Compulsory community service is wrong
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May 25, 2010 - ST Forum
Compulsory community service is wrong
I AGREE in part with Ms Ann Medlock's view that the 'compulsory' approach to community service or service learning is wrong ('Don't force students to do good', May 5).
While a certain amount of compulsion is necessary to provide a platform for children to perform these deeds, I agree with Ms Medlock that leading by inspiration should be encouraged. This is so that children realise good deeds should be done out of kindness and compassion, not for points or rewards.
That is why in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when I was a coordinator for the Being & Becoming programme in a secondary school, a team embarked on a project to collect and collate stories of good deeds highlighted in newspapers and compiled them into a booklet for all students.
We collected so many articles from teachers and students that we were able to come up with three booklets.
The results of such projects cannot be easily quantified, but I am sure the values embedded in them seeped into the majority of students through the best way possible - by example and through stories.
Dishing up violence day after day in great detail in newspapers and on television just serves to glorify crime, violence and the negative aspects of society.
Newspaper reports should be toned down and the kinder, more positive face of society should be highlighted more often. This can only serve to uplift our society.
Patricia Maria de Souza (Ms)
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community service should be voluntary in nature.
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Dishing up violence day after day in great detail in newspapers and on television just serves to glorify crime, violence and the negative aspects of society.
This women probably read too much of chinese newspapers, main aim of chinese newspapers is to attract readers and boost sales.
Compulsory CS is good, try it for the first time and kids will realise.
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wha... The writer blur sia... Her point is abt community service or the newspaper report???
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Originally posted by ^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~:
wha... The writer blur sia... Her point is abt community service or the newspaper report???
ST is blur too.. to publish such...
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I told them before but they wouldn't listen, about the compulsory community service thing.
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it shld be voluntary, otherwise u would just see schools do flag day and then weekends would be swamped with students asking for donations....
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May 27, 2010 - ST Forum
Student community projects should serve real needs
I REFER to the report, 'Don't force students to do good,' on May 5. While I agree with the view that community service is important, I would like to highlight that the nature of the act matters too.
Often, we see students at MRT stations approaching passers-by for monetary donations. Although organisations for the needy benefit from this, these students may fail to comprehend the real meaning of community service: developing care and concern for our society while serving with compassion.
One of the key concerns is to connect our students with the real needs of our society and develop their sense of belonging to our nation. Suitable community activities include volunteering at MPs' weekly Meet-the-People sessions, participating in youth forums and initiating long-lasting community projects that meet the real needs of our society.
Student-initiated community projects that are ephemeral and serve solely to benefit students' curriculum vitae should be discouraged. I have seen many student-initiated projects that have lasted for more than five years; so devoted were the students that they continued their pursuits even after graduation. This is the true spirit of community service.
Liu Hao
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Originally posted by Clivebenss:
May 27, 2010 - ST Forum
Student community projects should serve real needs
I REFER to the report, 'Don't force students to do good,' on May 5. While I agree with the view that community service is important, I would like to highlight that the nature of the act matters too.
Often, we see students at MRT stations approaching passers-by for monetary donations. Although organisations for the needy benefit from this, these students may fail to comprehend the real meaning of community service: developing care and concern for our society while serving with compassion.
One of the key concerns is to connect our students with the real needs of our society and develop their sense of belonging to our nation. Suitable community activities include volunteering at MPs' weekly Meet-the-People sessions, participating in youth forums and initiating long-lasting community projects that meet the real needs of our society.
Student-initiated community projects that are ephemeral and serve solely to benefit students' curriculum vitae should be discouraged. I have seen many student-initiated projects that have lasted for more than five years; so devoted were the students that they continued their pursuits even after graduation. This is the true spirit of community service.
Liu Hao
phail... community service lehx... not pre-national service lehx... simi meet-the-people session... Most students will slack ard de lehx... Writer tot everyone garang de ah?Instead of flag day, school can and got organise things like visit old folks home, cleaning up beach and neighbourhood... Now tat is community service...
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May 31, 2010 - ST Forum
Don't kill the passion to volunteer
I AM writing to share my experience as an e-filing volunteer with the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (Iras).
It was my first time volunteering and it may be my last.
On the day of volunteering my service at the Fuchun Community Club, I reached the centre at the arranged time but there was no one to advise me and another two student volunteers what to do. No sign boards were placed outside the centre to advise the public either.
I called Iras to inform them and it was only after a few hours that someone came over. Next, I was shocked to discover that the student volunteers were ill-equipped to handle the tax queries residents had.
Later, when we were invited via mass e-mail to attend a ceremony for e-filing volunteers, I asked when we would get our certificate of appreciation. I was told that the centre manager should have given it to us after our last volunteer session. The centre manager told me that I would get it at the ceremony. An Iras officer subsequently told me that it was not the case.
The whole process was very disorganised and very unprofessional.
Tan Tiong Heng
