Chief Commissioner's response to MOE Changes (from VSL Jeffrey Ho on 18 November 2004)

[art60214]

-----Original Message-----
From: h...@scout.org.sg [mailto:h...@scout.org.sg]
Sent: <st1:date Month="11" Day="17" Year="2004">Wednesday, November
17, 2004</st1:date> <st1:time Hour="14" Minute="38">2:38 PM</st1:time>
To: 'Scout HQ'
Subject: SSA's Response to MOE changes

Dear Brother and Sister Scouts,

Many of us were disturbed to varying degrees by the numerous
changes that are happening in the <st1:country-
region><st1:place>Singapore</st1:place></st1:country-region> education
system over the last few months. We have grumbled and we have talked
about them. But the article in the Straits Times dated <st1:date
Month="11" Day="15" Year="2004">15 Nov 2004</st1:date> prompted me to
write this letter to you because the article clearly summarized the
changes that we can no longer ignore. These changes can be
opportunities for scouting or they can have serious repercussions if
we ignore them or continue to focus our attention on our squabbles,
internal politics, personal glory or even implement changes in form
rather than substance.

I shall attempt to identify some of the more significant
changes and raise some questions that we need to address. I shall also
point to some possible solutions that each one of us may need to
consider at our sphere of influence and control.

The first major change is the breakdown in the higher
structured education system upon which we largely based our scout
structure. JCs are now allowed to recruit students directly at Sec. 3.
Universities can also recruit students before they complete their A-
levels, albeit in smaller numbers. Although only a few JCs are
recruiting students at this point of time, I think that the number
will grow because the other JCs will perceive that they are left with
only the less able students after the O-levels if they do not do so.

This structural change will have a tremendous impact on
scouting. A fact that we need to acknowledge is that we do not have
active Venture Scout units in JCs and institutes of higher learning
(IHLs). One of the reasons is that traditionally our scouts prefer to
return to their old units in the secondary schools when they join the
JCs or IHLs. This tradition is both a strength and weakness and it is
something we need to discuss. Unit leaders of the traditionally
stronger units, which tend to retain many of the old scouts, need to
ask if this tradition will continue to be relevant with this new
education policy. Other questions that we need to ask include:

1. How will this tradition affect the recruitment and retention
of the academically-inclined scouts in own units?

2. Should some units consider establishing Venture Scout units
with a JC or IHL that most of their students tend to go?

3. Should scout units encourage their scouts to join Venture or
Rover units rather than retain them to provide the leadership at the
Scout unit level?

4. Is the establishment of more open or community scout groups
the way to circumvent this change and if so where will we get our unit
leaders?

This change can therefore affect us in either a positive or negative
way. It will be positive if we take this as a wake-up call and we all
work together to establish strong and active Venture Scout Units in
the JCs and IHLs, or more open/community units. It is a section that
we have all neglected for one reason or other. On the other hand this
will impact us negatively if we sit back and do nothing, or cling on
to traditional practices because we are so convinced that our glorious
past will shield us from all change. This education policy will
affect our membership, particularly students who are more academically
inclined, at Sec. 3. This will have an impact on the leadership at
the unit level, particularly in the more popular schools which tend to
attract the academically-inclined students, and this will result in a
ripple effect throughout the entire unit. In the longer term this will
also affect the availability of leaders in scouting, or the support
and goodwill that we enjoy from leaders of society that were former
scouts.

Another related change is the programme adopted by a few schools that
allows students to proceed directly to the A-levels without going
through the O-levels. If taken with the earlier policy it will mean
that a substantial number of students that are likely to take the A-
levels will not do the O-levels. It is difficult to predict exactly
how this will play out in terms of student enrollment and profile but
we need to "Be Prepared" and examine if there is also need to adjust
our Scout and Venture Scout Programmes and even the organization
structures at the unit level. I believe that our organization
structure must complement the student management structure of the
school if we want to be a valued part of the school. Some of the
questions that we may need to ask include:

1. Can we provide more leadership positions and other forms of
"contributions" in the Venture section because it is stated that these
will be important criteria in admission to the universities?

2. How do we ensure that the natural attrition from the Scout
section to the Venture section will not have a negative impact on the
morale of the former, now that these are all part of the same school?

3. How do we maintain the links and collaboration between the two
sections without curbing the development opportunities of the scouts?

4. Can we have some procedure/policy/process that will help
students continue with scouting when they transfer from a mainstream
school to one of these schools?

The two education changes mentioned above also imply that CCA points
will play a less significant role in the admission criteria for JCs
and IHLs.

1. Should we publicise this change?

2. How confident are we that students join scouts because of our
programme and not because of the CCA points?

3. How should we adjust our recruitment campaigns?

4. Do we need to re-look at our programme and badge schemes to
reflect this change in the status of CCA points?

The focus of the education system has also changed. For example,
Project Work is given greater emphasis. Similarly there is much talk
about creativity, independent learning, entrepreneurship and
globalization.

1. Do we need to show how scouting complements and supports these
imperatives? This is not new. For example much was said about the
role of scouting in team building, nation building and preparation for
NS when this was the emphasis. Do we need to change our branding?

2. Can our programme complement and build on the academic work
required of students?

The final, and most obvious change, is the 5-day week. Many unit
leaders have asked us on a policy position. However we are unable to
do so because different schools have responded to this policy
differently. Some schools have insisted that CCAs continue as usual on
Saturdays while, at the other end of the spectrum, other schools have
refused to allow anyone to enter the school even if we provide a
volunteer adult leader. I have given this issue much thought and now
believe that an underlying issue is the status of teachers who are
appointed as scout leaders - are they volunteers or "paid
<st1:PersonName>staff</st1:PersonName>".

I do recognize and appreciate the very good work done by many such
adult leaders. In fact scouting cannot function without such teachers.
However I think that clarity in this issue is critical if we want to
resolve the 5-day week issue and many other related issues. If such
unit leaders are "paid <st1:PersonName>staff</st1:PersonName>" (ie it
is part of their duty as a teacher) then it is right that they should
abide by this new civil service policy. However if such unit leaders
are "paid <st1:PersonName>staff</st1:PersonName>" then they have
certain obligations required of all employees such as attending
regular training to upgrade his/her skills, provide the required
amount of activities, and also SSA should provide input for the annual
appraisal exercise. The relationship between SSA, the school and the
teacher will then have to be very different.

On the other hand if the adult leaders are volunteers then they are
not obliged to adhere to the 5-day week policy because this is
volunteerism. More importantly such contributions should be recognized
in the teacher's appraisal and duly recognized by MOE, SSA and other
organs of the State.

In other words, this 5-day week policy has brought to the surface an
important issue that SSA may need to address. Adult leaders should
not be required to function as a volunteer and as a "paid
<st1:PersonName>staff</st1:PersonName>" at the same time. Each status
has its own set of obligations and privileges that both the MOE and
SSA should respect. We need to clarify this with the relevant
authorities but this should be discussed at the District and Area
levels.

I have written and sent this paper to all adult leaders because I
strongly believe that our response to these and other changes in
education, and even in society, must be a joint response. It must be a
joint response because as <st1:country-region><st1:place>Singapore</
st1:place></st1:country-region> moves towards greater de-
centralisation in all sectors, including education, it is also
increasingly difficult for SSA to have a response from the "centre".
That is why we need stronger Area and District structures and
leadership. In fact we need strong unit leaders who are able to sense
and respond to the unique developments in each school.

However this does not mean that the <st1:PersonName>HQ</
st1:PersonName> has no responsibilities. <st1:PersonName>HQ</
st1:PersonName> will need to continually scan the horizon for changes,
continue to strengthen our partnership with other stakeholders, and
continue to provide the administrative support required in the
organisation. <st1:PersonName>HQ</st1:PersonName> will need to
develop, in collaboration with as many adult leaders as possible,
clearer strategic plans that all units understand, accept and own.
<st1:PersonName>HQ</st1:PersonName> will need to develop policies,
programmes and procedures that meet the changing needs of society,
ensure that we remain true to our beliefs and methods, and yet
allowing units and individual scouts to customize these to suit their
unique needs.

<st1:country-region><st1:place>Singapore</st1:place></st1:country-
region> is in the midst of significant changes. Whether a change is a
threat or an opportunity depends on our collective leadership. No one
will make a change to deliberately harm or help scouting. We have to
view these changes objectively and ensure that every change is an
opportunity for us to improve scouting and to reach out to more
youths. But to do this we need the understanding and support of all
adult leaders. I would welcome any views, comments and/or suggestions
and you can send them either to my personal email at nnt...@nie.edu.sg
or to the scout <st1:PersonName>HQ</st1:PersonName> itself
h...@scout.org.sg.

Let us recognize, welcome and capitalize on these changes and together
achieve our goal of better scouting for more youths.

Yours in scouting,

Nicholas Tang

Chief Commissioner

<st1:date Month="11" Day="17" Year="2004">17 Nov 2004</st1:date>
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(follow-up by SL Tan Sheau Gang on 18 November 2004)

I have feedbacked to Chief himself, specifically on the 5-day week
issue. Chief has kindly consented to make public his reply on our
discussion board. Full text of Chief's reply and my opinions as
follows:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Dated 18 Nov 2004)
"TANG Ning Nicholas (CRPP)" <nnt...@nie.edu.sg> wrote:

Thanks Sheau Gang for your comments which I agree completely. SSA is
also moving into community scouting since this year. We have
established one unit in a condominium and units in 2 CCs. We are
looking for more opportunities including the possibility of starting
one in a Juvenile Detention Centre. We are also moving, albeit
slowly,
towards re-positioning scouting as a social agency rather than a
"uniformed group" under MOE. Because of historical reasons we have
now being viewed as almost like part of MOE, "reporting" to the
Co-Curricula Branch of the MOE. This is something we are trying to
change. For a start, the scouts played a critical and active role in
the PM's walkabout in his Teck Ghee Constituency. We became part of
the community
But in our attempts to move scouting into the community we face a few
problems. The first is the idea of volunteerism. This is still not
as
widespread as in say the US.
The second problem is the fact that many old scouts are only prepared
to go back to their old schools to help. That was what I was trying
to
hint at and change in my letter.
I agree with you about the dual role of teachers as "paid staff" and
volunteers. The intention of that section is to stimulate some
thought
and discussion on this issue. Ideally the teachers should see
themselves as volunteers. But the system must also recognize this.
There are no easy answers to these questions. I was hoping that the
letter will stimulate further thinking among the adult leaders and
move
the quality of the discussion (or grumblings) to a higher level. We
need to see the "problems" that we are facing from a more macro and
systemic viewpoint........not from a very micro unit-level view.
It will be great if there is an opportunity for you to share your
learning experiences from Taiwan and help SSA get more volunteers.
Regards

-----Original Message-----
From: Tan Sheau Gang [mailto:art6...@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, November 18, 2004 12:54 PM
To: TANG Ning Nicholas (CRPP)
Subject: Re: SSA's Response to MOE changes - 5-day week practice

Dear Chief,

(Scout Salute ^_^)
I'm an ASL from The Chinese High School Scout Group,
and is currently working overseas, serving as a
diplomat in Taiwan (Singapore Trade Office in Taipei
[STO]). As an MFA official, I am also impacted by the
recent changes in the 5-day work week in the Civil
Service, albeit an "advantageous" one as you would
probably agree with me. The announcement by PM is a
welcoming one, embraced not only by MOE staff but also
others from many other government ministries like
myself. Although Taiwan also practised a 5-day work
week and STO followed the local practice, the fact
that I would still enjoy the benefits of a 5-day week
upon my end of posting was indeed music to the ears.
Firstly, I do not have to rush from work after
Saturday noon to my Scout Group and could set off at
leisure from my house. Secondly, an additional two
half-days could be "freed up" to do Scouting!

However, while the 5-day week had little impact on
non-teacher civil service staff like me (in fact, it
has made it easier for me, and certainly in-line with
what the government has been promoting about
volunteerism), it would undeniably present a very
difficult position to the teachers, as what Chief has
correctly pointed out - the role of a "volunteer" or
"paid staff" where there looks like different sets of
obligations and values would beg to differ.

I would like to branch off a bit by talking about my
humble experience here in Taiwan, brief as it may for
the last 11 months. I am registered as a Service
Auxiliary with the Scouts of China (Taiwan) in one of
their local Scout Groups, the Taipei 303 Group which
is sponsored by the Scouts of China Foundation. The
first thing that striked me is that in Taiwan (at
least for Metropolitan Taipei), there are very few
school-based troops. The majority is community-based
troops (or Open Groups in our concept). What's more,
most hold their activities on weekends, including
Sundays! My local GSL, who's also the Director of the
Scout Shop told me that Taiwan used to have a lot of
school-based groups, but this has changed in the last
decade. He frankly pointed out to me that a lot of the
teachers, who were also the unit leaders do not put in
the same enthusiasm and efforts as like the volunteer
leaders, who have shown time and again that they're
the backbone of the local Movement. As such, with
Taiwan implmenting the 5-day week and teachers
reluctant to put in the extra time and effort (save
for a few, and those are the only School troops still
functioning reasonably well), a lot of School-based
troops died off and community troops formed in their
stead. At a recent meeting, one of the Group Scouter
who's also a registered BSA Scoutmaster unreservedly
told me that US Scouts have grown and expanded its
membership when the World Movement is facing a general
decline because it practised community scouting and
volunteerism! While I take in such opinions with a
pinch of salt as situations and settings do differ in
the US, Taiwan and Singapore, I can't help but notice
that a common theme lied in the US and Taiwan exampels
- volunteerism. Taipei 303 Group is a community scout
group that comprises of all four sections (Cadet to
Rover), and it has the largest pool of volunteers I
have ever seen for a single Group(including parents of
the Scout members).

Turning back to the question, I think, in my humble
opinion that it is necessary to mark out clearly that
volunteerism is the prime driving force to keep
Scouting going in Singapore. As like all other
vocations, some see it as a job, some see it as their
mission. It boils down to devotion, love for Scouting
and a sense of pride to perform beyond the stipulated
requirements. With all respect to the sensitivities of
teachers being "paid staff" or not, I think we should
steer clear of that. Minister Tharman had made it
quite clear in open press statements, the Uniformed
Group Pow-wow and during parliamentary sessions that
CCAs that depended on volunteers have grounds to
continue their activities on Saturdays. Scouting, who
evidently fits the bill, has to continue on Saturday
where non-teacher Scouters could spare the time to
come back. This is not a case of sticking to "old
practices" but practicality. If there is insistence
that Scouting be restricted to weekdays, I'm sure
there would be little objections from non-teacher
Scouters as it's time to "hang up the boots". But
would it benefit Scouting in Singapore? Would the fate
of Taiwanese school troops befall Singapore? I shudder
to think.

I am also intrigued by the fact that the Taiwanese are
willing to send their children to weekend Scout Groups
since they view weekends as sacred to their private
lives. The local GSL answered the question: they do so
because they believe that time spent in Scouting is
time well spent, in other words, they identify their
children's well-being lying in the Scout Group's
activities. This is a matter of mindset. If we cannot
even convince our Scouters that spending a Saturday
(not even Sunday as in the local case) is important in
our mission, how could we convince parents to send
their children to Scouting, whose central aim is
"Service"?

As a fellow civil servant myself, I would not mind
sleeping late on a saturday morning and spending time
with my family. My wife, who unwittingly also a
taecher often chided me for spending time with the
Scouts than with her (something that happened at the
start of courtship, but she admitted readily that she
doesn't share the same fervour like me for Scouting).
Who would want to rush off to do something else
instead of relaxing at leisure? But I'm sure that's
not what the "volunteerism" that many Scouters like
you and I and many others think. We come because we
like what we are doing, and believe that what we are
doing is beneficial to many. Volunteerism means
sometimes going beyond the material aspects with all
respects to practicality. The question of "paid staff"
should not arise if the teachers could act in the same
manner of "volunteerism". As Minister Tharman has said
in a Straits Time report during the parliamentary
session, he believed that compensation should not be
considered in saturday work because "it is a labour of
love..it requires commitment" and not a culture of
clocking in and out with precision. In the end, it
rounds up to "Do you love Scouting such that you are
willing to spare some extra time for it and believe it
is time well spent?" During my time in Taiwan, from
the local Group activities to the World Scout Moot, I
saw that happening, but is it so with the 5-day week
debate? I am in no position to judge.

Above for your consideration, please. Thank you.

Sheau Gang
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(follow-up by VSL Jeffrey Ho on 20 November 2004)

Dear Xiao Gang,

This is a good one. Maybe you would like to share this over at
NPCCyberWorld & Adiji Web Group.

Glowing Light
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(follow-up by SL Tan Sheau Gang on 30 November 2004)

I had been re-reading Founder's "Aids to Scoutmastership" some days
ago. I find the following excerpt a most perfect anecdote for the
meaning of Scout Volunteerism. I hereby quote Lord B-P's words, and I
hope to bring your attention especially to the words in bold.

Aids to Scoutmastership: The Scoutmaster - His Reward
A Scoutmaster's Reward

A man dared to tell me once that he was the happiest man in the world!
I had to tell him of one who was still happier myself.

You need not suppose that either of us in attaining this happiness had
never had difficulties to contend with. Just the opposite.

It is the satisfaction of having successfully faced difficulties and
borne pin-pricks that gives completeness to the pleasure of having
overcome them.

Don't expect your life to be a bed of roses; there would be no fun in
it if it were.

So, in dealing with the Scouts, you are bound to meet with
disappointments and setbacks. Be patient: more people ruin their work
or careers through want of patience than do so through drink or other
vices. You will have to bear patiently with irritating criticisms and
red tape bonds to some extent but your reward will come.

The satisfaction which comes of having tried to do one's duty at the
cost of self-denial, and of having developed characters in the boys
which will give them a different status for life, brings such a reward
as cannot well be set down in writing. The fact of having worked to
prevent the recurrence of those evils which, if allowed to run on,
would soon be rotting our youth, gives a man the solid comfort that he
has done something, at any rate, for his country, however humble may
be his position.

This is the spirit with which Scoutmasters and Commissioners,
Committeemen, instructors, organisers and secretaries-the word
"Scouter" describes them all-work in the Boy Scout Movement.

** The credit for the Organisation and the spread of the Scout
Movement is due to this army of voluntary workers. Here we have
remarkable if silent evidence of the fine patriotic spirit that lies
beneath the surface of most nations. These men give up their time and
energies, and in many cases their money as well, to the work of
organising the training of boys, without any idea of reward or praise
for what they are doing, They do it for the love of their country and
their kind.**

What better words are there to describe the volunteerism in Scouting?!
I leave it for all to contemplate.