

Of the 7,500 new hires next year, 3,500 teachers and teaching support staff will be placed in the schools, up from the 2,200 teachers now being recruited every year; another 4,000 posts will open up in tertiary institutions and kindergartens.

The MOE had planned to have 2,800 teaching support staff - such as counsellors and special- needs officers - in schools by 2015, up from 600 now, but that time frame has been advanced.

The ministry has been recruiting teachers aggressively of late so class sizes can be smaller, and also because more schools will be going single-session.

Dr Ng said that besides recruiting fresh graduates, the MOE is hoping that retrenched professionals or those looking for a stabler career might switch to teaching.

This group has already registered its interest. A recent MOE recruitment drive at Raffles Place drew 1,200 applications in four days.

To ease mid-career applicants into jobs in kindergartens, for example, the MOE plans to sponsor their training fees and accelerate their training programmes.

Mid-career entrants can also become vice-principals of administration and education policy analysts in schools or the MOE's headquarters.

Although the recession is a good time to make investments, the ministry should trim unnecessary spending and help needy students, Dr Ng said.

To make savings, the MOE has been running its building projects in batches and timing schools' upgrading projects with the building of their sports halls.

The MOE will also be more flexible in giving aid to students whose families may have hit a temporary rough patch, such as when their parents are laid off.

Dr Ng said the economic crisis had brought 'unique opportunities' for the MOE and its institutes of learning to take advantage of, 'which will put us in an even better position when the economy recovers'.

Headhunter Foo Chuan Yong, 40, who has seen business in his company shrink by half this year, is thinking of becoming a teacher for the job stability.

He said: 'I've also always been interested in shaping the minds of young people. However, taking a pay cut will be a point I will consider seriously.'


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Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Olympic Education Programme launched

LEARNING about sportsmanship during physical education classes, understanding respect in moral education classes, and measuring speed in mathematics classes.

These are ways that the Olympic movement will be inculcated into schools' curricula from 2009 onwards, as Singapore prepares to host the inaugural 2010 Youth Olympic Games (YOG).

All students from primary and secondary schools, and pre-university colleges and institutions, will have the chance to embrace the Olympic values under the Olympic Education Programme (OEP).

Every school will receive teaching material in the form of the Olympic Education Resource Pack (OERP), complete with a DVD highlighting key Olympians and sporting moments.

Teachers can draw on the ideas from the package to develop innovative learning activities for students to acquire knowledge about the Olympics.

The OEP and Friends@YOG, a school and National Olympic Committee twinning programme aimed at allowing students to better understand different cultures, was launched yesterday by Dr Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Education and Second Minister for Defence.

Speaking at the Singapore Schools Sports Council's 50th Annual General Meeting at Hwa Chong Institution, Dr Ng said: 'The OERP brings to life the spirit of Olympism and inspires our youths to apply the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect to their daily lives.'

With the YOG placing equal emphasis on sports competition and culture and education, Ng Ser Miang, chairman of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee, highlighted the many opportunities for youths to get involved.

He said: 'The scope of what can be done as part of Olympic Education is limited only by our imagination.

'The Ministry of Education has mapped out a series of activities and a long-term programme to engage our youths, which I feel will excite and inspire both Singapore youths and the YOG participants.'

Although the OEP and Friends@YOG were officially launched yesterday, some schools already have a head start.

Following the announcement in February that Singapore won the bid to host the YOG, numerous schools took the initiative to organise various activities.

For example, Meridian Primary School had their own version of an Olympic torch relay during their sports day, while Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) organised sports quizzes for primary and secondary school students.

HCI student Dina Ee, 17, said: 'We hope that the students will be able to learn about sports, even if they may not be playing any sport.'

 

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