The inaugural e-KidsExcel@Nee Soon programme, a corporate social responsibility initiative sponsored by the Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation (NTFCF), the philanthropic arm of Sino Group, and The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts was launched in March 2021. The e-KidsExcel@Nee Soon programme is organised in partnership with Nee Soon Group Representative Constituency (GRC) and Viva Kids, an educational social enterprise that aims to provide high-quality academic enrichment to primary level students.
The official launch of the programme on 17 March 2021 at Yishun Primary School was graced by Guest-of-Honour Minister K. Shanmugam (Minister for Law and Home Affairs and Member of Parliament for Nee Soon GRC).
Expressing his support for the programme, he said “We want to help our children achieve their fullest potential, regardless of their different starting points in life. COVID-19 forced us to move to home-based learning. There was a national effort to make sure that children from lower income families were not disadvantaged. In Yishun, in addition to the national effort, we have e-KidsExcel@NeeSoon to help the children, close the digital gap. Every child should be given opportunities for a decent chance to succeed in life, and e-KidsExcel makes it possible for these kids. They have benefited tremendously from the programme. e-KidsExcel would not have been possible without the generous support from our sponsors, the Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation, The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts, and Viva Kids Pte Ltd.
Ms Jeanne Ng, Director of the NTFCF and The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts commented, “Sino Group, the parent company of The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and we hope to continue our efforts in building strong and vibrant communities. We also want to develop the aspirations of youths for a better future. Through the e-KidsExcel@Nee Soon programme, we are delighted to play a part in helping students, parents and teachers adapt to the new learning arrangements and make good use of technology to learn at home amid the current situation.”
Both the NTFCF and The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts are committed to nurturing the younger generation and developing their strengths in the fields of innovation and technology. The two year-long developmental programme is designed to support the educational development of 110 under-resourced children from Naval Base Primary School, North View Primary School and Yishun Primary School who are on the Ministry of Education’s Financial Assistance Scheme. Through this initiative, the NTFCF and The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, together with Viva Kids and the partner schools, aim to provide the children with the resources and exposure they need to enjoy a holistic learning experience via a hybrid learning model, encompassing both digital engagement and face-to-face learning experiences.
e-KidsExcel@Nee Soon comprises weekly online academic tutoring lessons for 110 Primary 3 and 4 students in either Science or Mathematics depending on the students’ needs. All programme participants were provided with a Samsung Android tablet and a set of device accessories (physical keyboard, protective cover and stylus) together with 50GB of monthly mobile connectivity to facilitate their participation in the online lessons. The tablet is the main learning device through which the students are attending weekly online live-teaching classes conducted by trained teachers from Viva Kids. In addition, digital learning resources based on the Ministry of Education’s syllabus framework and Viva Kids uniforms were also provided to the students.
To create a more holistic learning experience, the students will also participate in the Fullerton Academy programme – The Fullerton Hotel Singapore’s flagship corporate social responsibility initiative designed to help under-resourced children gain learning opportunities in the fields of hospitality. Through Fullerton Academy sessions which are curated and led by staff from The Fullerton Hotels Singapore, participants of the e-KidsExcel programme can enjoy interactive workshops including the opportunity to acquire culinary skills from Fullerton Chefs, and to learn about The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts’ sustainability efforts through experiential excursions to the Fullerton Farm.
Cavaliere Giovanni Viterale, General Manager of The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts said, “We look forward to fostering confidence and creativity in the students through our fun and holistic Fullerton Academy learning programmes. My team and I are delighted to support the growth and development of the children through the mentoring workshops.”
As part of the sponsorship, NTFCF and The Fullerton Hotel Singapore are also supporting the students’ involvement in coding workshops conducted by coding education centre, Empire Code, and bi-annual sports leagues organised by Catch Them Young charity (subject to COVID-19 regulations and measures).
