CDAC to open more student-care centres
The CDAC Student Care Centre at Bendemeer Primary School. TODAY file photo
SINGAPORE — The Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC) will be expanding its footprint in schools by operating at least two more school-based student care centres in the year ahead.
With positive experiences gained from the first two centres at Bendemeer Primary School and Chongfu School — which opened last July and January this year, respectively — more effort will be centred on providing holistic education for students, said CDAC board chairman Gan Kim Yong.
In addition to afterschool care, these centres also offer programmes centred on character building and parent development, among others.
The centre at Bendemeer Primary has doubled its intake to 120 in January due to overwhelming response, and there are plans to increase capacity to 180, said Ms Low Yen Ling, who heads the CDAC’s student education and development committee. There are 60 spots at Chongfu’s centre.
After school care is not an afterthought, said Ms Low, adding that the student-care centres will be a major way to provide holistic support to these students, a bulk of whom come from less-privileged family backgrounds.
“Besides the academic component, we strive to leverage on (CDAC’s programmes) to complement the children’s development with a view of preventing risky behaviour, which could emerge when they go on to their teenage years,” said Ms Low, who is also Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Social and Family Development as well as the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth.
Details about the coming centres will be shared later, but they will be well spread out across the island, she said.
Addressing the media after the CDAC’s 23rd Annual General Meeting today (June 19), Mr Gan, who is also Health Minister, said students will be one of three key thrusts the CDAC will focus on in the year ahead. The self-help group will also organise more programmes targeted at the elderly.
CDAC will also enhance efforts in keeping the elderly better informed. Last year, it reached out to 2,200 seniors over five information sharing sessions on the Pioneer Generation Package. Similar sessions on the Lasting Power of Attorney and Lease Buyback scheme will be held later this year.
Thirdly, it will conduct a strategic review on its workers’ programme to complement the SkillsFuture movement. This could involve a more targeted approach to help individuals maximise their potential and achieve higher social mobility, Mr Gan said.
