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

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Keechiu encourages students from Singapore Sports School.

Chan Chun Sing added 4 new photos.​

Yesterday at 07:41 ·
Every child is unique, and we believe in offering diverse education pathways to nurture their talents and interests.
Founded in 2004, the Singapore Sports School has cultivated many cohorts of student athletes. Other than professional sports training, great care is taken for their nutrition and mental well-being to support them to succeed.
To balance their athletic pursuits with their academic goals, the School offers both the GCE “O” Level exams and post-secondary through-train pathways, which allows student-athletes to enjoy a longer runway for sport development. Student-athletes with good sports achievements or potential have the option to bypass the “O” Level exams and progress onto one of three pathways conducted at the Sports School -- the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme; a Diploma in Business from Republic Polytechnic; or a Diploma in Business Studies from Ngee Ann Polytechnic.
Enjoyed watching our student athletes in training and seeing their passion and drive for the sports. As you strive to be the best in your field and to make Singapore proud, know that we will always be behind you. CCS

 

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Badminton player going for a smash.

 

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They are either badminton players or fencers.

 

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These are definitely fencers.

 

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Keechiu allows students to return to school.

Chan Chun Sing​

9 hrs ·
Should we resume physical schooling or extend Home-Based Learning (HBL) for primary school students? This is a question that is constantly on the minds of our educators and parents.
We know that #COVID19 will be with us for quite some time. We will have to learn to live with the virus and minimise its impact on our lives and learning. We want to keep our children safe. We want to take care of their academic and socio-emotional development holistically. We want to do all this in a safe and sustainable way.
We also understand the stresses and strains on families and educators who need to juggle work and caring for their children during HBL. It is not easy. We want to support our higher needs students and families. Not all children necessarily have conducive environments for HBL. Prolonged HBL can also negatively impact many students’ academic progress and socio-emotional well-being. HBL must thus only be a last resort, to be used in a targeted manner.
To let students regain face-to-face learning with their peers and reconnect for their socio-emotional development, our primary schools will resume in-person classes from Monday, 11 Oct 2021. We will do this in phases, so that our teachers and school staff can better ensure that Safe Management Measures (SMMs) are implemented effectively:
- Pri 3 to 6 students will return to schools from 11 Oct
- Pri 1 and 2 students will continue with HBL on 11 and 12 Oct, and return to schools from 13 Oct
- Term 4 Week 6 (18-22 Oct) will be dedicated for PSLE marking and all primary school children will resume school from 25 Oct
Student care centres will continue to be opened during HBL and PSLE marking period, and parents who require help can approach the schools.
To allow more time for curriculum recovery, due to the disruptions stemming from the pandemic:
- Year-end exams for Pri 3 and 4 students will be cancelled
- Year-end exams for Pri 5 students will proceed with strict SMMs in place
More details on these announcements can be found below:
https://www.moe.gov.sg/.../20211007-phased-resumption-of...
The evolving Covid-19 situation has been tremendously challenging for educators and families alike. All of us have our children’s best interests at heart. Let us continue to support one another, as we take care of our students together.
We look forward to vaccinating our school children soonest possible when the vaccines are approved for use and available to us. CCS

 

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Keechiu speaks at SUSS Convocation.

Chan Chun Sing added 4 new photos.​

6 October at 19:08 ·
Singapore University of Social Sciences, in many ways, is the pathfinder of lifelong learning in Singapore.
Nur Atiqah Bte Khalid was formerly a pharmacy technician. She decided to pursue her interest in helping members of our community, by studying for a Bachelor of Social Work, while managing full-time work and motherhood. Many of her peers at SUSS have similarly taken time-off from their careers, or juggled multiple roles while taking on part-time studies to further their knowledge in their fields and acquire new expertise. Their commitment and hard work, together with flexibility and support from the university have made this possible.
As the youngest autonomous university in Singapore, SUSS can distinguish itself not by size or by length of history, but by becoming the most connected university. Speaking at the 2021 Convocation this morning, I suggested 3 dimensions of connectedness that SUSS can achieve: first, to be connected to the world and frontier ideas; second, to be meaningfully connected to our community; and as importantly, to be connected with the SUSS family.
Addressing the graduands from the Bachelor of Social Work cohort and Enterprise Leadership for Transformation Programme held personal significance for me. My time at Ministry of Trade & Industry and MSF Singapore has shown me the importance of uplifting our community and enabling our enterprises to leverage innovation and uncover new markets. The value of the expertise and relationships you have acquired cannot be overstated. Positioning our enterprises for growth opens endless possibilities for them to anchor themselves beyond our shores, while having close ties to our community is fundamental to improving the lives of those around us, and collectively developing solutions to address today’s complex challenges.
My warmest congratulations to the Class of 2021! May you continue to model the passion for lifelong learning in our society, grow to your fullest potential and experience a deep appreciation for life. CCS
#SUSSClassOf2021 #lifelonglearning

 

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Keechiu photo op with 2 venerable academics.

 

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Keechiu photo op with several venerable academics.

 

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Keechiu visits I-FIM at NUS.

Chan Chun Sing added 4 new photos.​

Yesterday at 22:07 ·
What if working with bacteria and electricity could produce biofuels that are environmentally sustainable? And ionic transistors for healthcare devices that are capable of sensing and processing signals given off by our bodies could become the norm?
These are not concepts from science fiction, but actual projects undertaken at National University of Singapore Institute for Functional Intelligent Materials (I-FIM).
Supported with $100 million of core funding from Ministry of Education, Singapore, the I-FIM is the world’s first institute dedicated to FIM research, and the sixth Research Centre of Excellence (RCE) in Singapore. Nobel Laureate Professor Sir Konstantin Novoselov and Professor Antonio Castro Neto are co-leading the research team at I-FIM, dedicated to breaking new ground in this frontier of materials science.
Spoke to some of our bright young Singaporean researchers, in their element at the I-FIM labs today: Tan Jin Da, Glenn Quek, Dr Geraldine Chia and Samuel Lai. What I found remarkable was their daring and drive to take the path less travelled – both in their vocation, and in their bold approaches to scientific work. Click through the photos below to find out more about some of their projects, and how they’re working to develop smart solutions for Singapore’s innovation economy and for the greater good.
Jin Da, Glenn, Geraldine and Samuel join the fold of Singaporean research talent at our 5 other RCEs across NUS and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Together, our RCEs produce a deep reservoir of important new knowledge, to tackle local and global needs – such as when #COVID19 testing solutions created by our first-generation RCEs became an important part of our nation’s pandemic response.
Congratulations to NUS on its launch of I-FIM today! Looking forward to I-FIM’s contributions to our knowledge and research capabilities, and taking our research ecosytem at the Autonomous Universities to new heights of excellence! CCS

: NUS

 

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Chan Chun Sing​

Yesterday at 22:07 ·

Director of I-FIM, Professor Sir Novoselov took me through some of the advanced research facilities at I-FIM. Prof Sir Novoselov is an eminent physicist specialising in the areas of condensed matter physics, mesoscopic physics and nanotechnology. Some may not be aware that he’s also an accomplished artist

– some of his Chinese ink paintings can be viewed here: https://bit.Iy/3iFgKMg

 

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Chan Chun Sing​

Yesterday at 22:07 ·

Received a book from Samuel Lai – it’s a very special one, because it contains a scientific paper that Samuel has co-authored with Professor Sir Konstantin Novoselov. Our students are indeed privileged to be mentored by Professor Sir Novoselov, the youngest Nobel Laureate in Physics.

As the Valedictorian of his Bachelor of Engineering (Materials Science and Engineering) cohort, and building on his experiences as an A*Star research intern, Samuel’s motivated to create “intelligent” materials that can do more for us. He’s now working on developing photosensitive composite material that can detect light, and is grateful for the transformative journey from theory to hands-on work as a researcher, and for the expertise and guidance he gets at the I-FIM

 

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Chan Chun Sing​

Yesterday at 22:07 ·

With postdoctoral fellow Dr Geraldine Chia, NUS PhD student Glenn Quek and their research group leader, Professor Guillermo Bazan.

Geraldine completed her PhD at another RCE – the Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering at NTU. Now at I-FIM, Geraldine’s working on functionally-intelligent dyes technology, which holds promise in medical imaging to detect diseases. She’s also applying her work to commercial use – via NUS’s Graduate Research Innovation Programme (GRIP), a venture creation programme that helps PhD students and researchers launch their startups.

Glenn shared more about his intriguing research: he’s working with bacteria and electricity to trigger the production of “smart chemicals” – an endeavour that holds much promise for creating a more efficient yet greener form of biofuel – a potential energy source of the future!

 

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Chan Chun Sing​

Yesterday at 22:07 ·

At the launch of I-FIM with Director/I-FIM Professor Sir Konstantin Novoselov, Senior Deputy President and Provost/NUS Professor Ho Teck Hua, Chairman/ NUS Board of Trustees Mr Hsieh Fu Hua, Permanent Secretary/MOE Mr Chung Han Lai, Deputy President (Research and Technology)/NUS, Professor Chen Tsuhan and President/NUS Professor Tan Eng Chye.

 

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Keechiu recommends an exhibition.

Chan Chun Sing​

13 hrs ·
One of the best parts of being Education minister is being able to speak to our students and teachers during school visits. It is also during these visits that I see how much schools, and learning, have evolved since my own time as a student.
This Children’s Day, why not revisit your school days and see what school life is like now? Ministry of Education, Singapore is running a special roving showcase – the “Our Schools, Our Stories” Photo & Video Exhibition – at Our Tampines Hub till 17 October, before its final stop at the MOE Buona Vista HQ from 19 October to 17 December.
This exhibition features #ourschoolstories, in photo and video format, taken by our students and staff. They share stories of the priceless moments they experience in school, the people who make up their school community, and what it means to stand united during a pandemic. It is a wonderful opportunity for their work to be showcased in the community, and a very encouraging experience for our students. Some of our junior photographers and videographers are only in Primary 5!
Wishing all our young ones a happy Children’s Day!

(Do share your favourite school memory below

)

 

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Exhibition looks quite interesting.

 

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Ah Pek enjoying the exhibition.

 

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Interesting exhibits at the exhibition.

 

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Chan Chun Sing​

5 hrs ·

When my wife heard that I was going to speak on my parenting experience today, she joked that the organisers should have invited our children instead — and have them provide firsthand feedback

Indeed, listening to our children and understanding their hopes, fears and aspirations, is an important part of building trust and strengthening familial relations.

Today I joined Makan Already? SG to discuss how parents can support our children's mental and emotional resilience, especially in this increasingly complex world.

A group under the Youth Mental Well-being Network, Makan Already? SG is led by a team of parents, and provides a platform for fellow parents to learn more about supporting their children's mental and emotional well-being.

Enjoyed the chat with Larry and E-Ching, the co-founders, who are parents themselves. We talked about our parenting philosophies and how we can inculcate values like kindness and grit in our children, support one another, and juggle our responsibilities while being mindful to take care of ourselves as well.
Watch the session here:
https://bit.Iy/3FvTsSM

Ministry of Education, Singapore places great priority on working with parents to support our students’ mental well-being, because we recognise that parents play a critical role in providing guidance to their children. At the same time, we ensure that there are many complementary avenues for children to seek help if they need.

It takes a village to raise a child, and together we can create an environment that safeguards our children's well-being and raise them to be confident and resilient.

 

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Keechiu salutes school principals.

Chan Chun Sing​

23 hrs ·
A good school principal has the ability to radically transform lives – and we are proud to have many of them in service.
Each year, Ministry of Education, Singapore appoints new principals, rotates existing ones into new roles, and salutes retiring senior education officers who have served with distinction. It is our commitment towards nurturing our talent pipeline, and enabling leadership succession in our schools through the generations.
This week, we shared that 59 schools will welcome new principals. But we will also soon bid farewell to principals who have given decades of dedicated service towards moulding the future of our nation. Together, they have provided leadership to their colleagues, upheld their school’s unique culture, and brought out the best in their students. In the last 2 years, they have steered their schools with a steady hand, in spite of the uncertainties and disruptions caused by #COVID19.
3 principals will retire at the end of this year: Mdm Cheang Mei Heng of Eunoia Junior College, Mdm Ng Soh Hua of Greendale Primary School, and Dr Irene Ng of Anglo-Chinese School Primary. I’ve known Irene since her time leading New Town Primary School. Irene is a nurturing and driven educator, who is well-loved by both parents and students. Since Irene joined ACS (Primary) in 2019, she has excelled in her mission to develop ACS boys into young men of character, and to inculcate a heart of service in them.
Others, like Mrs Teo Khin Hiang of River Valley High School, will complete their term of re-employment in December 2021. Mrs Teo had initially planned to step down in end-2020, but readily agreed to stay on for 1 more year at MOE’s request. And as it turned out, 2021 came to be a difficult year for RVHS. Despite this, Mrs Teo’s heart and leadership shone brightly even in the darkest hours, because she bravely put aside her grief to devote care and unwavering commitment to colleagues and students who needed her.
I will be speaking to all principals – newly-appointed, retiring, and those whose re-employments will end – in a ceremony this December. I look forward to honouring their service with our education fraternity, and witnessing the passing of torches to their successors.
[Photos of New Town Secondary School in the 1960s, and Ngee Ann Secondary School in 2021. The invaluable contributions of our Principals through the generations have allowed our schools and education fraternity to grow from strength to strength in the last five decades.

New Town Secondary School: National Archives of Singapore]

 

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from msn.com:

Ex-SAF officers in senior civil service roles have 'valuable experience': Chan Chun Sing​

SINGAPORE — Former Singapore Armed Force officers have “valuable experience" in working with and winning the confidence of Singaporeans from all walks of life, as well as skill sets that are generally relevant to senior management positions in the public service, said Education Minister Chan Chun Sing in Parliament.

They would have served in roles such as strategic leadership, organisation transformation and policy formulation, Chan told the House on Monday (4 October). And officers who demonstrate the capacity to assume top leadership positions are tested and prepared through “challenging postings and leadership programmes”.

Such officers are given opportunities such as inter-agency projects, board directorships and external postings to the public service during their military careers. These experiences provide them with the background and perspective to take on senior leadership positions in the wider public service, if called upon and found suitable.

The 51-year-old, who is also Minister-in-charge of the Public Service, stressed that the civil service is guided by the principle of finding the "best available person for the job" when it comes to senior appointments, with candidates from both the wider public service and the private sector considered.

Chan, who rose to the rank of Major-General in the SAF and was appointed Chief of Army before he entered politics in 2011, was responding to Aljunied Member of Parliament Gerald Giam's queries on retired SAF officers in the civil service.

Giam asked:

• How many retired officers with the rank of Colonel and above have held senior positions in public sector organisations?
• How does the Public Service Division (PSD), which is responsible for human resource policies in the civil service, determines which officers are suitable to lead these organisations despite not having had civilian work experience?
• Has PSD considered requiring these officers to spend several years in understudy before taking the helm of these organisations?

Chan revealed that as of 24 September, there are 15 former high-ranking SAF officers who are now holding senior leadership appointments in the public service. They hold various senior leadership positions such as permanent secretary, deputy secretary and chief executive, forming 10 per cent of these appointments.

Of the SAF personnel holding the rank of Colonel or Military Expert 7 (ME7) and above who retired between 2010 and now, about 7 per cent went on to assume senior public service appointments.

Former general at ECDA​

Separately, Giam's fellow WP MP He Ting Ru also asked about the recent appointment of former Brigadier-General Tan Chee Wee as chief executive of the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA).

Tan established the Inspector-General's Office in 2019 and was SAF’s first inspector-general. He will assume his new role as on 15 December, succeeding current CEO Jamie Ang. He has no early childhood or educational experience.

The Sengkang MP wanted to know how many candidates were considered for the role before the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) appointed Tan, and what factors and qualifications were considered in establishing the candidates.

In response, Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli said that “several qualified candidates” were considered, with Tan “assessed to be the most suitable”, but did not elaborate.

Masagos also disagreed that the former general lacks relevant experience, given that he previously served in the then-Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports from 2006 to 2008. According to the minister, he supervised the macro-planning of government-funded social services and development of the social service sector, building up capabilities and human resources.