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1 September 2006

PRESIDENT PRESENTS AWARDS TO TEACHERS

Five exemplary teachers will receive the prestigious President’s Award for Teachers from President S.R. Nathan at the Teachers’ Day reception at the Istana on Friday, 1 September 2006. They are:

             Mdm Shirley Bong Fui Lian, Montfort Junior School,

             Mrs Doris Tan Swan Liang, Temasek Primary School,

             Mr Nur Johari, Deyi Secondary School,

             Mrs Goh Hui Cheng , Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School, and

             Mr Sulaiman Bin Mohd Yusof, Sembawang Secondary School.

Information on the award recipients is given in Annex A.

2.          The annual President’s Award for Teachers, the nation’s highest accolade in the teaching fraternity, recognises the commitment of teachers to the total development of students and to nation-building. The award honours the recipients as outstanding teachers who have demonstrated the passion, courage and perseverance to inspire and nurture the nation’s young.

3.          More than 4000 nominations from principals, teachers, students, parents and former students were received this year.  A total of 1155 teachers from 192 schools were nominated.  A Selection Panel, comprising prominent members of the community and senior officers from the Ministry of Education (see Annex B ), selected the five recipients.

                                                                                                              Annex A

RECIPIENTS OF THE PRESIDENT’S AWARD FOR TEACHERS 2006

Mdm Shirley Bong Fui Lian, Montfort Junior School

Mdm Shirley Bong Fui Lian, 34, is the Subject Head for PE and Aesthetics in Montfort Junior School. 

She holds the view that she is an ordinary person but by being a teacher she has become extra-ordinary as she can touch and make a difference to students’ lives.  Hence, she works with the conviction that every child, regardless of his academic capabilities, can and should be helped to unleash his potential.  In her 12 years as a teacher, she has planned and implemented numerous student-centred programmes to help her students learn in an engaged and enriching learning environment. 

Mdm Bong believes that sports can spark off learning and has shown by example, how sports can help children learn in a fun way.  She has initiated MJ Zest, a whole school approach sports-related programme, to promote healthy living among students and to provide more opportunities for students who are less academically-inclined to assume leadership roles. 

Mdm Bong’s colleagues speak well of her contributions towards raising the self-esteem of the disadvantaged students.  She is indeed an inspiring role model to younger teachers.  Her personal philosophy that a teacher has a pivotal role to play in making a difference to each and every child’s life has had an impact on her students and in her school.

Mrs Doris Tan Swan Liang, Temasek Primary School

Mrs Doris Tan Swan Liang, 59, is the Head of Department for Science in Temasek Primary School. 

Her passion for teaching and learning has been strong and enduring in her 40 years in the teaching profession.  She believes strongly in getting her students to be actively involved in their own learning.  She is also a very caring teacher who uses her own life experiences to encourage and motivate her students. 

Mrs Tan has shared her knowledge and experiences with fellow teachers through school-based workshops. In addition, she trains beginning teachers to use problem-based learning and inquiry-based learning approaches in their teaching.  Mrs Tan’s expertise in these areas is recognized.  She has been invited to share her knowledge and skills at local conferences as well as international conferences in Thailand and Finland.  Mrs Tan’s on-going pursuit of professional upgrading and excellence, and her continual attention to the learning of her students, have inspired many of her colleagues.

Mr Nur Johari, Deyi Secondary School

Mr Nur Johari, 41, is the Head of Department for Student Welfare and Development in Deyi Secondary School. 

He believes that the inculcation of values form an integral part of teaching and has spent a large portion of his time reaching out to his students who are less-privileged.  His motivational lunch-time talks to his students have helped raised their self-esteem and self-confidence.  His creative teaching approaches have helped many students excel.  His students appreciate him for being a caring teacher who has helped them develop a sense of purpose in life. 

Mr Nur Johari has also reached out to fellow teachers through professional sharing sessions for teachers from different disciplines.  He has contributed actively to the professional growth of teachers through Teachers Network.  His amiable and dynamic personality has earned him the respect of those who work with him.  His commitment to nurturing his team of teachers into a high performing unit has resulted in his team being awarded the school’s ‘Outstanding Contribution Team Award’ in 2005.  At the community level, Mr Johari has conducted motivational workshops and seminars for students at SINDA and MENDAKI.

Mrs Goh Hui Cheng, Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School

Mrs Goh Hui Cheng, 31, is the Level Head for Chinese Language in Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School. 

She believes that the Chinese Language has a rich culture and if the subject is taught effectively with passion, sound values can be imparted to students.  Her love for the Chinese Language has immense positive impact on both students and teachers.  In her 7 years of service, Mrs Goh has taught Chinese Language creatively to her students. She has also shared her effective teaching strategies with her colleagues. 

Mrs Goh mentors new and younger teachers as she believes that it is important to coach them so that they can conduct interesting lessons to enthuse their students.  Her enthusiastic approach to teaching the language in unique, creative and fun ways has inspired many of her colleagues. 

Mrs Goh’s achievements were recognized when she won the SPH’s ‘Inspiring Chinese Teacher Award’ in 2001 and the ‘Most Creative Lesson Plan Team Award’ in 2004.

Mr Sulaiman Bin Mohd Yusof, Sembawang Secondary School

Mr Sulaiman Bin Mohd Yusof, 36, is the Head of Department for Humanities in Sembawang Secondary School.

His passion for History has spurred him to develop innovative and creative resources as well as teaching pedagogies for his fellow teachers.  He shares with all teachers the resources he has created for the teaching of Humanities through a website which he has specially created.  The National Institute of Education as well as schools have also invited him to share his teaching materials at various platforms. 

Mr Sulaiman sees himself as a change manager, a people developer and a curriculum designer.  He believes that a teacher is in a unique position to influence his students positively and inspire them to be the best that they can be. He believes that classroom lessons should be very engaging for all students and advocates that learning must, to a large extent, be student-centred.  Mr Sulaiman inspires his peers through his conscientious attitude to work and his willingness to share with and help others.  His dedication and passion for teaching are reflected in his enthusiasm, drive and tireless spirit. 

Annex B

SELECTION PANEL