SINGAPORE YOUTH FESTIVAL

SINGAPORE YOUTH FESTIVAL

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(Annual budget, success and achievements): **

5.

Mr Baey Yam Keng asked the Minister for Education (a) what is the annual budget for the Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) for the last five years, with a breakdown into the categories of performing arts, sports and uniformed groups; (b) how the success of the SYF is measured; and (c) what are some examples of its key achievements.

Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam: The Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) is organised for primary schools in even numbered years and for the secondary schools and junior colleges/centralised institute in the odd numbered years. As some events organised for the primary schools differ from those

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organised for the secondary schools, junior colleges and centralised institutes, the cost for running SYF for the different levels differ as well. The average budget for the last three primary level SYF was about $930,000 while the average budget for the last three secondary, junior college, centralised institute level SYF was about $502,000.

The SYF plays an important role in promoting the development of the arts in our schools. Its objectives are to encourage mass participation in performing arts CCAs, promote the growth of an arts culture in our schools and raising standards in arts education. The SYF also showcases the diverse talents of our students in the arts. The SYF is a two-step process each year. In April, the central judging benchmarks the standards of performing arts groups in schools by assessing them in six categories: band, Chinese orchestra, choir, dance, drama and instrumental ensembles. Schools that do well in each category are then selected and showcased in the festival in July. Each year, more than 20 events are staged under SYF and the performances reach out to ticketed audience at formal concert halls as well as members of the public at shopping centres and parks. The SYF also showcases students in track and field and UG events.

The success of the SYF is measured based on a broad set of deliverables. The deliverables are:

• % of schools that participated in the annual SYF events

• Trend data on participation rates by levels (primary, secondary, JC)

• Trend data on Overall Award Distribution for SYF Central Judging

• Number of schools attaining Sustained Achievement Award (Aesthetics)

Trend study on the participation rates by levels (primary, secondary and JC) over the last six years shows a positive trend of students participating in the SYF Central Judging. The increase for each festival over the preceding festival for the level has been between 9% and 27%.

Schools have also performed better in the annual SYF Central Judging. Trend study on the overall award distribution for SYF Central Judging from 2002-2007 also shows a higher percentage of items attaining at least a Silver Award in this benchmarking platform. In the 2007 SYF, 70% of items attained at least a Silver Award.

There is an increasing number of schools attaining the Sustained Achievement Award for Aesthetics from 2002-2007. In 2002, 10 schools were awarded the Sustained Achievement Award for Aesthetics while in 2006, 26 institutions received the same award.

The greatest testimony of the achievement and success of SYF is the vibrant performing arts scene in schools, which in turn builds a strong audience and performer base for the arts in Singapore. Today, there are a total of 1,018 performing groups of various kinds in our secondary schools and JCs and 745 in primary schools. In 2006-2007, 97.7% of all primary schools, 98.8% of all secondary schools and 90% of all junior colleges/centralised institute participated in at least one of the SYF platforms.