THREE co-curricular activities keep Pioneer Junior College student Leon Lim pretty busy, but he still makes time to return to his alma mater Clementi Town secondary to help his juniors train up a new crop of scouts.
The 17-year-old, who left Clementi Town last year, spends every Saturday there.
He said: 'I'm very close to my friends and teachers, so I miss the feeling of being there every day. At least now I get to meet them once a week.'
Former Mayflower secondary student Koh Yong Sheng, 18 and now in Ngee Ann Polytechnic, returns to his old school to teach his juniors how to be radio DJs.
The way these two alumni are staying involved in their schools is what Compass, the national advisory council for strengthening home-school-community collaborations, encourages.
Compass, which stands for 'Community and Parents in support of Schools', marked its 10th anniversary last night with a dinner.
Its chairman, Senior Minister of State for Education Grace Fu, addressing the 450-strong crowd of mostly principals, parents, alumni and community leaders at The Legends Country Club, noted that Compass had done well to foster tie-ups among home, school and community.
The number of Parent Support Groups and Parent-Teacher Associations has grown nearly six-fold, from 60 in 1998 to 348 this year, and they are now found in nearly all schools.
The time had come, she added, for Compass to turn towards encouraging schools to do more to tap the expertise of their former students.
'Alumni can be effective role models for our students and a great resource for our schools. They can be effective in supporting schools in the education of our children,' she said.
Two studies commissioned by Compass in 2005 and last year to understand the work of alumni found many former students willing to contribute to their schools.
Based on this finding, a handbook was produced to give schools tips on strengthening ties with their alumni.
Some schools have, on their own, excelled in this area.
The 'Partners Award', launched in 2002, has since been bestowed on 48 schools in recognition of their extensive community networks.
Last night, 22 schools won the honour - three picked up outstanding awards and 19, merit awards.
Among the winners was Mayflower secondary, which encourages alumni involvement by giving them membership cards which identify them and give them easy access to the school premises.
The school also ropes in its former students to conduct conversational mother tongue classes for its students.
Former student Toh Chik Heng, 17 and now in Ngee Ann Polytechnic, has been going back weekly most of this year, but to help out in the National Cadet Corps.
He said: 'I was a playful boy who created trouble, but my school gave me a lot of opportunities. It's now time for me to give back.'
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