Cover Photo
Ms Indranee Rajah, Minister, Prime Minister’s office, Second Minister for Finance and Education and President, SINDA, with Mr Anbarasu Rajendran, Acting CEO, SINDA with recipients of the BTSF School kits
The Back to School Festival (BTSF) has been organised annually by SINDA since 2008.
Close to 2,500 student beneficiaries received the BTSF school kit at this year’s event –the largest number of recipients SINDA have had thus far, which took place on the 17th November, 2018 at the Clementi Primary School.
This increase is partially due to SINDA’s revised subsidy criteria, which is expected to benefit more students in the coming years. SINDA has also been reaching out to more families in the community through the flip-model of engagement, as well as sustaining its partnerships with community organisations. The increase is also attributed to SINDA’s continued outreach and collaboration with its community partners, such as the other Self-Help Groups and Family Service Centres.
As a result, this year’s festival spanned across three days to accommodate the increased number of school kit recipients.
After each ceremony, fringe activities such as balloon sculpting, henna, traditional games and magic shows had been planned for beneficiaries and their families.
The event objective was to provide financial assistance in support of educational needs of students from low income families and uplift them and to ensure that no child’s education is compromised due to financial constraints . And also to help students and their families with school-related expenses in the new year
The students received a school kit containing vouchers for stationery items and shoes. Each kit is worth $180. Every school kit comprised $120 worth of stationery vouchers and $60 worth of shoe vouchers.
Ms Indranee Rajah, Minister, Prime Minister’s office, Second Minister for Finance and Education and President, SINDA, said in her speech that, ‘SINDA believes in every Indian child receiving maximum educational opportunities in his or her academic and holistic development. This strong emphasis on education, is because, education is the key to better social mobility and eventually, a better life. Education gives knowledge and skills; it unlocks the doors to better jobs, better pay and job advancement. It is education that will help our children succeed. It gives them the best chance to navigate the future and helps them be the best that they can be’.
Information and Photo courtesy: SINDA
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