Online users express anger towards Chan Chun Sing over his remarks of calling people “idiots” and “disgraceful”

[jw5]

Keechiu congratulates Tamil Language teachers.

Chan Chun Sing​

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Meet Mdm Jainul, Mrs Veerarajoo, Mr Sethu, Mdm Saratha, Mdm Malar and Mdm Jayasutha. They are our Most Inspiring Tamil Teachers' (MITT) Award 2024 recipients. The award recognises our Tamil language teachers for their outstanding contributions in the teaching and learning of the Tamil language.
Just to highlight some of our teachers' efforts: some developed games to facilitate their students' learning, while others used Edtech tools and dramatisation to strengthen their students' interest in Tamil language learning.
Congratulations to our Tamil Language teachers for your efforts! May you continue to serve as role models for other educators in nurturing our students’ love for the language.

 

[jw5]

Keechiu had the pleasure of meeting 97-year-old Encik Yusi and his son Mr. Roslan.

Chan Chun Sing​

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During our house visit last evening, I had the pleasure of meeting 97-year-old Encik Yusi and his son Mr. Roslan.
It was heartwarming to meet the family. We wish them continued good health and happiness. Jumpa lagi!

My Buona Vista #BVHouseVisit

 

[jw5]

Keechiu congratulates student winners.

Chan Chun Sing​

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Congratulations to our student winners of the 37th YMCA Plain English Speaking Award! The Award is a testament to our students' ability to articulate their thoughts clearly, empathise and connect with others.
My thanks to YMCA of Singapore for providing our students with an avenue to sharpen their public speaking skills, and perhaps even more importantly, their confidence. Our teachers and parents have also played a role in nurturing a love for the English language in our students.
We use English to communicate with many, many friends around the world - so I hope our students will feel encouraged by their achievements - and go on to deepen their mastery of the language.
Well done!
With Shawn Huang Wei Zhong 黄伟中

 

[jw5]

Keechiu is grateful to teachers and instructors.

Chan Chun Sing​

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In this year's International Olympiads, our students wore the hats of scientists, mathematicians, and engineers, as they explored the complex worlds of Artificial Intelligence to the intricacies of Molecular Biology.
Team Singapore emerged as the champions out of a total of 38 countries in the final round of the International Young Physicists’ Tournament. We also won two gold medals out of a total of 41 countries/territories at the first ever International Olympiad Artificial Intelligence. In total, our students brought home 11 gold medals, 14 silver medals, and 3 bronze medals across a wide field ranging from Geography, Mathematics, and the Sciences.
To our students: beyond the awards, we see the hard work and perseverance that you have put in over the years through the many setbacks and failed experiments - which weighs more than any medals. You have stood tall and flown the Singapore flag high.
My heartfelt gratitude to all our teachers and instructors who guided and prepared our students for the various Olympiads.

 

[jw5]

Keechiu thanks grassroots leaders and volunteers.

Chan Chun Sing​

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We have received suggestions from our residents to install drain railings along Jalan Jelita to enhance pedestrians’ safety.
My thanks to My Buona Vista grassroots leaders and volunteers for engaging our residents, and PUB, Singapore's National Water Agency colleagues for their swift action in installing the new safety railings.
This project is scheduled to be completed by the end of October. We thank our residents for their patience and cooperation during this period.

 

[jw5]

Keechiu posed a few questions.

Chan Chun Sing​

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“How do you define a good leader? Can we replace our leaders with AI?”
I posed these questions to leaders who are currently on the Global Engineers Leadership Programme, jointly organised by the The Institution of Engineers, Singapore - IES and NTUC Singapore, in collaboration with the National University of Singapore.
We discussed what it means to lead in a VUCA world constantly disrupted by technological advancements like AI. While there are many leadership styles that one could adopt, I shared some leadership beliefs:

Focus on bringing out the best in the people on your team.

Leverage technology to do things better, and do better things.
To our engineering leaders, may you continue to innovate and create new value propositions and opportunities.

 

[jw5]

Keechiu visits 3 markets.

Chan Chun Sing​

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Regular visit to our three markets - Commonwealth Crescent, Holland Drive and Holland Village - in My Buona Vista this morning. Had a good Saturday meeting our residents and stall holders.
Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend too!

 

[jw5]

Keechiu had a pawsome time.

Chan Chun Sing​

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Had a pawsome time at My Buona Vista Paw Party 2024, meeting all the adorable fur kids and their families!
A big thank you to the organising committee for putting together a fantastic event, venue sponsor One Holland Village, and to everyone who came out to make it a fur-filled day!

 

[jw5]

Keechiu will not take cohesion for granted.

Chan Chun Sing​

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What is the greatest defence of our country? I believe that lies in our cohesion and our capabilities.
If we are cohesive, no matter what kind of attacks we may face, we will bounce back stronger. But if we are not, even the smallest attack can tear us apart. Cohesion is always a work in progress. It should never be taken for granted.
Capabilities take many years to build, and we don't just plan for today or tomorrow. We plan our capabilities to respond many years down the road.
The theme for Polytechnic Forum 2024 is Total Defence, in commemoration of its 40th anniversary. At the Opening Ceremony today, I shared with participants that whilst there are six pillars of Total Defence, they all come back to maintaining our cohesion and investing in our capabilities consistently.
I encouraged all our students to continue discussing critical issues amongst themselves, and reflect on how we can always defend this little red dot of ours.
#TD40

 

[jw5]

Keechiu shared his reflections.

Chan Chun Sing​

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What role can we play in a world increasingly disrupted by technology and how can lifelong learning help us keep ahead of these changes?
Even with the advent of AI, it is essential to remember that human skills remain irreplaceable, especially in sectors that require high touch and high trust — such as healthcare, education, and social services — our empathy, intuition, and interpersonal skills are invaluable and are what truly make a difference.
These were amongst my reflections shared at this afternoon’s Global Lifelong Learning Summit 2024 in Singapore, where over 400 international leaders united to explore the impact of AI on education and beyond.
As we stand on the edge of this new era, AI can help to reshape our workplaces, by taking on repetitive tasks and crunching data, allowing us to focus our time and creativity on new innovations.
Learning to adapt and keep ahead in an AI-driven world should act as our guiding principle. Only when our education and research institutions, industries, individuals and Government continue to work as one, can we ensure an agile and market responsive SkillsFuture SG ecosystem for Singapore’s future.

 

[jw5]

Keechiu congratulates eight teachers.

Chan Chun Sing​

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A passionate teacher can ignite a lifelong love for learning, inspiring exploration and creativity beyond the classroom walls.
For our English teachers, they serve as invaluable guides on their students’ linguistic journey. Through a diverse array of innovative pedagogies, they deepen students’ understanding and appreciation of the language, while instilling confidence and cultivating critical thinking, communication, and writing skills.
Take for instance, Ms Wang Pei Hua Lydia from St Andrew's Mission School, who uses drama to build her students’ confidence in English, or Ms Sarah Christian from Victoria Junior College, who employs Socratic questioning and dialogic teaching to help students articulate and justify their viewpoints. These are just two examples of the many innovative approaches our teachers use to create inclusive, engaging and supportive learning environments for our students.
Congratulations to the eight teachers who received the Inspiring Teacher of English Award this year, and thank you for inspiring our students with your passion, innovation, and dedication.
Ministry of Education, Singapore

 

[jw5]

Keechiu met the Valentino family.

Chan Chun Sing​

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During a recent My Buona Vista house visit, I met the Valentino family. I have met them during my market visits and I enjoy our conversations.

#bvhousevisit

 

[jw5]

Keechiu was inspired.

Chan Chun Sing​

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To better support our students in SPED schools, Ministry of Education, Singapore and the Social Service Agencies running SPED schools must work together to enhance disability knowledge and foster the development of strong, capable leaders across the sector.
I shared this earlier today at the official opening of Rainbow Centre, Singapore Admiral Hill School (RCAHS), which is dedicated to supporting students with autism.
It was inspiring to see the dedication of RCAHS’ staff and teachers in helping students lead independent and meaningful lives in a thoughtfully-designed environment. The 'community in the school' concept fosters interactions with the larger community.
We will continue to work closely with SSAs and SPED schools by establishing Communities of Practice (COP) to facilitate the sharing of best practices. By end-2024, the first COP on Multiple Disabilities will be set up, with plans for an autism-focused COP next year.
We also want to nurture a pipeline of strong leaders to lead our SPED schools. Through the Leadership Development Programme, we will increase talent porosity and support schools’ efforts in identifying and developing future leaders. This will be introduced from 2025 as well.
Supporting students with SEN is a shared responsibility. I deeply appreciate the hard work of our SPED educators and SSAs, and I look forward to strengthening our partnerships as we work towards a more inclusive and empowering future for all students.

 

[jw5]

Keechiu wishes all children Happy Children’s Day.

Chan Chun Sing​

13h ·
These professional-looking pictures have three things in common.
They are captured entirely by students. They are winning entries in Ministry of Education, Singapore’s Our Schools, Our Stories (OSOS) photo and video contest 2024.
And if you look closely, they reveal aspects of school life that have evolved – since my time in school, at least.

See it in large print for yourself! This is just a small sample of what will be on display at roving exhibitions all around Singapore from 22 October. Students and teachers show us what school is like today.
Happy Children’s Day to our young ones who are expertly creative and youthful. You are professionals in your own right.

 

[jw5]

Keechiu is here for us.

Chan Chun Sing​

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Mental health affects us more than we often realise, yet many still hesitate to discuss it.
With the launch of the People's Action Party Mental Health Group today, we are bringing together like-minded partners, sector professionals and community groups to support those in need and strengthen our community's ability to address mental health challenges. Thank you everyone, for partnering us in this effort!
I hope that the Group can help achieve three things:

We help everyone in Singapore better understand the issues and challenges surrounding mental health.

We let everyone facing mental health challenges know that they are not alone.

We do not confine ourselves to the downstream issues of managing mental health and well-being. It is also about the upstream efforts.
We can do something for ourselves, our family and friends. We are here for one another. And for all of us to do something to strengthen our individual and collective resilience.
#bettertogether #PAP4SG

 

[jw5]

Keechiu feels pleased to meet our next generation of residents.

Chan Chun Sing​

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One of the highlights of my regular walkabouts is to meet young families setting up home in My Buona Vista.
Such a joy this weekend to meet one of our newest and youngest residents, 4-month-old Evan with his parents.
Always a pleasure to meet our next generation of residents.

#bvhousevisit

 

[jw5]

Keechiu wants to have an innate spirit of inquiry.

Chan Chun Sing​

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I think of AI not as an arms race - but an opportunity to bring people together to do better things and do things better.
Today at the Asia Future Summit, organised by The Business Times, we had a conversation on how AI could augment our capabilities, regenerate our capacity, help us achieve mastery and whether it could eventually surpass our current abilities and proficiencies.
People often ask how we can govern AI.
One can see governance as two sides of the same coin. It is there to prevent bad things from happening - but also to enable good things to happen.
As the world surges ahead to master the capabilities of AI, Singapore offers a safe space. A trusted partner in the world for people to safely collaborate, drive innovation and secure data integrity.
If we want to live up to our potential and be a driving force of connection, then we must have an innate spirit of inquiry, travel the world and bring back new perspectives.
That is how the Singapore brand will command a premium in this world.

 

[jw5]

Keechiu congratulates all graduands.

Chan Chun Sing​

8 October at 04:03 ·
Joined Singapore University of Social Sciences Class of 2024 today for their commencement ceremony, and shared three reflections with them – gathered from my various conversations with SUSS students over the last few years.
First, we can focus on how we arrived at our current station in life – or how we can proceed from here. Perhaps things have gone according to plan, but often, they don’t! Only we ourselves can make the best of any situation. So, my wish for SUSS students is to equip themselves with the perspectives and dispositions to keep improving, learning and contributing in life.
Second, we can either find meaning or give meaning to things in life. There isn’t a job that checks all the boxes – handsome pay, great work-life balance, great prospects and far-reaching networks. A good job is any job that we decide to find meaning and purpose in.
Third, we can define ourselves by our achievements or our contributions. If we choose to focus on achievements, then let us also try to achieve as a team – with the team and for the team. Or it will be a lonely, tough and even miserable journey. If we focus on contributions, then let us use our strengths to work towards a stronger, kinder and happier society.
This morning, I also announced the launch of the new Integrated Pathway Programme by SUSS and Singapore Flying College Pte Ltd. The programme aims to provide a streamlined learning pathway for aspiring pilots to attain a bachelor’s degree and a commercial pilot licence in parallel, opening the pathway to alternative careers should our cadets one day find themselves ready to move on to a different path in the aviation industry and beyond. I would also like to thank SUSS, Singapore Airlines and SFC for starting us on this journey.
Congratulations once again to all graduands. Take heart, and know that graduation is but a milestone in your education journey.

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

New programme to develop pipeline of leaders in special education: Chan Chun Sing​

Minister of Education Chan Chun Sing at the launch of Rainbow Centre Admiral Hill School on Oct 3. ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Shermaine Ang
UPDATED

OCT 03, 2024, 09:41 PM

FacebookTelegram

SINGAPORE - Educators in special education (Sped) schools who show potential will be given more avenues to progress and become leaders with a new programme that aims to broaden their exposure and grow their leadership abilities.
The Sped Leadership Development Programme, announced by Education Minister Chan Chun Sing on Oct 3, will start in 2025. It will offer Sped educators training opportunities like those in mainstream schools.
For a start, it aims to have up to 50 participants and this will be adjusted as needed later on, said the Ministry of Education (MOE).

Speaking at the opening of Rainbow Centre Admiral Hill School for children with autism, Mr Chan said about 50 per cent of the Sped school leadership comes from mainstream schools.

Education Minister Chan Chun Sing (left) touring Rainbow Centre Admiral Hill School on Oct 3. ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

“But this is not enough. We need to make sure that the porosity starts much earlier, and I would like to have parallel training programmes for the Sped school leaders, just as I have for the mainstream school leaders.”
The “porosity” will allow leaders in Sped schools and mainstream schools to learn from one another, he said.

Under the new programme, teachers will get exposure to other Sped schools or social service agencies (SSAs) serving persons with disabilities. They could also be mentored by experienced leaders and be involved in sector-wide projects and MOE leadership milestone programmes.

The programme will help SSAs and Sped schools identify and develop educators with leadership potential to meet the growing demands of the Sped sector, said MOE in a statement.
To deepen expertise and share good practices, “communities of practice”, or groups specialising in the needs of different disability profiles across the sector, will also be set up. The first one will start by end-2024 focusing on multiple disabilities.
“I have always said that we cannot work individually. We need to bring our capabilities together so that we learn from each other and we can progress much faster,” said Mr Chan.

“Sped is not monolithic. Within a Sped school itself, there are many sub-specialisations that are required, and we need to make sure that our energies are focused so that we can do the maximum for our children with the resources that we have.”
Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore will lead the first Sped community of practice for multiple disabilities, together with professionals from Rainbow Centre and AWWA, which also run schools serving students with multiple disabilities.
Students with multiple disabilities have at least two impairments across a range of sensory, cognitive and physical impairments, and may have accompanying medical issues.
The “communities” may comprise Sped educators, SSA representatives and allied professionals who will conduct workshops, produce research papers or develop new practices and resources for the Sped sector.

The groups for other disability profiles such as autism will be introduced from 2025.
The 1,700-strong Sped teaching fraternity will need another 350 teachers by 2030, as the number of Sped schools grows, Second Minister for Education Maliki Osman had said in November 2023.
There are 25 government- and community-funded Sped schools currently, with three more to open by the 2030s.
Madam Lim Ai Lay, principal of Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore School (West), said the leadership development programme will allow Sped teachers to gain exposure to schools run by different SSAs without having to resign, similar to mainstream school teachers.
It will allow Sped schools to grow their pool of senior teachers and programme heads, as current options for appointing Sped leaders are limited, she added.
Mr Subash Lazar, principal of APSN Delta Senior School, said having a set of tried-and-tested practices developed by the communities of practice will be useful for teachers. “When you have no structure or content, then everything is trial and error. It’s a heavy workload, and energy drain and fatigue are high.”
He said having a formalised training programme will allow Sped schools, which have less manpower compared to mainstream schools, to better plan for such staff training, so that ground staff and key personnel can cover each other.
Mrs Veronica Ho, principal of St Andrew’s Autism School, said developing teachers into leaders takes years, and the Sped sector needs to better train its leaders in macro skills such as running a school.
“Currently, the SSAs that are running the schools operate very differently, and so the teachers are familiar only with a certain way of operation. The porosity of exposure to different student profiles will stretch their thinking and deepen their knowledge.”

 

[jw5]

Keechiu joined Care Corner SG for their annual fundraising gala.

Chan Chun Sing​

19h ·
Joined Care Corner SG for their annual fundraising gala tonight, where we came together to support vulnerable communities. They told me that I took over as Patron from PM Lawrence Wong because Care Corner Singapore and I share the same initials - CCS.
It is one thing to raise funds, but another to have consistent partnership. Care Corner’s work—uplifting children, youth, families, and seniors—reminds us of the importance of sustainable, long-term solutions that address social mobility and isolation. That requires us to stay the course and reflect on how we can contribute— not just today, but for the future.
As we refresh our social compact, our collective responsibility will be key to building a better, more inclusive Singapore, where we leave no one behind. Many of our efforts may only bear fruit a generation later.
Thank you to Care Corner and all their partners for their unwavering dedication to uplift lives and shape a brighter tomorrow. Your contributions not only support the broader cause of caring for beneficiaries but also illuminate the human spirit and the Singaporean spirit within us.