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Installation of STU Committees and
Dialogue
On 27th November 2003 we held our
Installation of Committees and our special Guests were Mr Chan
Soo Sen, Minister of State for Education and Minister of State
for Community Development and Sports, and Mr Heng Chee How,
Deputy Secretary general, NTUC, Mayor for Central Singapore
CDC District, and newly appointed Advisor of STU.
About 100 Central Council and Committee Members and
Guests from the other Teachers’ Unions attended.
Among the concerns raised at the Dialogue was the
apprehensions of teachers about the new Enhanced performance
Management System (EPMS) which the Ministry of Education (MOE)
will be using for them from 2005. It was generally felt that
the reporting Officers had to be very well trained and
prepared to implement the EPMS. Mr Chan Soo Sen assured these
present that this was the foremost concern of MOE; and said
that he would convey the concerns of the teachers to his
colleagues there.
Mr Heng Chee How took the opportunity to outline the
current concerns of NTUC. We have to be prepared to face
greater competition from lower cost countries, more erratic
annual economic growth and ever-shortening product and job
cycles. He said that in order to remain relevant, and to
safeguard the interests of workers, NTUC has been advocating
for a more flexible wage system, training and retraining of
workers for new and upgraded jobs, portable medical benefits
and the importance of personal savings and simple living.
Mr Chan Soo Sen also accepted the invitation to drop in
on Serangoon garden Secondary School which was having its
Staff Workshop at the Teachers Centre, and it was a pleasant
surprise for the Principal, Miss Chee Mei Chun and her Staff.
They were happy to present their ideas to their “guest” who
also suggested a few ideas of his own for their consideration.
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