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SINGAPORE: The Programme for Active Learning (PAL) will be implemented in another 24 primary schools by next year.
PAL modules, which give students exposure to sports and outdoor education as well as performing and visual arts, are now taught in 12 primary schools.
These lessons are said to help students develop social emotional competencies.
PAL lessons add at least two hours to the curriculum every week, but the students aren't complaining.
"It's a fun thing for us to learn, a nice programme, and they make us do different activities for us to learn," said Vedangi Mrigank Rowan, a Primary 1 student.
"We do want them to be a more confident person and to have a holistic education also. So we develop their music skills, (skills) in sports and games, as well as outdoor education and visual arts as well," said Chua Siao Wen, a PAL coordinator.
"We see that they are more vocal these days. They (are) not shy in front of an audience, they (are) just like themselves," she added.
New Town Primary School is one of the 12 schools that piloted the programme this year.
Schools are encouraged to design their own lessons based on guidelines set by the Ministry of Education (MOE).
"It'll be an exposure to discover their talents - they'll discover what they like, and hopefully that'll then point them to the right CCA. Really, this is not to pre-select people for CCA, but it's a discovery of their own talent," said Grace Fu, Senior Minister of State for Education and National Development.
She said the programme will eventually be rolled out to all primary schools by 2017.
"It has to tie along with our plan to push up single-session schools because the schools need the facilities to implement PAL, and also the facilities to have an extra two hours in curriculum time," said Ms Fu.
Nearly half of the schools that will offer PAL next year are double-session schools. Last year, only two schools offer double session.
-CNA/wk/ls
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