COMMUNITY SERVICE OF STUDENTS

Mdm Claire Chiang See Ngoh asked the Minister for Education if he will give an evaluation of the effectiveness of the mandatory six-hour community service rendered by secondary school students to instil in our young the value of community caring and sharing; and if his Ministry intends to increase the number of hours.

RAdm Teo Chee Hean: The Community Involvement Programme (CIP) was introduced to all schools in October 1997. All pupils, from Primary One upwards, are involved in the CIP. The objective of CIP is for schools to be involved in the life of the community to foster a strong sense of belonging and bonding between the school and the community.

CIP is about preparation for active citizenship. We want schools to develop meaningful relationships with the community on a sustained basis.

A survey on the CIP was conducted in October 1998, one year after implementation. There was agreement amongst schools that the programme has brought about a better awareness of volunteerism, helped in character development of pupils and also enabled pupils to pick up important skills like communication and care-giving skills. Pupils have developed a stronger sense of belonging and bonding to the community.

Overall, our objective in starting CIP is being achieved. The CIP coupled with other community service activities conducted by schools provides our young with good exposure to community service and involvement. As the Programme is relatively new, it should be allowed to run for a few years before we assess whether there is a need to make any changes to the number of hours required.