Category: Singapuraku

Primary, Secondary Schools And Neighbourhood Colleges Affected By Mergers In 2019

Fourteen primary schools and six secondary schools will merge in 2019, due to smaller cohort sizes and changing demographics across housing estates, the Ministry of Education (MOE) announced on Thursday (Apr 20).

The changing demographics have resulted in an uneven distribution of students across primary and secondary schools, the ministry said at a briefing.

Demand for Primary 1 places in mature estates has fallen, resulting in surplus places and low enrolment in some schools. But at younger estates, new schools may need to be built to accommodate a higher demand for school places there, MOE said.

The primary schools being merged are:

– East View and Junyuan Primary, to be located on the site of Junyuan Primary.

– Balestier Hill and Bendemeer Primary, to be located on the site of Bendemeer Primary.

– Da Qiao and Jing Shan Primary, to be located on the site of Jing Shan Primary.

– Damai and East Coast Primary, to be located on the site of Damai Primary.

– Coral and White Sands Primary, to be located on the site of White Sands Primary.

– Casuarina and Loyang Primary, to be located on the site of Casuarina Primary.

– Cedar and MacPherson Primary, to be located on the site of Cedar Primary.

A new primary school in Sengkang, Fern Green Primary, will begin operations in 2018. MOE said this is to meet the high demand for school places in the estate.

The secondary schools to be merged are:

– Yuhua and Shuqun Secondary, to be located on the site of Yuhua Secondary.

– East Spring and East View Secondary, to be located on the site of East Spring Secondary.

– Hong Kah and Jurongville Secondary, to be located on the site of Jurongville Secondary.

For the first time, eight junior colleges will also be merged, making this is the largest school merging exercise in the past decade.

The eight government junior colleges that will be merged in 2019 were selected because of the need to ensure a good spread of JCs across the island, said the Ministry of Education (MOE) at a press briefing on Thursday (Apr 20).

This is partly why even schools with high entry requirements such as Anderson Junior College (AJC) – which had an entry score of eight and nine points for the science and arts courses respectively in 2016, lower than schools such as Catholic Junior College (CJC) – will have to be merged.

AJC will take in Serangoon JC, which has also steadily climbed up the ranks since it opened in 1988. In 2016, it had an entry score of 11 points for both science and arts courses, compared to 20 when it started out. The new school will be located at AJC’s Yio Chu Kang site to serve the north-east area.

In 2019, Jurong and Pioneer JCs will also be merged to form a JC in the west; Innova and Yishun JCs in the north; and Tampines and Meridian JCs in the east. These schools will be located at the latter-named sites. These sites were chosen based on the quality of infrastructure, and their accessibility to transport, said the MOE.

Sources: www.channelnewsasia.com, www.straitstimes.com

April 20, 2017
Mother Battling With Cancer Appeals For Donations

My name is Chek Ming. I am 46 years old. I want to tell you my story and ask for your help. My life has been a struggle for the past few years but I am consoled as I have a 5-year old son. He is my greatest pride and joy, and also the reason I’m asking for help.

I am a Stage 4 cancer patient (metastatic clear cell ovarian carcinoma) who desperately needs to raise over $139,000 annually to get access to immunotherapy, which is not a subsidised cancer treatment and it is out of reach for subsidised patients like me.

I am also fast running out of time, having endured 2 years of debilitating chemotherapy, using various other cancer drugs, to no avail, having now reached fourth-line treatment stage using the last available drug. Those conventional cancer drugs have failed to stop the rapid spread of the disease from Stage 1c to Stage 4. I am now suffering from incremental and severe stabbing pains in my right chest and arm due to inflamed axillary lymph nodes surrounding the front of my heart and embedded in my chest.

It all happened when I was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of ovarian cancer called “Ovarian Clear Cell Carcinoma”, that occurs in only 5% of ovarian cancer sufferers. As such, hardly any research has been done on this type of cancer.

I underwent major surgery on 6th April 2015 to remove a huge 12.5 cm ovarian cyst, my womb, ovaries, Fallopian tubes, cervix, omentum, appendix and 29 lymph nodes when ultrasound scans and CA125 cancer marker blood tests indicated high possibility of ovarian cancer. The diagnosis of ovarian cancer was confirmed when the diseased ovarian cyst was sent to the lab for frozen section.

Subsequently, I started chemotherapy on 21st May 2015, receiving Carboplatin and Paclitaxel chemotherapy for 6 cycles every 3 weeks as my medical oncologist said that it is an aggressive cancer (clear cell type) and is likely to come back despite surgery. At that time, I was told that I had Stage 1c ovarian clear cell cancer – i.e. the cancerous ovarian cyst had been leaking cancerous fluid into the surrounding tissues.

Despite the side effects, I persevered through this chemotherapy in the hope that I can survive to raise my son. I will do anything for him. Being 3 years old at the time, he did not know much. But, he saw me lose my hair, vomit, lying in bed unwell for hours and could not play with him – he could not comprehend or understand the reasons.

I thought it was all over and I can go back to lead a normal life. Then, the unthinkable happened. On the 21st September 2015, my medical oncologist suggested that I undergo another CT scan for a routine check-up after my chemotherapy (immediately after I finished my chemotherapy that same month).

The doctor told me it is now impossible to either operate or cure since the cancer has resurged aggressively to Stage 4 in such a short amount of time. My heart sank. I need more treatments but any treatment now is not curative. The doctor told me any treatment now is merely palliative.

I am a single parent and the sole-breadwinner. Oftentimes, I skip meals in order to save up enough money to feed my son proper meals, as he was born prematurely and underweight. I have met many kind people but the amount of help that I need is more than what my normal acquaintances can help.

I live in a small, barebones, 45-sqm, HDB flat (1 bedroom, 1 hall). I have sold off everything that I can sell, in order to survive month-to-month.

Unfortunately, I have no private health insurance and I am not covered under the CPF Dependent Protection Scheme. Hence, I am thankful to all the NUH Doctors, Nurses, Radiologists, Therapists, Counter Staff, Support Staff and Medical Social Workers for their kindness and support. As a subsidised patient, I am grateful to the Singapore Government and the National University Hospital of Singapore for MediShield Life, the NUH medical assistance fund (for Avastin) and the medical bill subsidy by Medifund, which does not cover all bills.

I hope that your donation would be able to help me to pay for my family’s medical bills; basic necessities; household bills; journeys to/from hospital (because I am unsteady on my feet nowadays due to neuropathy and blood pressure is low); some nutritious fresh foods; bank debts left behind in my name by an abusive estranged spouse (who left the country several years ago and no contact); and daily living expenses, during these dark days, and even more so when my condition deteriorates and require hospice care; coming funeral expenses; and to set aside sufficient cash reserve for my poor mother to sustain herself and enable her to care for my young son when I pass on, as they will be in urgent need in the many years to come. Thank you in advance for all donations.

The cost for immunotherapy treatment amounts to approximately $139,000 a year. The medicine is administered every 3 weeks.

The medicine costs between $6,500 and $8,000 per dose, depending on the type administered. There are usually pre-medications that need to be administered too, prior to each dose of the immunotherapy medicine but I do not know the cost for these pre-medications at this point in time.

My doctor tells me that the 5-year survival rate for this cancer is not good and I am unlikely to survive very long given that this is an aggressive, chemo-resistant cancer and it is now at Stage 4. Yet, I need to survive this fight for my life, for at least another few more years in order to stay with my son. He is just too young to lose his mom.

I am appealing out of desperation as I have exhausted all my social connections and charity appeals. I have sold off anything that is of value in my small flat.

Please help me. Any help, no matter how big or small, will make a big difference to me and my son.

Thank you all kindly.

Besides GIVE, we have received SGD 74,257.50 from other sources.

Source: https://give.asia

April 20, 2017
34 Year Old Mother Of Four Struggling After Divorce, Pleads For Financial Assistance

Madam Shireen is a 34 years old mother of 4 kids, 2 boys are her own, while the other 2 girls are left to her care due to their own broken family left behind by their own parents. She also has a mother whom she’s the only caregiver full time, and thus she’s unable to find work that’s too far away.

Her trouble arises when she’s unable to service her mortgage loan from the bank, which runs to arrears of $11k plus and she was issued with a Writ of Possession against her to vacant her one and only place call home.

Besides the housing loan, Madam Shireen still owes the Town Council about $500 plus, and PUB about $1000 plus.

Her husband walked out on the family last year, after being physically abusive towards her. She is currently on a Personal Protection Order against her husband, thus she can only fend for herself. She was left alone to work and support the family as a convenience store shift leader previously.

Madam Shireen had to stop working in 2012 when her mother had contracted high fever and was left in a coma. Her other siblings were not able to help and the role of the caregiver fell onto Madam Shireen’s shoulders. She still cares for her mother up till today, and constantly shuttles between her home and her mother’s place.

When they bought the flat previously, they have no clue that the loan was under bank loan and not HDB. Madam Shireen tried to seek assistance to refinance her home with HDB but was rejected due to eligibility.

It has come to a stage that her children are going to school without any pocket money, and she’s seeking help from Social Service Office, which they are still processing.

All Madam Shireen want is for her to tie through these tough times and she’s concurrently looking for home based job where she can earn some money for her to continue her life. She loves her children very much, and all she wants is to provide for them to have a shelter over their head. The children are innocent and they should not be suffering together with her. She’s feeling helpless and hopeless, and we hope to bring some light into her life by donating to her generously to help her tie through and no amount is too small. Please also help to share Madam Shireen’s story, as these are cases that’s fallen through the cracks in our society.

For direct tranfer, Mdm Reen Account Number

Posb Savings

170-49122-0

or

You can get in touch with me at

contact email

[email protected]

Sincerely,

Lauretta

Source: https://give.asia

April 20, 2017
Osman Sulaiman: Objective Review Of Policies Implemented By Allahyarham Othman Wok Will Benefit Malay Muslim Community

Othman Wok has passed away. In my community, many believe that we cannot talk about the dead. I disagree. Strongly.

The belief that we cannot talk about a dead man past has its roots from Islamic teachings that forbid anyone to air out a dead man’s shameful/disgraceful past. This, I agree.

But what many would do the moment we tried to discuss about a man’s past, his beliefs, his stand, his deeds, his contributions, his ideology and his political leaning, we are swiftly reminded not to talk about it even if it has nothing to do with exposing of the dead man past.

As with Othman Wok, many would know about the infamous words he uttered on the burning of the corpses. Many also would know of his loyalty to LKY.

When speaking about this, I dont think this is shaming the man for bringing back what he said before because Othman Wok still stands by it and has never apologized nor is he ever contrite for his words.

Othman Wok was the de facto leader of the Malay community by virtue of being appointed a minister in the 60s and 70s. As a leader back then, we should be allowed to study and discuss his actions and contributions as it has bearings on how our community socio-cultural environment developed.

We can see the mainstream media pouring praises on Othman Wok. Are we then not allowed to counter with facts on his actions? If we take on the line not to discuss a dead man past, we would never have known how evil Hitler and Saddam was.

No, we are not shaming or airing out his personal details and discretion, but rather to visit history and discuss the impact he, Othman Wok has contributed based on his actions and words.

Othman Wok was never a leader to me. In fact, it was during his time as a minister, policies that were detrimental to my community went unchallenged, passed without much fun fare that ultimately, led to a whole generation of my community to be weakened economically.

It shaped the political environment my community faced today. Because whatever we fight today, we fight for our future generation. He, Othman Wok never fought for us. He acquiesced and was complicit with the gov questionable act.

As a Muslim, I pray for his well-being in the afterlife. May god bless his soul.

But In this life, I cannot put him on a pedestal.

Source: Osman Sulaiman

April 20, 2017
Drunk Ah Peck Step Gay, Harasses Handsome Mat Saleh On MRT Because He Thinks Mat Saleh ‘Signal’ Him

Hey Singapore friends: just a heads up, this guy physically assaulted me on the MRT, so if you ever see him, be on your guard. I was with a friend and he approached me–drunk–and said he was gay, and that he wanted to fuck me. He said, “I know you’re gay, so let’s fuck.”

This went on for several minutes and I tried to politely diffuse the situation, but then he began to yell at my friend when she intervened; I wouldn’t let this stand, and started to become angry myself. He threatened her, and some other people on the train intervened (several were filming). He touched me, and I told him not to, and I briefly lost my temper–after that he slapped me on the side of the head. He kept going on and on, and when a woman tried to take his picture, he attempted to kick her phone out of her hand. When my friend and I got off at our stop, he got off as well, but we managed to evade him and leave the station without him following us.

For those of you that don’t know: I’m not gay (not that it should matter). However, I don’t exactly fit the “masculine” mold of society, so oftentimes I am mistaken as queer–on several occasions around the world, for example, I’ve caught flak for carrying a “man purse.” On a personal level, this is why I need feminism: so I can be confident in myself and not feel like I have to fulfill any gender role assigned to me. However, I do appreciate that women probably have to deal with this shit (or at least the threat of it) on a fairly regular basis.

I wish I’d said thank you to the train people who took a stand and put themselves between me and this man, but I was too rattled to muster it (at least I could thank my friend, who had the good sense to make a video). I wish I’d sat in a different train car, and the whole situation could’ve been avoided. Was it the V-neck I was wearing? My ripped skinny jeans? I probably should have held my temper, but that’s not my character. Could I have found a way to peacefully diffuse the whole situation? It’s obviously not my fault but, somehow, a part of me is convinced it was.

Source: Joe DeMarini

April 20, 2017