Good Afternoon my Parliamentary Colleagues, Mr. Ahmad Magad, Mr. Charles Chong, Dr. Michael Lim and Ms Penny Low, Principals and Staff of PCF Punggol, Distinguished Guests, Parents, Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls.

I am happy to join you this afternoon at the PCF Punggol K2 Graduation Ceremony cum Annual Concert, which is co-organised by the PCF Branches in Punggol Central, North and South.

PCF Punggol has 13 education centres, in Hougang, Sengkang and Punggol Towns. The Branches have adopted the "learn through play" approach and have nurtured an environment that is filled with happy experiences that will help our children grow into well-adjusted adults.

This approach will not immediately show tangible results but it will ensure that our children are equipped with skills and knowledge that will take them far beyond their first few years of primary school.

We need to realize that the premise that learning takes place only within the four walls of a classroom no longer holds true. Learning begins the moment we are born. A newly delivered infant learns to breathe almost instantaneously upon leaving his mother’s womb.

The opportunities for learning are countless. Some of the best lessons we learn are through experiences. We need to seek and seize these opportunities when they present themselves. Learning continues throughout our lifetime.

In Singapore, we need to manage our limited human resource to achieve their maximum capability. This can be achieved through sound education policies. Education policies are designed to meet the evolving economic and social needs of a country.

Since the establishment of the Foundation, there have been continual efforts to improve the PCF kindergarten programmes in terms of upgrading physical facilities, curriculum and teacher-training. I’m pleased to announce that in PCF Punggol these endeavours to enhance the programme will continue.

Two New Generation Pre-Schools or NGPS will be built. These centres will be located in our Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC. One centre will be at Blk 143 Rivervale Drive in Sengkang and the other will be at Blk 174D, Edgedale Plains in Punggol Town. In addition to the NGPS, we will also have the first, and only, PCF double-storey pre-school centre. This centre will be at Blk 105D, Edgefield Plains in Punggol Town.

These new centres will have larger classrooms to incorporate the exciting features of a finetuned curriculum.

Improvements in the PCF Curriculum will continue to focus on children being active learners.

• Children will have more opportunities to explore and learn in spaces set up especially for dramatic or role play, science investigations, art and craft work, using the computer and for quiet reading.
• Lessons will be more interactive, laying the foundation in language, literacy and numeracy.
• The learn-through-play approach will also develop skills like memory, thinking and problem solving.
• The curriculum will also cultivate self-discipline and good social and moral values as well as the emotional well being of our children.

Another area of focus is the continual professional development of teachers. Teachers are critical players in the development of our children. Teachers will be given the opportunity to be trained in a specialization.

This means that these teachers can choose a specialization in teaching language, mathematics, art or music. Specialisation means that such teachers will have in-depth knowledge of the subjects they teach. Specialization will help pave the way to higher quality pre-school education.

Education and learning is not only the government or school’s responsibility. Parents and the community have important parts to play. It is a partnership.

While academic achievement and good grades are important, what is more crucial are the values and attitudes that we instil in our young. We should give children room to learn at their own pace and time to develop their talents and interests.

Stimulate your child’s total development. Encourage your child to imagine, create and inculcate in him a love for reading, exploring and learning. Encourage him to interact with people of different backgrounds, as this will help him to develop social and communication skills as well as to build up self-confidence. These are essential skills that will last a lifetime.

Today, 1345 K2 students will be graduating at this ceremony upon completing their pre-school education. They will soon begin another exciting chapter of their lives in primary school. To each of these graduates, I wish all the best and hope that they have fond memories of their years in PCF. Thank you.

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