Singapore - More school-based student care centres to open by 2014

SINGAPORE: The Education Ministry will be increasing the number of school-based student care centres over the next two years.

The centres offer after-school pastoral care and a structured environment for students from low-income families to support their learning.

By 2014, there will be 70 school-based centres, up from the current 57 primary schools and two special education schools that currently provide these services.

Schools which do not have student centres can tap on the services offered by similar organisations in their community.

Enrolment fees for the school-based centres average S$230 a month before subsidies.

MOE also aims to raise the quality of services offered by the centres by requiring schools to better coordinate their programmes with those run by the centres.

While the centre's programmes are run by the operators, the school's Student Development or Student Welfare departments will monitor and guide the design of the programmes. 

Schools will also implement school-level intervention programmes for students enrolled in the centres.

Allied Educators will also monitor the development of the students and where required, they will also work with the Community Development Councils, self-help groups and family service centres to identify and deal with family-related problems so that the students can focus on learning in school.

Besides providing learning support, MOE is also increasing financial assistance to students from lower-income families.

As announced in the Budget speech, the ministry's Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) will be available to families with a gross monthly income of up to S$2,500, instead of the current S$1,500.

Students will also be eligible for financial aid if their per capita household income is S$625 a month or less.

With these changes, another 40,000 students are expected to benefit, doubling the total number of beneficiaries to about 80,000 students in government and government-aided schools. 

Those in independent schools may also take advantage of the new per capita income criterion for the Independent School Bursary.

MOE will also triple the annual funding allocated to the School Breakfast Programme, from S$4 million to S$12 million.

The programme provides breakfast vouchers to primary school recipients of the FAS, and ensures they don't start their day on an empty stomach.

More money has also be allocated to school committees for programmes aimed at helping low-income students.

"Taken together, the whole support package to lower-income families can be quite substantial and would relieve some burden from low-income families. It is not just about money, but an integrated approach, addressing financial, socio-emotional and learning support, in partnership with parents and the broader community," said Education Minister Heng Swee Keat.

- CNA/ck 



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