Pinky's 'Quiet' visits to be routine

[MarrickG]

THE Prime Minister rarely visits a school without the media in tow, but on Sunday he revealed he had been doing just that over the past year.

Not once, but four times.

Mr Lee Hsien Loong also said he plans to make such 'quiet' visits a routine, calling at three or four schools each year.

His purpose: To see how teachers and pupils are doing and to encourage them to do better at a time when skills and education are paramount in helping each and every Singaporean level up.

This is especially important, he said, as he foresees Singapore's growth moderating in the years ahead, to 3, 4 or 5per cent, instead of returning to the pre-crisis levels of 7 to 9per cent a year.

On Thursday, in his New Year's Day message, he had forecast growth this year to reach 3 to 5per cent, overcoming last year's contraction of 2.1per cent.

http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_473364.html

 

[jw5]

He should make "quiet routine" visits to the hdb heartlands where he can see many poor people looking into dustbins and begging for their next meal.
Schools are well run by fairly well paid civil servants and his visits to the heartlands are always preceded by a "sweep out" of the unsightly.