SINDA Annual Report 2009

keeping together SINDA annual report 2009

...as we progress This year’s theme of ‘Keeping Together’ builds on the spirit of unity that is at the heart of SINDA.

Singapore Indian Development Association No. 1 Beatty Road, Singapore 209943 Tel: 1800 295 4554 Fax: 6392 4300 www.sinda.org.sg

SINDA in 2009 maximising educational opportunities for all

nurturing more enlightened families

strengthening partnerships, community engagement and outreach

Number of students who attended SINDA’s tuition programmes

Number of students who enrolled in STEP programme

Number of students who received full or partial subsidies for tuition programmes

5,618

3,139

1,645

Total number of Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund, SINDA and preschool bursaries disbursed

Number of enquiries received at SINDA’s Career Development and Resource Centre

Number of families assisted by the SINDA Family Service Centre

2,396

1,984

976

Total amount raised through Project Give

Number of households SINDA connections was distributed to

Number of Project Give festive gift packs distributed

More than

72,000

1,200

$600,000

The theme ‘Keeping Together’ for SINDA’s Annual Report 2009 builds on ‘Coming Together’ which was the theme for the SINDA Annual Report 2008. In the words of Henry Ford, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress.

Working together is success.”

‘Keeping Together’ to us meant strengthening our partnerships with our donors, volunteers, partners and all wellwishers so that we can progress together and help the Indian community better. We strongly believe that exponential progress is only possible when we synergise and tap on one another’s strengths.

We are confident that the progress that has been made last year by ‘Keeping Together’ will help us towards ‘Working Together’ in 2010.

Contents 01

Vision

Contents

To build a strong and vibrant Singaporean Indian community together

02 06 07 08 09 10 16 24 38

46 48

Mission To build a well-educated, resilient and confident community of Indians that stands together with other communities in contributing to the progress of multi-racial Singapore

Values Respect, our culture Integrity, our foundation Service, our promise Excellence, our pursuit

President’s Message Incoming CEO’s Message Outgoing CEO’s Message Board of Trustees Executive Committee 2009 at a Glance Maximising Educational Opportunities for All Nurturing More Enlightened Families Strengthening Partnerships, Community Engagement and Outreach Donors Educational Indicators 2008

From left to right SINDA Staff - Maria Albert, Sree Ganesh and Venugopal

SINDA Annual Report 2009

President’s message

Making a difference to the Indian community through education

Dear Friends, 2009 has been another year of change and progress for SINDA. In March 2009, Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs handed over the mantle as President of SINDA’s Executive Committee to me.

Mr Shanmugam was appointed President, SINDA in March 2002. Under his able stewardship, partnerships with community organisations were enhanced, our volunteer arm was strengthened and programmes were improved. He also successfully steered SINDA through the 2003 financial

downturn and ensured it remained responsive to the needs of those adversely affected by the crisis.

On behalf of all of us, I would like to acknowledge Mr Shanmugam for the leadership that he provided SINDA during his tenure as President. I am also very happy to report that Mr Shanmugam will continue to contribute to SINDA in his capacity as a Life Trustee.

Leadership renewal also took place in the office of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Mr S Manogaran, who was seconded from the Ministry of Education (MOE) to SINDA in February

2007, returned to MOE in Dec 2009 after a stint of almost three years.

Under Mr Manogaran’s term, SINDA has strengthened its systems and procedures in its pursuit of organisational excellence. He recruited key staff to strengthen the senior management and articulated SINDA’s three strategic thrusts – Maximising Educational Opportunities for All, Nurturing More Enlightened Families and Strengthening Partnerships, Community Engagement and Outreach.

He also initiated a strategic review of SINDA which sought to “Rethink,

President’s Message 03

Reposition and Redesign” SINDA and a Human Resources (HR) Review to improve staff morale and reduce staff turnover rate. And he reviewed all of SINDA’s existing programmes and consolidated key ones that are aligned with the strategic thrusts.

Mr Manogaran has been succeeded

by Mr T Raja Segar who is no stranger to the community at large nor at SINDA. He has served as Senior Director and then Chief Operating Officer at SINDA since 2008. Mr Raja is a career educationist who has also done stints at distinctly non-educational organisations like Vasantham and MINDEF. His varied work experience will serve him in good stead as he seeks to build upon the achievements of his predecessors and bring SINDA to new heights of excellence.

Notwithstanding the leadership changes, SINDA continued to focus resolutely on its mission and reached out and helped students and families affected by the financial crisis in 2009.

I am happy to note that SINDA’s management responded quickly to the crisis and came up with a ‘Response Plan to the Recession’ that covered four key aspects – Education, Family Support, Employment and Outreach.

The response plan helped SINDA’s management sharpen its focus on those particularly affected by the crisis by fine tuning its programmes and initiatives. SINDA also helped as many families as possible to take advantage of existing opportunities and the slew of initiatives rolled out by the government to help citizens cope with the difficult times.

Education Education has and will always be SINDA’s core focus. SINDA’s goal is to ensure that no child is deprived of an education as a result of lack of funds.

Thus, during the recession, it was more important than ever for us to put measures in place to help more students in their education. In 2009, we revised the subsidy criteria for our STEP and Project Teach programmes.

As a result, students from families with per capita income of $450 and below received full tuition subsidies while students with per capita income of more than $450 and less than $600 received partial subsidies. In 2009, about 29% of our students received partial or full tuition subsidies, up from 27% in 2008.

The STEP and Project Teach classes were further enhanced in 2009 with the introduction of Programme RISE (Reading In Sync with Experience) which seeks to improve the reading ability of students reading below their reading age. Maths Kits covering more topics were also rolled out for Primary 1 to 4 students to make Maths lessons more interesting and hands-on. More than 5,600 students benefited from SINDA’s tuition programmes in 2009.

The Maths Challenge In 1999, at the national level, 93.5% of Indian students passed the PSLE examinations while 65.5% obtained at least 5 GCE ‘O’ level passes. In 2008, this improved to 95.5% and 73.0% respectively. In 2008, 89.2% of Indian students qualified for post-secondary education compared to less than 40% in 1991, when SINDA was established.

These results show that we are a step closer to attaining SINDA’s goal to have ‘A Graduate in Every Family’.

While the improvement made by the students is heartening, SINDA has observed that the performance of Indian students in Maths at landmark examinations has stagnated over the last decade. In 1999, the pass rate of Indian students at PSLE and GCE ‘O’ level for Maths was 72.8% and 73.9% respectively. In 2008, we saw only marginal improvement with percentages at 72.9% and 77.6%.

Addressing the Maths challenge is a key 2010 objective for SINDA. To tackle this challenge, SINDA will work closely with Tamil teachers and parents to improve Indian students’ performance in Maths at the landmark examinations.

SINDA believes that Tamil teachers, who have regular contact with Indian students, will be able to play a critical role in identifying issues faced by students with regards to Maths and help them resolve these.

To launch this collaborative effort, SINDA held a dialogue session with Tamil teachers from schools all over the island in September 2009 to solicit their views on the educational performance of Indian students.

SINDA also launched several new Maths initiatives to help students.

These include the conduct of holiday Maths classes during the June school holidays for 268 Primary 6 STEP and Project Teach students, the start of intensive Maths classes at CCs and selected schools to build confidence in the subject and the conduct of

SINDA Annual Report 2009

President’s message (Continued)

a preschool workshop for parents called P1-Starters that provided tips on how to make Maths interesting for their children.

Family Support At the SINDA Family Service Centre, the eligibility criteria for financial assistance was revised in 2009 to include families with a per capita income of $450 and below. Previously, the gross income for eligibility for financial assistance was capped at $1,500 or $350 per capita income. This way, more families could be assisted.

To ease the financial worries of students from low income families and give them the opportunity to focus on their education, 2,080 bursaries (1,221 Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund and 859 SINDA bursaries) worth more than $1 million were disbursed in 2009. This is an increase of almost 25% compared to the 1,666 bursaries disbursed in 2008. SINDA also held its annual Back to School Festival in December 2009 and disbursed 850 Back to School Kits to students with the aim of preparing them for the academic year in 2010.

More than 1,000 students and parents attended the festival that included workshops for parents on education, parenting and nutrition.

Another key feature of the festival was the Indian Community Bursary Awards Ceremony which saw SINDA, together with the Singapore Indian Education Trust (SIET) and the Tamils Representative Council (TRC) disbursing 80 bursaries. To keep up with the changing needs of the community, SINDA will disburse some 2,000 bursaries (Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund and

SINDA bursaries) worth about $1.5 million in 2010. It has also revised its bursary quantum for 2010 to match the quantum provided by the Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund and increased the quantum for students from junior colleges.

Through partnership with Narpani Pearavai (People’s Association Indian Activity Executive Committees Council), about 2,000 SINDA beneficiaries participated in two Family Day events held at Downtown East in April and Jurong Bird Park in November. These events served as good platforms for families to bond and have fun together.

SINDA also introduced a new programme, Project Athena, for single mothers to empower them to better manage their lives and help them build stronger bonds with their children.

Employment and Skills Upgrading In 2009, SINDA’s Career Development and Resource Centre (CDRC) saw 1,984 job seekers coming forward for training and employment assistance. In all, 1,375 referrals were made for employment placement, of which 236 translated to successful job placements. 1,044 referrals were made to other agencies for training assistance.

In July 2009, SINDA also collaborated with the other Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and the Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP) to jointly organise a job fair. About 950 people turned up at the job fair which offered more than 700 job placement opportunities.

Other employment outreach events included two SINDA-IAEC (Narpani)

Training and Career Roadshows that were held at Marsiling Community Centre and Onepeople.sg at Toa Payoh.

A total of more than 1,000 job seekers benefited from the roadshows.

Strengthening Partnerships and Community Engagement It was through strategic partnerships with like-minded organisations, donors and volunteers that SINDA was able to raise more funds and help more people in 2009.

In February 2009, SINDA and Narpani Pearavai signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish a strategic partnership and reach out to the Indian community.

Narpani has a wide and established grassroots network that can reach out to Singapore Indians while SINDA has the services, resources and programmes that will benefit the Indian community. Through this MOU, the two organisations synergised and leveraged on each others’ strengths to benefit the Indian community. The two career roadshows mentioned earlier, were the result of this MOU signing.

Over the past year, SINDA made use of targeted outreach methods to reach our audience. SINDA held several dialogue and networking sessions with Indian, religious and sub-ethnic groups to create awareness about SINDA’s programmes and services and explore ways to work together to reach out to the community.

Talks and roadshows at schools, religious organisations and grassroots organisations were also held. During these talks, emphasis was placed on

President’s Message 05

the importance of a good foundation in education and the need for parents to play an active role in their children’s education. For families who required assistance, SINDA officers followed up by helping them in various areas including distribution of bursaries, skills upgrading and legal counselling.

SINDA also continued to reach out to the masses through our television and radio programmes, newsletter and website. SINDA connections, our newsletter was mailed out to more than 70,000 households which had members contributing to the SINDA Fund. The SINDA website has also been enhanced and redesigned and boasts several new features. We continued to use new media platforms such as YouTube and Facebook to enhance our outreach efforts.

Project Give In 2009, as part of Project Give, the annual fund-raising event to raise funds for bursaries and festive gift packs for low income families, 1,200 festive gift packs were distributed.

This is a 20% increase from the 1,000 hampers that were distributed in 2008.

Volunteers helped distribute these gift packs during Hari Raya Puasa, Deepavali and Christmas.

Project Give 2009 saw several firsts. In addition to the traditional modes of fund-raising, new methods were also introduced. Besides donating through donation boxes and the SINDA website, contributions could also be made through 630 AXS machines located islandwide and a 1800-number.

Also, for the first time, SINDA and Vasantham jointly organised the

successful Project Give Charity Show 2009 -‘Kai Kodupom’. The show was a new initiative by SINDA to reach out to more from the community and encourage them to donate towards needy Indian students.

for volunteers run by volunteers.

I believe this is an important step towards fostering a greater sense of belonging and ownership amongst our volunteers with respect to SINDA and our programmes.

As a result of all these initiatives, more than $600,000 was collected for Project Give 2009. This is more than double the amount collected in 2008.

2010 has begun on a brighter note than last year. I am confident that all of us have learnt valuable lessons from the financial crisis and have emerged stronger from it. There is room for optimism that together as a community, we can improve and grow stronger and be able to better contribute to the progress of Singapore together with the other races. I look forward to a challenging, exciting and fulfilling year ahead for SINDA and our community.

Leveraging On National Resources I am happy to report that SINDA’s management has consciously focussed on leveraging on national resources during the recession, to build up SINDA’s operational capability so that it is better placed to develop and deliver quality programmes and services.

SINDA has taken advantage of various funding initiatives offered by the National Council of Social Service, the Singapore Workforce Development Agency and government to achieve cost savings and cost avoidance of almost $500,000.

Conclusion 2009 has been a successful year for SINDA. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in March saw the renewal of the SINDA Executive Committee.

I would like to thank our Board of Trustees and Executive Committee members for their service to the community and to SINDA. I would also like to thank our volunteers who continue to allow us to ‘punch above our weight’ through their tremendous support and commitment in executing our volunteer driven programmes. A Volunteer Development Council was set up in May this year to serve as a council

Dr Balaji Sadasivan President, SINDA

SINDA Annual Report 2009

Incoming CEO’s Message

The year 2009 was a financially difficult one for the world and Singapore was not spared in the downturn. Many lost jobs and many others had to take home less pay. But, this is where SINDA came alive to extend its services where it mattered most. We were ready to help those affected in many ways. In a structured manner, we enhanced and rolled out educational, financial, career and social assistance programmes and schemes. Above all, we played a key role in being the agency that helped the affected Indian community to understand and use the national schemes that were available to weather the economic storm.

I took over as CEO in December 2009 from Mr S Manogaran.

He had refocussed on key areas for which SINDA was set-up, namely, education and family support. In addition, he also spent his time in enhancing collaboration with agencies that work with SINDA such as the Ministry of Education (MOE), Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS), National Council of Social Service (NCSS), Narpani Pearavai, Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) and Singapore Indian Education Trust (SIET).

The STEP programme was infused with curriculum materials, teaching tools and standardised tests that teachers can use to gauge the abilities of students. For the students, target-setting books, learning tools and STEP t-shirts were

introduced. These have improved the performance of the students at the STEP Centres.

I intend to further enhance the education programmes that SINDA runs to tackle the persistent underperformance in Maths and Science at landmark examinations. I will also be building bridges with other organisation as I sincerely believe that SINDA cannot solve this problem alone.

Apart from organisations, I am seeking the assistance of individuals such as parents, teachers, family members, relatives and all who come in contact with students to emphasise the importance of performing well in school.

The aim is to reinforce that a good education is the best ‘investment’, with the best returns. No other investment will be able to match that.

I am looking forward to a good 2010 and hoping that we will be saying goodbye to the year having achieved what we had set out to do with our Indian students performing better, families more enlightened and Indian organisations working closer together in creating a more successful Indian community.

Mr T Raja Segar CEO, SINDA

Incoming and Outgoing CEOs’ Messages 07

outgoing CEO’s Message

It has been a distinct honour and privilege to serve the community through SINDA. As a result of my almost 3-year stint in SINDA, I have a better understanding and appreciation of the needs and challenges faced by the less fortunate in Singapore.

I am glad that, by remaining true to our mission of uplifting the community through education, SINDA has succeeded in helping thousands more students and their families secure their future through affordable but effective education programmes. Through constant evaluation and review of our programmes and operations, existing programmes have either been enhanced or removed while new initiatives were introduced to meet the needs of our young learners, youths and families. I strongly believe that investing in education is a sound approach as education is a great social leveler. It is heartening that many families have responded to SINDA’s call for action and have taken advantage of all the schemes available – from education bursaries, tuition programmes, skills upgrading and youth mentorships.

It was clear to me, from the beginning, that the community’s challenges cannot be shouldered by SINDA alone. Over the past 3 years, with the support of the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee, SINDA has strengthened its relationship with government and media agencies, community and

grassroots leaders, volunteers, our benefactors and beneficiaries. All these efforts have helped SINDA reposition itself as a catalyst for change in the community.

I came to SINDA with no baggage except to do what’s best and necessary for the community and the organisation.

I leave behind a very inspired and strong team of leaders and officers, led by Mr T Raja Segar who has enormous knowledge and experience. I am confident, with the guidance of the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee, SINDA will continue to reinvent itself to remain relevant to the community and the country.

Mr S Manogaran Ex-CEO, SINDA

SINDA Annual Report 2009

pATRON Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong

board of trustees chairman & life trustee Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam

life trustees Professor S Jayakumar Mr S Dhanabalan Mr S Chandra Das Mr J Y Pillay Mr Sat Pal Khattar

Term Trustees Mr K Shanmugam Dr N Varaprasad Mr R Sinnakaruppan Mr Bobby Chin Yoke Choong Mr M Rajaram

Mr Deepak Sharma Mr Haider M Sithawalla Mr Ravi Menon Mr Inderjit Singh Mr V Shankar

Advisors Dr Vivian Balakrishnan Mr S Iswaran

Ms Indranee T Rajah Mr Hri Kumar Nair

Board of Trustees and Executive Committee 09

Executive Committee executive committee President Dr Balaji Sadasivan

Vice-President Mr Viswa Sadasivan

Secretary Mr Shabbir Hassanbhai

Treasurer Mr R Subramaniam Iyer

Members of Executive Committee Mr R Rajaram Mr V P Jothi Mr Predeep K Menon Mr P Thirunal Karasu

Mr Aaron Maniam Mr Naseer Ghani Mr Puvan Ariaratnam

Resource Panel Members Dr Sivasankaran Subramaniam Mr Mohamed Abdul Jaleel Ms Sabanitha Shanmugasundram Mr P B Desai Mr Sajen G Aswani

Mr K V Rao Ms M Nirmala Mr Sarjit Singh Dr Sudha Nair Dr Joshua V M Kuma

SINDA Annual Report 2009

2009 at a glance

Working with the community to achieve our mission

20 13th

28th

SINDA-ITE Roadshow

The inaugural SINDA-ITE Roadshow, held on 13 February 2009 for first-year ITE students, aimed to encourage students to complete and excel in their ITE courses.

The event which was hosted by Mr Vadivazhagan PVSS, a popular Vasantham host, was well received by the ITE students. About 300 students attended and provided positive feedback on the event. Dr Balaji Sadasivan, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs graced the event as the Guest-of-Honour.

SINDA-Narpani Engagement Forum 2009

SINDA and Narpani Pearavai (People’s Association Indian Activity Executive Committees Council), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish a strategic partnership and reach out to the Indian community.

FEB

mar

02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30

02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20 2

27th

Change in Leadership Dr Balaji Sadasivan took over from Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs as the President of SINDA’s Executive Committee. Accompanying them are Mr Viswa Sadasivan (far right), Vice-President, SINDA and Mr Shabbir Hassanbhai (far left), Secretary, SINDA.

2009 at a Glance 11

09 05th

Launch of ‘Vettriyin Natham’

Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister for Finance and Chairman, SINDA, launched ‘Vettriyin Natham’, the Tamil version of Symphony of Triumphs (SOT). SOT, an English publication launched in 2007, is a compilation of stories of 20 SINDA beneficiaries.

‘Vettriyin Natham’, the result of a collaborative effort between SINDA and the Tamil Language Learning and Promotion Committee, Ministry of Education, will serve as a resource material for the teaching of Tamil in schools and as a motivational tool for Indian students.

apr

22 24 26 28 30

may apr

02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30

02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16

02nd

16th

SINDA-IAEC (Narpani) Training and Career Roadshow

Distinguished Speaker Series (DSS)

SINDA and Northwest District PAIAECs, with the support of the Narpani Pearavai jointly organised a Training and Career Roadshow at Marsiling CC. The roadshow was attended by more than 600 jobseekers.

SINDA’s second DSS featured Mr S Dhanabalan, Chairman of Temasek Holdings and Life Trustee of SINDA, who spoke on ‘It’s a World of Possibilities – Lessons Learnt, Values Lived’. More than 300 students and young professionals attended the DSS.

SINDA Annual Report 2009

2009 at a glance (continued)

20 30th

Volunteers Appreciation Tea (VAT) and Launch of Volunteer Development Council (VDC)

SINDA’s VDC, a council for volunteers run by volunteers, was officially launched at the VAT held to recognise ad hoc volunteers. In line with the launch, a newly designed Volunteer Kit comprising a file with the revamped Volunteer Logo and a Volunteer Handbook was unveiled.

JUN

16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30

JULY

02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30

02 04 06 08 10

11th

23th

SINDA Open House

Self-Help Groups (SHGs) Joint Tuition Awards (JTA)

A SINDA Open House was held at Shuqun Primary School to create awareness about SINDA’s programmes and services and national assistance schemes. During the event, Guest-of-Honour Dr Amy Khor, Mayor, Southwest District and Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, launched ‘SINDA & Beyond – A Handbook of Assistance Schemes’, a SINDA information card and a fridge magnet.

The four SHGs jointly organised the sixth annual SHG JTA ceremony to recognise students enrolled in the SHG tuition programmes for making significant improvements at the PSLE, GCE ‘N’ and ‘O’ Level examinations. A total of 118 Indian students received awards at the ceremony.

2009 at a Glance 13

09 SHGs Joint Job Fair

The four SHGs together with the Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP) jointly organised a job fair to pool resources and help unemployed Singaporeans who approached them to find jobs during the economic downturn.

About 950 people turned up at the job fair which offered more than 700 job placement opportunities.

16th

12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30

AUG apr

sept

02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30

03rd

Joint SHGs National Day Celebrations 2009

For the first time, the four SHGs’ staff, volunteers and beneficiaries came together to celebrate the nation’s birthday at the Eurasian House. Highlights of the celebrations included the recitation of the Singapore pledge in the four official languages and the unveiling of the commemorative artworks of the four SHGs entitled ‘Celebrating Cohesive Diversity’. The artwork of each SHG drew inspiration from the uniqueness of the respective ethnic community.

02 04 06

SINDA Annual Report 2009

2009 at a glance (continued)

20 President Nathan’s Visit to SINDA

His Excellency President S R Nathan visited SINDA to launch new initiatives for Project Read, a volunteer driven reading programme for children aged four to eight. During the visit, he watched performances by Project Read beneficiaries and penned his thoughts about SINDA’s volunteer programmes on the ‘Wall of Reflections’.

14th

sept

26 28 30

03rd

oct

02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30

02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20 2

SINDA Excellence Awards (SEA)

SINDA held the annual SEA ceremony to recognise students for excellence in academic as well as non-academic areas of sports and the arts. Award recipients from the academic category ranged from PSLE to degree holders while those from the non-academic category included students from the Singapore Sports School, LASALLE College of the Arts and students who had obtained the Singapore Schools Sports Council (SSSC) National Colours Awards or represented Singapore in a national sporting event while studying in a local tertiary institution. 385 students received awards at the ceremony.

2009 at a Glance 15

09 21th

P1-STARTERS

SINDA and Cheng San CC Indian Activity Executive Committee (IAEC) jointly organised P1-Starters, an informative preschool workshop to provide parents with tips on helping their children transit from Kindergarten 2 to Primary 1. The 1.5 hour workshop was conducted by LogicMills, a Ministry of Education registered school. More than 60 parents and 30 children benefited from the programme.

29th

Project Give Charity Show 2009 – ‘Kai Kodupom’

SINDA and Vasantham joined hands to organise the Project Give ‘Live’ charity show – ‘Kai Koduppom’ in November 2009. The show is a new initiative by SINDA to reach out to more from the community and encourage them to donate towards helping needy Indian students.

Nov

22 24 26 28 30

05th

Dec apr

02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30

02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16

Indian Community Bursary Awards Ceremony (ICBAC) and Back to School Festival (BTSF)

SINDA held its annual ICBAC and BTSF on 5 December 2009. Professor S Jayakumar, Senior Minister and Co-ordinating Minister for National Security and Life Trustee, SINDA, graced the event as the Guest-of-Honour. During the ICBAC, held in collaboration with the Singapore Indian Education Trust (SIET) and Tamils Representative Council (TRC), 80 bursaries were given out.

As part of the BTSF, 850 Back to School Kits were distributed to needy students to prepare them for the school year ahead. During the festival, workshops on education, parenting and health and nutrition were also held for parents and students. More than 1,000 parents and students attended the event.

SINDA Annual Report 2009

Maximising Educational Opportunities For All From the STEP classes I attended in primary school to the bursary I received in junior college, SINDA has been there for me through my academic years. I am thankful to SINDA for encouraging me to realise my full potential and would now like to play my part for the community by volunteering.

Mohd Alfin, ex-STEP student and SINDA beneficiary, now a volunteer

content 17

My STEP tutors from Chua Chu Kang STEP centre were very committed. They helped us identify our weak areas and improve. I am very thankful to them for where I am today.

Angel Vaishilee, ex-STEP student

SINDA Annual Report 2009

MAXIMISING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL

Improving academic performance

Muhammad Irfan, STEP student

Tuition Schemes

SINDA Tutorials for Enhanced Performance (STEP)

SINDA’s mandate is education. In line with this, SINDA offers a wide range of tuition programmes at affordable rates. Over the years, these programmes have proven to be effective in helping students achieve substantial results.

STEP is a holistic tuition programme designed to help primary and secondary school students perform better in English, Maths and Science. Several students have attributed their academic improvements to STEP since the programme’s launch in 1992.

Tuition enrollment in SINDA’s academic and enrichment programmes has more than doubled over the past decade. In 2009, a total of 5,618 students benefited from the programmes. Of these, about 29% or 1,645 students received full or partial subsidies.

Highly subsidised fees and the location of 22 STEP Centres (in 2009) islandwide made STEP an accessible and affordable choice for many Indian families.

In 2009, a total of 3,139 students benefited from STEP. Of these students, 1,226 received partial or full subsidies.

In 2009, a total of 5,618 students benefited from SINDA’s tuition programmes. Of these, about 29% or 1,645 students received full or partial subsidies.

Maximising Educational Opportunities for All 19

Muhammad Abul Barakaath, 2009 Self-Help Groups Joint Tuition Award recipient for PSLE category

Key features of STEP include: • •

• • •

six hours of tuition per week from January to October Small class sizes of between 12 and 15 students, which allows tutors to provide individualised attention to students MOE-trained or highly qualified teachers Regular class tests and centre-level examinations Provision of curriculum materials or assessment books

Household Income - STEP Students 20.5%

24.6%

19.9%

15.2%

19.8%

644

773

625

477

620

$1,000 and below $1,001 – $1,500 $1,501 – $2,000 $2,001 – $2,500 Above $2500

Number of Households

3,139

“The STEP tutors were so kind and approachable. I was really happy when I made a big improvement in my Maths test - from 59.5 to 71 marks!”

Muhammad Irfan, STEP student

SINDA Annual Report 2009

From left to right Mohd Faizal and Mohd Imran, ex-Project Teach students

GCE ‘O’ level

PSLE

2009 STEP CENTRES Bowen Secondary School

Jing Shan Primary School

Sembawang Secondary School

Bukit View Primary School

Jurong West Secondary School

Seng Kang Secondary School

Chua Chu Kang Secondary School

Marsiling Primary School

Shuqun Primary School

Clementi Primary School

Mayflower Secondary School

Unity Secondary School

East View Secondary School

North View Secondary School

Yishun Primary School

Farrer Park Primary School

Pasir Ris Primary School

Woodlands Ring Primary School

First Toa Payoh Primary School

Ping Yi Secondary School

Henderson Secondary School

Pioneer Secondary School

Impact of STEP Academic Profile of year 2008 students Before joining STEP

Academic Profile of year 2008 students After joining STEP

English 41.1% scored a B grade or better 19.6% failed

English 62.6% scored a B grade or better 3.7% failed

Maths 19.7% scored a B grade or better 61.1% failed

Maths 35.8% scored a B grade or better 38.9% failed

Science 30.8% scored a B grade or better 48.1% failed

Science 36.5% scored a B grade or better 20.4% failed

Maths 20.0% scored a B grade or better 68.6% failed

Maths 48.6% scored a B grade or better 28.6% failed

Science 7.1% scored a B grade or better 78.6% failed

Science 35.7% scored a B grade or better 57.1% failed

Maximising Educational Opportunities for All 21

Project Teach Project Teach, a school-based programme that was started in 2001, targets primary school students who score below average grades in English, Maths and Science. The programme is conducted either before or after school hours by specially trained paid facilitators.

With a tutor-to-pupil ratio of 1:7, facilitators are able to provide students with individualised attention.

The programme places special emphasis on motivating students to perform better. Parents are also actively engaged through workshops to equip them with essential skills to help their child succeed.

Project Teach was conducted in 49 schools in 2009.

1,048 students benefited from the programme. Of these, 34% or 357 students were given full or partial subsidies.

Household Income - Project Teach Students 17.2%

24.8%

25.7%

10.7%

21.6%

180

260

270

112

226

$1,000 and below $1,001 – $1,500 $1,501 – $2,000 $2,001 – $2,500 Above $2500

1,048

“My Maths grades have improved. My Bs in Primary 4 are now As. Thanks Ms Chandra!”

Mohammed Faizal, ex-Project Teach student

Number of Cases

SINDA Annual Report 2009

2009 Project TEACH schools Anderson Primary

First Toa Payoh Primary

Pasir Ris Primary

Ang Mo Kio Primary

Greenridge Primary

Pei Tong Primary

Bendemeer Primary

Greenwood Primary

Pioneer Primary

Blangah Rise Primary

Haig Girls School

Sembawang Primary

Boon Lay Garden Primary

Huamin Primary

Shuqun Primary

Bukit Panjang Primary

Jiemin Primary

Si Ling Primary

Canossa Convent Primary

Lakeside Primary

Stamford Primary

CHIJ (Katong) Primary

Lianhua Primary

Tanjong Katong Primary

CHIJ Our Lady of Good Counsel

Marsiling Primary

Teck Ghee Primary

CHIJ Our Lady of the Nativity

Marymount Convent

West Grove Primary

Chongfu Primary

Meridian Primary

White Sands Primary

Chua Chu Kang Primary

Montfort Junior

Woodlands Ring Primary

Compassvale Primary

New Town Primary

Xingnan Primary

Concord Primary

Ngee Ann Primary

Xishan Primary

Edgefield Primary

North View Primary

Yew Tee Primary

Evergreen Primary

Opera Estate Primary

Yishun Primary

Farrer Park Primary

New Initiatives for STEP and Project Teach Programme RISE Programme RISE (Reading In Sync with Experience) was introduced in April 2009 to address the poor command of English language amongst several lower primary students attending STEP and Project Teach classes.

Maths Kit Maths Kits were first introduced in 2008. In 2009, kits for the following levels were rolled out to motivate and help students grasp key Maths concepts.

• Primary 1 & 2 – Fractions, Length, Money and Capacity • Primary 3 – Money • Primary 4 – Data Analysis

In 2009, a total of 364 students benefited from Programme RISE.

In 2009, about 2,100 students made use of the kits.

Maths Classes During the Holidays Intensive Maths classes for Primary 6 STEP and Project Teach students were introduced in June 2009. These classes served to instil confidence in the students and provide them with extra coaching to prepare them for their PSLE examinations.

Intensive Maths Programme

268 students benefited from these classes that were conducted in STEP centres and Project Teach schools.

In 2009, SINDA embarked on a pilot project to offer intensive Maths tuition for students preparing for landmark examinations. Radin Mas CC Indian Activity Executive Committee (IAEC) and Yishun Secondary School partnered SINDA to offer the programme to PSLE and ‘O’ level students respectively. A total of 23 students benefited from this pilot programme in 2009.

Maximising Educational Opportunities for All 23

Collaborative Tuition Programme (CTP) To make tuition centres more accessible to students, the four national Self-Help Groups – the Chinese Development Assistance Council, Eurasian Association, SINDA and Yayasan Mendaki – run CTP centres islandwide.

These centres, numbering 65, cater to students of all ethnic groups. In 2009, about 259 Indian students benefited from this joint effort.

STU-STAR Programme The Singapore Teachers Union (STU) conducts the Special Tutorial and Revision (STAR) programme for students from Primary 4 to Primary 6.

The 17 centres located islandwide offer English, Maths and Science classes.

SINDA provides subsidies of up to 50% of the total tuition fees for students enrolled in this programme. In 2009, a total of 107 students benefited from this programme.

NUSTLS ‘A’ Level Tuition Programme The ‘A’ Level Tuition Programme, ‘Saadhana’, is a non-profit project run by the National University of Singapore Tamil Language Society (NUSTLS). The programme aims to provide quality tuition for all core GCE ‘A’ level subjects at affordable rates.

SINDA, Singapore Indian Education Trust (SIET) and Narpani Pearavai (People’s Association Indian Activity Executive Committees Council) support this project annually. In 2009, the tuition sessions were conducted from May to October at Yio Chu Kang Secondary School.

A total of 65 students enrolled in the tuition programme. Students who were not able to afford the fees were given subsidies based on their household income.

Holiday Programmes During the June and November school holidays, SINDA organised both academic and non-academic programmes for Indian students.

345 students benefited from these holiday programmes in 2009. Of these, 18% or 62 students were given full or partial subsidies.

For the academic programmes conducted in June, emphasis was placed on developing examination skills necessary for landmark examinations such as PSLE and GCE ‘O’ level. Trained teachers were engaged to impart knowledge on key approaches and to hone students’ skills in Maths and Science. A total of 174 students benefited from the June holiday programmes.

A total of 171 students benefited from the November holiday programmes which placed emphasis on experiential learning.

Scholarships SINDA, in partnership with reputable organisations and institutions, offers a range of scholarships to encourage individuals to pursue higher studies and acquire skills. In 2009, SINDA partnered three organisations to jointly award seven scholarships for certificate, diploma, advanced diploma and undergraduate studies.

The institutions are: Singapore International Airlines (SIA) Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS) Singapore Institute of Materials Management (SIMM) In 2009, SINDA, together with Mr Ng Siak Heng, introduced the Ng Lao ChikSINDA Secondary Study (NLC SSS) Awards. Mr Ng donated $5,000 towards this new study awards scheme.

The study awards were introduced for deserving Indian students studying in mainstream secondary schools, who are doing well in education as well as in a sport or art. Seven students were awarded the NLC SSS awards.

In 2009, SINDA together with the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SICCI) partnered Nanyang Technological University (NTU) to award scholarships to Engineering and Business students for their Global Immersion Programme (GIP). The scholarship was awarded to one Indian student for a 25-week internship and study programme in Pune, India.

SINDA Annual Report 2009

Nurturing More Enlightened Families As the head of a single-income family, my salary as a taxi driver is sometimes not enough to provide my children with all their education-related needs. SINDA stepped in to help by providing bursaries for my two children. This has helped my children focus on their studies without worrying about finances. And as a result, their grades have improved. As a parent, I am happy with their newfound confidence. I am also glad that SINDA matched my family with the Home Ownership Plus Education (HOPE) Scheme by MCYS. I am grateful to SINDA for making a difference in my family’s life.

Mr A J Aziz, SINDA beneficiary

Mr and Mrs A J Aziz and family

content 25

SINDA Annual Report 2009

NURTURING MORE ENLIGHTENED FAMILIES

Helping families achieve personal and financial well-being SINDA Family Service Centre (FSC) The SINDA FSC has a team of professionals to provide social work and counselling services to those experiencing personal, work, marital and family related difficulties. The officers assess problems, conduct home visits, and provide help where needed.

Families and individuals are also welcome to contact the SINDA FSC if they require information or assistance regarding national schemes. Referrals to appropriate agencies are made when and where necessary.

The SINDA FSC handled a total of 976 cases in 2009.

Of these cases, 66% involved female clients, and 34% involved male clients.

Household Income - SINDA FSC Clients 71.7%

14.2%

3.9% 2.1% 8.1%

700

139

79

20

38

$1,000 and below $1,001 – $1,500 $1,501 – $2,000 $2,001 – $2,500* $2,501 and above*

*

Number of Cases

976

Admitted under special circumstances including large family size

Problems Presented Financial

%

822

84.2

Shelter

50

5.1

Family

36

3.7

Youth

31

3.2

Employment

29

3.0

Interpersonal

3

0.3

Marital

3

0.3

Elderly

1

0.1

Mental Total

More than 85% of the SINDA FSC clients had a total household income of $1,500 and below. Only about 11% of them had postsecondary education.

No. of cases

Education Level

1

0.1

976

100

no. of cases

%

No formal education

183

18.8

Primary

273

28.0

Secondary

411

42.1

Post-Secondary

100

10.2

9

0.9

976

100

University Total

Nurturing More Enlightened Families 27

SINDA FSC Case Worker Marie Vickirama (centre) conducting a counselling session

SINDA Bursary and Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund (SPMF)

Household Income - SPMF Recipients

SINDA provides bursaries and SPMF to students from low income families who are enrolled in government schools/ educational institutions and independent schools, for levels ranging from primary to pre-university. These bursaries complement the other financial assistance schemes that are already available to low income families, such as the Ministry of Education Financial Assistance Scheme and school bursaries.

Recipients of the SINDA bursary and SPMF benefit from free tuition at our STEP classes. Case officers also assess if the family of the bursary recipients require other assistance such as Neu PC, financial assistance and job placement or job upgrading.

36.6%

34.5%

21.0%

447

422

256

1.0% 6.9%

84 12

$1,000 and below $1,001 – $1,500 Number of Cases

$1,501 – $2,000 $2,001 – $2,500*

1,221

$2,501 and above*

*

Admitted under special circumstances including large family size

Household Income - SINDA Bursary Recipients

In 2009, SINDA disbursed 1,221 SPMF worth $687,395 and 859 SINDA bursaries worth $323,330.

41.3%

30.2%

19.9%

355

259

171

2.8% 5.8%

50

24

$1,000 and below $1,001 – $1,500 $1,501 – $2,000 $2,001 – $2,500*

In 2009, SINDA disbursed 1,221 SPMF and 859 SINDA bursaries.

$2,501 and above*

*

Admitted under special circumstances including large family size

Number of Cases

859

SINDA Annual Report 2009

Preschool Bursary

Household Income - Preschool Bursary Recipients

SINDA disburses preschool bursaries to help Indian children from low income families strengthen their foundation in basic learning skills before entering Primary 1.

In 2009, SINDA disbursed 316 preschool bursaries worth more than $110,000.

29.4%

18.4%

142

93

58

3.2%

4.1%

10 13

$1,000 and below

This bursary is in addition to the subsidies provided by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) and Centre Based Financial Assistance Scheme (CFAC) for children who are enrolled in childcare centres.

Low income families with children aged 18 months to six years enrolled in a non-profit childcare centre are eligible for the preschool bursary. To qualify, the mothers have to be willing to seek employment to supplement the family income.

44.9%

$1,001 – $1,500 $1,501 – $2,000 $2,001 – $2,500* $2,501 and above*

*

Number of Cases

316

Admitted under special circumstances including large family size

Before and After School Care (BASC) Subsidy SINDA provides financial assistance to parents who enrol their children in BASC centres. The BASC subsidy, provided to low income families with children aged seven to 14, is in addition to the subsidies provided by MCYS, Community Development Councils and student care centres. The children have to be enrolled in a non-profit student care centre to be eligible.

In 2009, 117 children benefited from the BASC subsidy amounting to more than $50,000.

Nurturing More Enlightened Families 29

A boy at the SINDA Neu PC booth during the SINDA Open House held on 23 May 2009

Household Income - BASC Recipients 49.6%

33.3%

14.5%

58

39

17

2.6%

Household Income - Neu PC Programme Beneficiaries

3

$1,000 and below $1,001 – $1,500 $1,501 – $2,000 $2,001 – $2,500*

*

53.3%

25.3%

12.7%

8.7%

80

38

19

13

$1,000 and below Number of Cases

$1,001 – $1,500 $1,501 – $2,000

117

Admitted under special circumstances including large family size

Neu PC Programme SINDA has collaborated with the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) since 1998 to help Indian students and their families own personal computers that come bundled with an affordable Internet connection plan. SINDA’s aim is to provide a computer for every low income Indian family.

The families who benefit through this programme are encouraged to attend basic IT training to ensure that the whole family becomes IT literate.

$2,001 – $2,500*

*

Number of Cases

150

Admitted under special circumstances including large family size

In 2009, 150 families benefited from the programme. Since the start of the programme, 3,950 new PCs have been placed in homes.

Legal Clinic Volunteer lawyers offer free legal advice to low income Indian families at the Legal Clinic. During these sessions held once every month at SINDA, the lawyers explain legal procedures and terms.

In 2009, 24 families attended the Legal Clinic.

SINDA Annual Report 2009

Equipping families and youths with skills

From left to right Senior Victory students, B Nathish Vel and Nelson s/o Daniel with facilitator, Ms Lolita Pillai

Family & Youth Programmes Project Victory (PV) and Senior Victory (SV) PV and SV are school-based motivational programmes for Indian students from Primary 4 to Primary 6 and secondary levels and ITE respectively. The values-based programmes provide these students with the guidance to bring out leadership qualities and encourage the practice of positive life skills. Through planned and structured activities, experienced and trained facilitators guide these students and help them redirect their focus toward education.

PV and SV aim to increase self-esteem, enhance values and address issues such as anger management and conflict resolution.

The programmes are conducted in two hour sessions every week for a period of six months. For SV, schools can choose to do a three month programme consisting of 12 sessions.

During this time, the facilitators continually update parents with reports on their children’s progress and address any concerns that the parents may have.

In 2009, 370 students benefited from the PV and SV programme.

2009 Project Victory Centres

2009 Senior Victory Centres

CHIJ Our Lady of Good Counsel Jiemin Primary School Jing Shan Primary School Jurong Primary School Xingnan Primary School Zhonghua Primary School

Bukit View STEP centre Woodlands Ring STEP Centre Deyi Secondary School East View Secondary School Ping Yi Secondary School Riverside Secondary School Yishun Secondary School Yuan Ching Secondary School Yuhua Secondary School

Nurturing More Enlightened Families 31

Household Income - PV and SV Students

%

18.7%

48.9%

29.7%

69

181

110

2.7%

82.8%

10

$2,001 – $2,500*

$1,500 and below Number of Students

$2,501 and above*

*

18 10

135

$1,500 and below $1,501 – $2,000

6.1% 11.1%

Household Income - YEP Students

370

Admitted under special circumstances including large family size

Number of Students

$1,501 – $2,000 $2,001 – $2,500*

*

163

Admitted under special circumstances including large family size

Youth Empowerment Programme (YEP)

Information Technology (IT) Lifestyle

YEP, a youth mentorship programme, reaches out to Indian youths to boost their confidence and self-esteem.

The IT Lifestyle programme aims to encourage children to gain basic IT literacy and put it to good use in their day-today activities.

Youths are paired with volunteer mentors individually or as a group for a period of six months. During this time, mentors provide a listening ear to the youths and advise them on a multitude of issues that they may be facing such as managing peer pressure and relationships.

Volunteer mentors are screened and trained by SINDA. In 2009, 163 students benefited from the YEP.

IT Lifestyle mainly targets children who have acquired a personal computer through the Neu PC programme. As part of the programme, volunteers visit the homes of these children for eight sessions, once a week for an hour to teach them basic PC skills such as how to use the Internet, operate Microsoft Office software and set up e-mail accounts.

In 2009, 39 children benefited from the programme.

Household Income - IT Lifestyle Programme Participants

$1,500 and below $1,501 – $2,000

89.7%

10.3%

35

4 Number of Students

39

Clockwise from top left YEP students D Vishnoo, Ruben, D Sankaran and Rathi

SINDA Annual Report 2009

From left to right Mohammad and Shireen, SINDA beneficiaries

IT Workshops

Household Income - WEP Participants

In 2009, SINDA started IT workshops to enhance the IT skills of adults and senior citizens in the Indian community.

Classes are conducted by volunteers at CCs to teach basic PC skills such as how to use the Internet, operate Microsoft Office software and set up e-mail accounts.

Such training enables the adults to assist their children and grandchildren with school work that requires the use of a computer.

In 2009, 100 Indian adults benefited from the 10 workshops that were held.

Women Empowerment Programme (WEP) The WEP helps women gain self confidence and independence so that they are able to lead their families more effectively. Topics covered include self-development, coping with multiple roles, time management, parenting skills and goal setting.

In 2009, the programme was conducted as two hour sessions every week for a period of six months in the evening, at eight centres.

A total of 120 women participated in the programme in 2009.

52.5%

26.7%

20.8%

63

32

25

$1,500 and below

Number of Participants

$1,501 - $2,000

120

$2,001 - $2,500* * Admitted under special circumstances including large family size

Education Level

No. of Participants

%

Primary

43

35.8

Secondary

63

52.5

Post Secondary

14

11.7

120

100

Total

2009 WEP Centres Bukit View STEP Centre Jurong West STEP Centre Woodlands Ring STEP Centre Aljunied CC Fuchun CC Jurong Green CC Nee Soon South CC Radin Mas CC

Nurturing More Enlightened Families 33

From left to right Project Athena participant Ms Vijaya G Manianveloo with daughter Kokilavani

Project Athena

Age Group

Introduced in 2009, Project Athena focusses on single mothers and their children. The project aims to empower these mothers to be confident individuals. Besides helping the mothers learn skills that increase their employability, the project provides a support network to the participants.

19 and below

Through the programme, SINDA aims to help them build stronger bonds with their children who can then grow up to be confident and vibrant youths.

Marital Status

No. of Participants

20-29

14

12.9

30-39

54

49.5

40-49

30

27.5

50-59

10

9.2

Total

109

100

Fuchun CC

Divorced

50

45.9

Separated

23

21.1

Widowed

24

22.0

Spouse Imprisoned

7

6.4

Unwed

5

4.6

109

100

Total

0.9

Aljunied CC

%

%

1

2009 Project Athena Centres

In 2009, 109 mothers and 216 children benefited from the programme.

No. of Participants

Jurong Green CC Nee Soon South CC Radin Mas CC

“The Project Athena programme has helped me gain confidence. Now, I believe that I can provide better opportunities for my children.�

Project Athena participant Ms Vijaya G Manianveloo

SINDA Annual Report 2009

Project Read volunteer Ms Susmitha Changroth (right) reading to Tharani (left), a Project Read beneficiary

Project Read Project Read, a volunteer-driven programme, aims to give Indian children between the ages of four and eight a head start in school by equipping them with basic reading skills and instilling the reading habit in them.

Each volunteer is matched with a child and the former will visit the child’s home for an hour each week for up to six months.

Most of the children on Project Read are preschoolers facing reading difficulties. They come mainly from low income families.

In 2009, 211 children benefited from Project Read.

Household Income - Project Read Beneficiaries 65.9%

29.9%

139

63

2.8% 1.4%

3 6

New Initiatives for Project Read In 2009, several new initiatives were launched to enhance Project Read. These initiatives were officially launched by President S R Nathan during his visit to SINDA on 14 September 2009.

•

Project Read Logo A new Project Read logo was designed to create a distinct identity for the programme.

•

Kids Book Pack Each Project Read beneficiary will be provided with a Kids Book Pack which consists of materials that will stimulate the child’s interest for reading, encourage writing and making of scrap books.

At the end of each reading session, volunteers will encourage the children to draw and/or write about the story. At the end of the six months, the child would be awarded with his/her very own book of stories.

$1,500 and below $1,501 - $2,000 $2,001 - $2,500*

Number of Children

$2,501 and above*

*

Admitted under special circumstances including large family size

211 New Project Read initiatives

Nurturing More Enlightened Families 35

Global Indian International School student volunteer helping a child from Saraswathy Kindergarten create a scrap book

•

•

•

Training for volunteers Professional and personal development courses and workshops are conducted to equip volunteers with the necessary skills to effectively carry out the reading programme.

Volunteer Guide A guide book detailing guidelines for effective volunteering, tips on activities for children and recommended book lists has been provided to all Project Read volunteers.

Publicity Materials A new brochure and bookmark have been designed for Project Read to create increased awareness about the programme within the Indian community. Through effective distribution of these materials, SINDA aims to reach out to more children.

Group-Based Reading Programme In 2009, a group-based reading programme was introduced to reach out to more children in the Indian community and equip them with basic reading skills and inculcate the reading habit in them at an early age.

As part of this programme, a group of 42 students from the Queenstown campus of Global Indian International School volunteered to read to students at the Saraswathy Kindergarten.

Befrienders Programme The Befrienders programme aims to reach out to families facing challenges and help them realise their potential to carry on with their lives in a positive manner. The programme also aims to assist them in setting realistic goals and attaining them.

Volunteer Befrienders will be matched to a family for a period of six months to offer support, comfort, encouragement and friendship.

In 2009, a total of 26 volunteers were trained as Befrienders. These volunteers will be matched with families in 2010.

Home-Based Tuition SINDA currently has the STEP and Project Teach programmes to help students perform better academically. However, there are students who are not able to attend these classes for various reasons. These students can be considered on a case-by-case basis and placed in the Home-Based Tuition Programme.

However, unlike STEP and Project Teach which are conducted by trained paid tutors, Home-Based Tuition is conducted by volunteer tutors. These volunteer tutors visit the homes of the families once a week for one hour and tutor the students for a minimum of six months.

A total of 27 students benefited from this programme in 2009.

SINDA Annual Report 2009

Bringing job seekers one step closer to better training and gainful employment

Mr Vijendran (left), Assistant Manager at SINDA’s Career Development and Resource Centre (CDRC) attending to a client

Career Development and Resource Centre (CDRC) SINDA’s CDRC serves as a one-stop information and referral service centre for skills upgrading and career advancement for low skilled adult Indian workers.

Officially opened in 2008, CDRC underscores the importance SINDA places on skills upgrading and continuous learning.

CDRC is a tripartite collaboration between SINDA, the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) and Narpani Pearavai (People’s Association Indian Activity Executive Committees Council).

From January to December 2009, 1,984 enquiries were made at the CDRC. In all, 1,375 referrals were made for employment placement, of which 236 translated to successful job placements. 1,044 referrals were made to other agencies for training.

The following programmes and services are available at CDRC: • Training Referral • Job Referral • Job Preparation Exercise with Employers • Workshops on Resume Writing, Interview Skills and Personal Grooming • Career and Training Roadshows • Job Fairs

Career Development and Resource Centre (CDRC) 37

Profile of CDRC Clients who were Placed in Jobs Age Group

No. of Placements

%

21 - 30

82

34.7

31 - 40

49

20.8

41 - 50

66

28.0

51 - 60

33

14.0

6

2.5

236

100

61 and above TOTAL

Education Level

No. of Placements

%

Primary

37

15.7

Secondary

79

33.5

‘N’/‘O’ level

89

37.7

‘A’ level

7

3.0

Diploma

14

5.9

Degree

10

4.2

TOTAL

236

100

In 2009, a total of 1,984 enquiries were made at CDRC. In all, 1,375 referrals were made for employment placement while 1,044 referrals were made to other agencies for training.

Schemes Available at CDRC: • Certified Service Professional (CSP) • Continuing Education Training (CET) • Employability Skills System (ESS) • Place & Train Scheme (P&T) • Skills Programme for Upgrading & Resilience (Spur) • Step Out for Change Programme (SOCP) • Surrogate Employer Scheme (SEP) • Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ)

CDRC Partners • • • • •

• • •

• • • • •

• •

CareerLink Plus (CLP) Comfort Delgro Community Development Councils (CDC) Health Management Institute (HMI)

Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage

Association (LISHA) Narpani Pearavai National Environment Agency (NEA) National Trades Union Congress – Unit for Contract & Casual Workers (UCCW) NTUC - Employment & Employability Institute (E2i) Security Industry Institute (SII) Self-Help Groups (SHGs) Singapore Human Resources Institute (SHRI)

Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) Singapore National Employers’ Federation (SNEF) Workforce Development Agency (WDA)

CareerLink Plus (CLP) Careerlink Plus, funded by the WDA and run by the SHGs, is a job matching and placement service to help the long term unemployed.

This programme has been part of the holistic client-centric assistance that is provided by SINDA, Yayasan Mendaki, Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC), Eurasian Association (EA) and Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP).

SINDA Annual Report 2009

Strengthening Partnerships, Community Engagement and Outreach Being a part of the SINDA Volunteer Development Council (VDC) has been an exhilarating experience. I am honoured to be a part of a team that is so dynamic and dedicated!

Lolita Pillai, Member, VDC

content 39

The VDC, set up in May 2009, is passionate about helping the needy in our community. We’re constantly looking for volunteers to come forward as role models to motivate and inspire the less fortunate. Working together on SINDA’s programmes and activities has always been a very rewarding experience because we have a common goal – to make a difference in someone’s life.

Mr Mohammed Harris, Chairman, VDC

SINDA Annual Report 2009

Working with individuals who are willing to lend a helping hand

Volunteer Ms Sonali Mazumdar having a chat with a SINDA staff

Volunteer Relations SINDA’s Volunteer Relations Department (VRD) develops innovative resources and provides meaningful volunteer opportunities that benefit our beneficiaries and the community.

Volunteers make a positive difference in many lives by nurturing a love for reading among children, mentoring youth, imparting IT skills and tutoring under-performing students.

The VRD has a comprehensive volunteer management system in place to recruit, orientate, train, supervise and recognise volunteers.

About 45% of SINDA’s programmes are volunteer-driven. In 2009, around 1,000 volunteers contributed their time and effort to SINDA. In 2009, a Volunteer Development Council (VDC) was also set up consisting of active SINDA volunteers to foster greater volunteer participation in our programmes and activities and develop leadership, social interaction and peoplemanagement skills among volunteers.

Volunteer Relations 41

Profile of SINDA Volunteers VOLUNTEERS BY AGE IN REGULAR LONG-TERM PROGRAMMES

%

VOLUNTEER PARTICIPATION

%

20 & below

16.5

Ad hoc projects

55.5

21 – 30

27.5

Reading programmes

21.4

31 – 40

20.7

Mentorship programmes

14.0

41 – 50

12.9

IT programmes

3.8

Above 51

22.4

Tuition programmes

2.7

TOTAL

100

Legal Clinic and other services

2.6

TOTAL

100

“The Indian community is indebted to all the volunteers who have been supporting SINDA’s programmes. Your dedication and commitment in helping the children whom SINDA is seeking to help is commendable.

Since the inception of Project Read in 1998, 4,000 children have participated and benefited from this programme – all with the help of 3,300 volunteers. Even more noteworthy is that the volunteers include not just individuals and groups from the Indian community, but also other ethnic groups – Chinese, Malays and Eurasians.“ His Excellency President S R Nathan (during his visit to SINDA on 14 September 2009)

SINDA Annual Report 2009

Raising awareness in the community

‘

Outreach Efforts Kanavugal Kathavugal SINDA’s television programme, Kanavugal Kathavugal, was televised on Vasantham from 4 August to 20 October 2009. It featured the stories of 12 youths who excelled academically and/or non-academically. The stories underlined the importance of values such as determination, discipline and the role parents play in their child’s education.

Thil Thil Manathil Thil Thil Manathil, SINDA’s weekly one hour radio programme that discussed important social issues, was aired for 32 weeks in 2009.

The programme featured SINDA’s trained counsellors and other professional social workers speaking on a wide range of topics, including education, parenting and employment.

Vettriyin Natham Symphony of Triumphs, a compilation of stories of 20 SINDA beneficiaries was translated to Tamil (Vettriyin Natham) and launched in April 2009.

This project was a collaborative effort between SINDA and the Tamil Language Learning and Promotion Committee (TLLPC), Ministry of Education. Vettriyin Natham will serve as a resource material for Tamil language in schools and as a motivational tool for Indian students.

SINDA Handbook, Information Card and Fridge Magnet During the SINDA Open House in May 2009, SINDA and beyond – Handbook of Assistance Schemes was launched together with an information card and fridge magnet.

The handbook, which contains information on SINDA’s programmes and services as well as national assistance schemes, will serve as a resource guide. 6,000 copies of the handbook have been distributed to social service practitioners, educationists and SINDA’s partners.

Outreach Efforts 43

SINDA collaterals

The information card provides concise information on SINDA’s programmes and services while the fridge magnet displays SINDA’s hotline and web address.

Copies of the information card and fridge magnet were distributed during SINDA events in 2009.

Media Coverage SINDA’s strong partnership with the media was reflected in the wide media coverage that SINDA received in 2009.

More than 230 mentions in the media brought SINDA’s programmes and services to the attention of the public.

SINDA connections In 2009, our newsletter, SINDA connections, was sent to 72,000 households of SINDA Fund contributors (CPF contributors).

The newsletters were also distributed to principals and SINDA Liaison Officers (SLOs) of various educational institutions, Indian organisations, community and grassroots leaders, the Community Development Councils (CDCs), National Library Board (NLB) branches and religious organisations.

Advertisement support from our benefactors was included for the first time in the Project Give special edition which helped to defray the cost of designing and printing the newsletter.

In 2009, our newsletter, SINDA connections, was sent to 72,000 households of SINDA Fund contributors (CPF contributors).

SINDA Annual Report 2009

Networking Sessions In 2009, SINDA held networking sessions with different groups to create awareness of SINDA’s programmes and services. These sessions also served as avenues to build partnerships while identifying issues and problems faced by the Indian community.

Dialogue Sessions with Dr Balaji Three dialogue sessions were held with Dr Balaji Sadasivan, President, SINDA and leaders of Indian sub-ethnic groups, religious organisations and Tamil teachers in the third quarter of the year.

These dialogue sessions served as platforms to engage the mentioned groups, find out about their concerns and discuss how SINDA can work with them to uplift the Indian community.

A total of 170 Tamil teachers and 30 religious leaders attended dialogue sessions that were held on 12 September while 25 members of various sub-ethnic groups attended a dialogue session held on 5 August.

Public Education Programmes In 2009, a total of 44 public education programmes were organised by Narpani Pearavai (People’s Association Indian Activity Executive Committees Council), schools and Indian organisations in collaboration with SINDA. More than 1,700 parents and students benefited from SINDA’s public education programmes in 2009.

More than 1,700 parents and students benefited from SINDA’s public education programmes in 2009.

Other Outreach Efforts SINDA has collaborated with several religious organisations and other partners to create awareness about SINDA’s programmes and services.

This included the setting up of SINDA booths providing information on SINDA’s programmes and services at partner organisations’ events.

Mr S Manogaran, ex-CEO of SINDA, presented on SINDA’s programmes and services at events such as the Narpani seminar, Facing the Challenges Ahead, held at Raffles City Convention Centre on 24 May and a congregation at Jesus Lives Church on 9 September.

Outreach Efforts 45

Project Give Project Give, the annual fund-raising event to raise funds for bursaries and festive gift packs for low income families saw 1,200 festive gift packs being distributed by volunteers during Hari Raya Puasa, Deepavali and Christmas. This is a 20% increase from the 1,000 hampers that were distributed in 2008.

The festive gift packs, worth about $100 each, contained party packs, sweetmeats, home décor items and vouchers. The vouchers, a new addition this year, was aimed at giving recipient families the opportunity to do some festive shopping.

This year, in addition to the traditional modes of fund-raising, new methods were also introduced.

Besides donating through donation boxes and the SINDA website, contributions could also be made through 630 AXS machines located islandwide and a 1800-number.

Project Give Live Charity Show SINDA and Vasantham jointly organised the Project Give Charity Show 2009 - ‘Kai Kodupom’ for the first time on 29 November. The charity show featured several popular

Vasantham and Oli personalities.

The show also featured SINDA’s bursary recipients and families to convey the message that the entire community needs to work in unison to bring about a brighter future for those who need help.

The innovative fund-raising techniques, the assistance of our partners and volunteers along with the generosity of the public helped SINDA raise more than $600,000 for Project Give 2009. This is more than double the amount raised in 2008.

Indian Community Bursary Awards Ceremony (ICBAC) and Back to School Festival (BTSF) SINDA held its annual ICBAC and BTSF on 5 December. Professor S Jayakumar, Senior Minister and Co-ordinating Minister for National Security and Life Trustee, SINDA, graced the event as the Guest-of-Honour.

During the ICBAC, held in collaboration with the Singapore Indian Education Trust (SIET) and Tamils Representative Council (TRC), 80 bursaries were given out. The ceremony kick started the distribution of 2,000 bursaries (including those from the Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund)

that SINDA will disburse in 2010.

These bursaries would amount to a total of about $1,500,000, an increase of $375,000 compared to 2009.

As part of the BTSF, 850 Back to School Kits were distributed to needy students to prepare them for the school year ahead. This is a 70% increase compared to 2008. Each Back to School Kit, worth $100, contained a school bag, BATA vouchers for school shoes and socks, POPULAR vouchers for stationery and books, an EC House voucher for hair cut services, a thumb drive and a BTSF t-shirt. The students who received the Back to School Kits came from families with per capita income of $250 and below.

During the festival, workshops on education, parenting and nutrition were also held. Several games and activities such as rockclimbing, penalty strike, bungee basketball and face painting were organised to make the day fun and memorable for the students.

More than 1,000 parents and students attended the event.

SINDA Annual Report 2009

Donors

Donors 47

DONORS

Donors who have contributed $10,000 or more to sinda in 2009

Name

Amount ($)

First Capital Insurance Limited Mini Environment Service Pte Ltd Isaac Manasseh Meyer Trust Fund Chew How Teck Foundation Mdm Gan Geok Moi Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry The National Forwarder (Singapore) Pte Ltd Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage Association (LISHA) Spice Global Pte Ltd Lee Foundation Kaki Bukit Developments Pte Ltd KT Mesdorm Pte Ltd MES & JPD Housing Pte Ltd People’s Association Narpani Pearavai Manbeni Corporate Consultancy Pte Ltd The Trustee of Grace Shua and Jacob Ballas Charitable Trust Mr Deepak Gupta Singapore Buddhist Lodge Education Foundation Halal Foods International Hindu Endowments Board Jothi Holdings Private Limited KNP Trading Pte Ltd KPI Cinemas Pte Ltd PM Lee Hsien Loong Standard Chartered Bank Singapore Press Holdings Sri Arasakesari Sivan Temple Straits Law Practice LLC Mr Christopher Anand s/o Daniel Mr K S Karthigasan

250,000.00 125,000.00 100,040.00 100,000.00 100,000.00 100,000.00 98,777.68 70,000.00 50,000.00 26,850.00 25,000.00 25,000.00 25,000.00 25,000.00 20,000.00 15,000.00 12,000.00 10,450.00 10,000.00 10,000.00 10,000.00 10,000.00 10,000.00 10,000.00 10,000.00 10,000.00 10,000.00 10,000.00 10,000.00 10,000.00

SINDA would like to thank all CPF contributors to the SINDA Fund and donors for your continued support and generosity.

SINDA Annual Report 2009

Educational INDICATORs 2008 Source: Ministry of Education

Educational Indicators 2008 49

Percentage of Students who passed PSLE

100

93.5

96.2

95.8 91.6

93.7

96.7 93.2

96.3

95.0

97.2

95.5

97.4

96.1

97.8

95.9

97.7

96.2

97.7

95.5

97.1

90

80

70

60

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Percentages are based on all students, including those in the EM3 stream.

The first batch of students under the adjustment of the promotion criteria from P5 to P6 sat for PSLE in 2001.

PERCENTAGE OF PSLE STUDENTS WHO SCORED a*–C IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE 100

99.2 98.4

99.4 98.9

98.2 97.6

98.7 97.9

97.5 97.5

98.0 97.5

98.5 97.5

98.3 97.5

98.6 97.9

98.2 97.5

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

90

80

70

60

Percentages exclude EM3 students.

The first batch of students under the adjustment of the promotion criteria from P5 to P6 sat for PSLE in 2001.

Overall

Indian

SINDA Annual Report 2009

EDucational indicators 2008

PERCENTAGE OF PSLE STUDENTS WHO SCORED a*–C IN MOTHER TONGUE LANGUAGE 100

96.8

98.8 96.4

98.7 95.5

97.8

97.0 98.3

97.0 98.1

2002

2003

96.6

97.9

96.4

98.0

96.8

98.0

97.1 98.0

96.7

98.1

90

80

70

60

1999

2000

2001

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Percentages exclude EM3 students.

The first batch of students under the adjustment of the promotion criteria from P5 to P6 sat for PSLE in 2001.

Percentage of PSLE Students who SCORED a*–C IN MATHEMATICS 100

90

86.5

85.7

83.3

83.0

82.8

80

72.8

72.3 69.0

70

60

1999

2000

2001

69.6

2002

72.4

2003

73.7

2004

84.1

83.9

83.2

73.2

2005

74.7

83.2 74.0

2006

2007

83.1

72.9

2008

Percentages exclude EM3 students.

The first batch of students under the adjustment of the promotion criteria from P5 to P6 sat for PSLE in 2001.

Overall

Indian

Educational Indicators 2008 51

Percentage of PSLE Students who SCORED a*–C IN SCIENCE 100

93.3

92.7 90

91.4

90.5

87.7

87.6

86.2

85.4

84.1

91.3

90.9 85.5

90.7 85.5

90.5 84.8

90.9

90.3 85.8

84.4

80

70

60

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Percentages exclude EM3 students.

The first batch of students under the adjustment of the promotion criteria from P5 to P6 sat for PSLE in 2001.

Percentage of gCE ‘o’ LEVEL STUDENTS WITH AT LEAST 3 ‘o’ LEVEL PASSES 100

92.3

92.1 90 88.0

87.2

94.2

93.5 89.1

90.1

95.0

94.7 91.8

91.3

92.6

95.4

92.9

95.2

94.8

94.7 91.3

91.3

80

70

60

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Figures from 2005 onwards exclude IP students.

Overall

Indian

SINDA Annual Report 2009

EDucational indicators 2008

PERCENTAGE OF GCE ‘O’ LEVEL STUDENTS WITH AT LEAST 5 ‘O’ LEVEL PASSES 100

90

80

80.0

77.8

76.3

71.3

70.3 70

60

82.7

81.6

80.0 73.5

73.7

82.0

81.1 72.9

75.0

81.3

80.8 72.6

73.0

66.2

65.5

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

96.8 97.6

96.3 97.5

2007

2008

Figures from 2005 onwards exclude IP students.

Percentage of gCE ‘o’ LEVEL STUDENTS WHO PASSED MOTHER TONGUE LANGUAGE 100

90

94.6

94.4 89.0

93.5

96.2

96.7 96.5

97.1 97.4

2002

2003

96.0 95.5

96.1 96.0

2004

2005

96.5

98.1

89.2

80

70

60

1999

2000

2001

2006

Figures from 2005 onwards exclude IP students.

Overall

Indian

Educational Indicators 2008 53

PERCENTAGE OF GCE ‘O’ LEVEL STUDENTS WHO PASSED ENGLISH LANGUAGE

100

87.1

90

83.7

82.0 80

86.1 79.8

90.3 86.5

86.0

85.0

84.1

81.4

92.4

92.2

89.9

88.5

90.2 86.8

86.1

76.3

73.8

70

60

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Figures from 2005 onwards exclude IP students.

Percentage of gCE ‘o’ LEVEL STUDENTS WHO PASSED MATHEMATICS 100

90

87.1

86.3

80

73.9

73.3

87.5

86.6

73.5

75.6

89.0

87.7

76.1

77.3

88.4

88.3

76.8

79.0

87.8

87.0 75.9

77.6

70

60

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Figures from 2005 onwards exclude IP students.

Overall

Indian

SINDA Annual Report 2009

EDucational indicators 2008

Percentage of gCE ‘A’ LEVEL STUDENTS WITH AT LEAST 3 ‘A’/’H2’ PASSES AND PASS IN GENERAL PAPER OR KNOWLEDGE AND INQUIRY

100

90

80

82.3 78.1

85.8 80.6 81.6

84.8

85.2

87.3 87.2

86.6

88.6 84.2

87.2

81.1

87.0 82.2

81.6

87.6

87.1 82.8

70

60

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

91.4 91.4

92.7 91.9

Figures for 2007 and 2008 include students taking either the new or old syllabus.

Percentage of gCE ‘A’ LEVEL STUDENTS WHO PASSED GENERAL PAPER OR KNOWLEDGE AND INQUIRY 100

91.5 90

88.2

94.0

93.0

92.1 87.1

89.3

95.5 90.8

96.5 91.9

94.2

94.0 93.2

94.3

92.2

80

70

60

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Figures for 2007 and 2008 include students taking either the new or old syllabus.

Overall

Indian

Educational Indicators 2008 55

Percentage of gCE ‘A’ LEVEL STUDENTS WHO PASSED MOTHER TONGUE LANGUAGE AT ‘AO’/’H1’ LEVEL 96.5

100

96.2 92.6

92.6

93.6

96.2

96.2 96.7

96.7 97.6

96.6

94.7

93.1 89.0

91.7

94.6

95.9 92.2

92.5

95.3

90

80

70

60

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Figures for 2007 and 2008 include students taking either the new or old syllabus.

Percentage of P1 COHORT ADMITTED TO POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS 100

90

78.2

80

70

60

86.2

83.8 74.9

77.7

88.0

87.6 80.1

91.0

89.9 86.0

85.6

91.8

90.8 86.7

87.6

92.6 89.2

82.0

64.6

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Post-Secondary Institutions - Junior colleges, Centralised Institute, polytechnics, ITE, LASALLE College of the Arts, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and other private educational organisations offering courses at post-secondary level.

Figures for 2004–2008 are preliminary.

Figures from 2000 include participation in LASALLE College of the Arts, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and other private educational organisations, and also take into account students who left the country.

Overall

Indian

SINDA Annual Report 2009

SINDA would like to thank all our partners, donors and volunteers for their valuable contributions in 2009.

SINDA in 2009 maximising educational opportunities for all

nurturing more enlightened families

strengthening partnerships, community engagement and outreach

Number of students who attended SINDA’s tuition programmes

Number of students who enrolled in STEP programme

Number of students who received full or partial subsidies for tuition programmes

5,618

3,139

1,645

Total number of Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund, SINDA and preschool bursaries disbursed

Number of enquiries received at SINDA’s Career Development and Resource Centre

Number of families assisted by the SINDA Family Service Centre

2,396

1,984

976

Total amount raised through Project Give

Number of households SINDA connections was distributed to

Number of Project Give festive gift packs distributed

More than

72,000

1,200

$600,000

The theme ‘Keeping Together’ for SINDA’s Annual Report 2009 builds on ‘Coming Together’ which was the theme for the SINDA Annual Report 2008. In the words of Henry Ford, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress.

Working together is success.”

‘Keeping Together’ to us meant strengthening our partnerships with our donors, volunteers, partners and all wellwishers so that we can progress together and help the Indian community better. We strongly believe that exponential progress is only possible when we synergise and tap on one another’s strengths.

We are confident that the progress that has been made last year by ‘Keeping Together’ will help us towards ‘Working Together’ in 2010.

keeping together SINDA annual report 2009

...as we progress This year’s theme of ‘Keeping Together’ builds on the spirit of unity that is at the heart of SINDA.

Singapore Indian Development Association No. 1 Beatty Road, Singapore 209943 Tel: 1800 295 4554 Fax: 6392 4300 www.sinda.org.sg