More care centres in primary schools

By Sandra Davie and Stacey Chia, The Straits Times, 3 Jan 2013

FOURTEEN new student-care centres were launched in primary schools yesterday to provide after-school programmes such as enrichment activities and homework supervision.

More centres will open by the year end, bringing the total number to more than 80. This means that close to half of the 187 primary schools will have these centres run by voluntary welfare organisations and commercial firms.

Education Minister Heng Swee Keat, who announced the new centres during a visit to St Hilda's Primary yesterday, said parents are keen on them.

They are conveniently sited in school and there is better coordination between school teachers and centre staff in designing activities to complement what the school offers.

He added that the Ministry of Education (MOE) is working with three schools to fine-tune the after-school care model and see what works best.

Mr Heng said that despite the higher demand, MOE will continue to give priority to children from disadvantaged homes. He noted that school principals report the centres make a difference to children who lack home support.

The average non-subsidised fee is $250 a month, but needy families can pay as little as $20 for their children to spend around six hours a day at the centre.

Among the 14 centres that opened yesterday are six in new primary schools that welcomed their pioneer batches of Primary 1 pupils. They include Sengkang Green Primary and Westwood Primary in Jurong West.

Westwood Primary principal Ng Yeow Ling said parents of 90 of the 240 Primary 1 pupils have signed up for the centre run by education firm Pro-Teach.

Centre manager Patsy Ong said it will offer character education and leadership development programmes, on top of mathematics and English-language enrichment activities.

Parents said the centres are a safer and more convenient alternative to leaving their children at home alone or with grandparents.

Mr Darren Potter, 40, an engineer who had enrolled his Primary 1 daughter Sophia at the centre at Westwood, said it will make it easier for his wife to return to work.

Mr Heng, who spoke to parents at St Hilda's Primary, urged them to recognise that every child is different and to help their offspring develop their talents and interests to the fullest.

Later, when asked by the media about the ministry's moves to reduce pressure, such as not naming top scorers in national examinations, he said: "My hope is that parents will begin to focus on the holistic development of their children."

He added that parents should study the different pathways in the education system and make the best use of the options to achieve the best outcome for their children.

After-school care centres get top marks from parents
By Stacey Chia, The Straits Times, 3 Jan 2013

IT WAS a long first day at school for seven-year-old Jayden Soh.

The day started at 8am for the Sengkang Green Primary School pupil. Even though classes ended at 1.30pm, he was still in school at 6pm - and loving every minute of it.

The Primary One pupil had made friends, explored the brand-new school building and the fun did not end even when curriculum time ended, all thanks to a student care centre on the premises.

It is one of 14 new school-based student care centres launched yesterday by the Ministry of Education. These centres provide after-school programmes such as homework supervision and games.

Other schools with the new centres include Opera Estate Primary and Blangah Rise Primary.

At Jayden's school, the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) runs the centre, which has 36 pupils. When classes for the day ended yesterday, five staff members of the YMCA picked up the children from their classrooms and took them to the two rooms in the school specially set aside for the student care centre where all activities are held.

They were given lunch, allowed to shower and also took a 30-minute nap. When they got up at around 3pm, there was a light snack waiting for them. As it was first day of school there was no time set aside for homework.

Instead they played games to break the ice and learnt how to fold their sleeping bags, before their parents picked them up at around 6.30pm.

Several principals told The Straits Times that such services are proving popular. Mrs Daphne Yeoh, principal of Sengkang Green Primary, said there is a waiting list for the student care scheme because she could not admit all the pupils who signed up.

Mrs Yeoh added that, as an international organisation, the YMCA may also run a global awareness programme for the pupils as an after-school activity.

This could include inviting foreign speakers to share their culture with the pupils, she said.

Currently, 80 out of 187 primary schools have such centres. MOE said that more will be set up by the end of this year.

Jayden's mother, Ms Jolene Koh, 32, said that if it were not for the school-based service, she would have to get someone to take her son to another student care centre in the neighbourhood.

"It's more convenient and I won't have to worry about whether he has reached the place safely," said the procurement executive, who will pay about $275 a month for the after-school care.

She added that without supervision, her son may spend most of his free time watching TV.

Another parent, Mr Daniel Goh, 45, said that having someone supervise his son when he does his homework meant that he could spend more of his time after work interacting with his child.

Mrs Yeoh said that the after-school programme will be structured with time allocated for homework and other activities but it will not be an extension of the classroom.

"We don't want it to be like a second school for them, it must feel like a home," said Mrs Yeoh.

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New School-Based Student Care Centres Set Up
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School-based Student Care Centres (SCC)