Inter-faith NGO turns 60
By Goh Chin Lian
NEW immigrants and the young generation can take a leaf from the founders of the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO) 60 years ago.
They knew the importance of dialogue and face to face interaction in building trust in a diverse society, and on Monday night they were praised by Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng for their 'wise foresight' in founding Singapore's only inter-faith non-government organisation.
Mr Wong, who is also Home Affairs Minister, reminded more than 280 representatives of religious groups and members of the diplomatic corps that the ability of different religious communities to live peacefully together in Singapore did not happen by chance.
'This is not something in the DNA of Singapore. It is the effort of purposive and determined cultivation and is maintained by disciplined vigilance against anything that threatens it,' he said at a dinner reception at the Raffles Town Club to mark the IRO's 60th anniversary.
He called the Government a 'worrier' who takes nothing for granted when it comes to matters of race and religion.
This is why it started the Community Engagement Programme in 2006 to build up ties among leaders across various communities such as schools, businesses, unions and arts groups to reduce tension in case of a crisis.
This is also seen in the Government taking a serious stand on all who purvey extremist or seditious views, or actions.
He said: 'The robustness of the Government's response and its clear message that we will not extremism from any group is the reason why groups exercise restraint even when they encounter provocation, often from occurrences outside Singapore or on the Internet.'
Mr Wong also paid tribute to the IRO, which represents 10 different religions: Hinduism, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Taoism, Jainism, Christianity, Islam, Skihism and the Baha'i Faith.
He put on record its work in promoting inter-religious understanding and goodwill through seminars and public talks, as well as publishing books on religious customs and practices.
The IRO and its members who are leaders in their own communities, he said, also 'set a bold and powerful example for others to follow in inter-faith dialogue and mutual understanding'.
On Monday night, he presented the IRO Award to one of its longest serving member, Venerable Chao Khun.
The Chief Abbot of the Wat Ananda Temple has been involved in the IRO for more than 20 years, providing guidance for key IRO events and being a regular member of its prayer team.
Mr Wong said the IRO has become 'both a symbol and a working reality of religious harmony'.
'I would like to place on record the Government's appreciation of the contributions of the IRO and its members over the many years.
'They have helped to preserve and enhance the ethnic harmony which Singapore has come to showcase as one of its most valuable and precious feature.'
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
The Catholic High Story - ST 12 Jan 2009
Curriculum change helped
Student-focused system is more flexible, caters to interest
By Cheryl Ong
OF THE 35 top Secondary 4 Chinese students in last year's GCE O-level examination, about one-third came from Catholic High School.
All 12 of them scored nine A1s, a jump from last year, when only three Catholic High students made it to the list of top Secondary 4 Chinese students.
Catholic High's principal Lee Hak Boon attributed the marked improvement partly to a new curriculum the school adopted in 2006.
It allows students to take subjects they want to study rather than choose from fixed subject combinations.
'What we've done here is open up a lot of options and give students leeway to do what they are interested in.'
He added that the teachers' commitment to their pupils also contributed greatly to the good results this year.
O-level students need to take a predetermined number of subjects in language, science and the humanities.
Students at Catholic High were able to take any combination they liked as long as they met the requirements.
The resulting total number of combinations came to nearly a hundred, according to the Head of Department (English) Mr Edwin Heng, and the school coped with this by 'banding' subjects in the timetable together.
For instance, during two hours of humanities subjects in a timetable, students attend the respective classes of whatever subjects they signed up for.
'I think the school programme has certainly helped,' said Chan Hua Peng, 17, one of the top students at Catholic High. 'If you study what you like you'll naturally want to do well.'
Interests aside, the flexible system also let students like fellow top-scorer Chua Kah Hoe, 17, take subjects they can ace.
'I chose mainly the subjects I would do well at,' he said of his combination of three science subjects, two maths, geography, social studies and a history elective.
'But it all depends on how much hard work you put in, and the teachers, of course.'
Bolstered by the school's achievements, Mr Lee aims to raise the number of distinctions for English from 65.4 per cent this year to 70 per cent.
'We are looking for new breakthroughs next year,' he said.
Student-focused system is more flexible, caters to interest
By Cheryl Ong
OF THE 35 top Secondary 4 Chinese students in last year's GCE O-level examination, about one-third came from Catholic High School.
All 12 of them scored nine A1s, a jump from last year, when only three Catholic High students made it to the list of top Secondary 4 Chinese students.
Catholic High's principal Lee Hak Boon attributed the marked improvement partly to a new curriculum the school adopted in 2006.
It allows students to take subjects they want to study rather than choose from fixed subject combinations.
'What we've done here is open up a lot of options and give students leeway to do what they are interested in.'
He added that the teachers' commitment to their pupils also contributed greatly to the good results this year.
O-level students need to take a predetermined number of subjects in language, science and the humanities.
Students at Catholic High were able to take any combination they liked as long as they met the requirements.
The resulting total number of combinations came to nearly a hundred, according to the Head of Department (English) Mr Edwin Heng, and the school coped with this by 'banding' subjects in the timetable together.
For instance, during two hours of humanities subjects in a timetable, students attend the respective classes of whatever subjects they signed up for.
'I think the school programme has certainly helped,' said Chan Hua Peng, 17, one of the top students at Catholic High. 'If you study what you like you'll naturally want to do well.'
Interests aside, the flexible system also let students like fellow top-scorer Chua Kah Hoe, 17, take subjects they can ace.
'I chose mainly the subjects I would do well at,' he said of his combination of three science subjects, two maths, geography, social studies and a history elective.
'But it all depends on how much hard work you put in, and the teachers, of course.'
Bolstered by the school's achievements, Mr Lee aims to raise the number of distinctions for English from 65.4 per cent this year to 70 per cent.
'We are looking for new breakthroughs next year,' he said.
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