SPEECH BY MS GRACE FU HAI YIEN, SENIOR MINISTER OF STATE FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AT THE APPRECIATION LUNCH FOR COMPASS MEMBERS, 02 MARCH 2009, 12:30 PM AT THE ORCHARD HOTEL

INTRODUCTION
 
1.                  2009 marks the sixth term of office for COMPASS. We celebrated our 10th Anniversary in October last year with a Dinner cum PARTNERS Award Presentation for our school leaders and their key stakeholders.  Since its inception in December 1998, COMPASS has actively encouraged parents and the community to work together with schools to help their children learn better.   With members drawn from among Members of Parliament, Principals, Self-help groups, community leaders, professional and business sectors, COMPASS has widened its reach to impact on the ways in which schools, home and community can collaborate to build purposeful and meaningful partnerships.
 
2.                    From 1999 to 2008, COMPASS has visited 20 schools and 15 clusters. Thirty-three topics have been presented at COMPASS meetings on various MOE policies and initiatives ranging from National Education to Sexuality Education, Review of Higher Education Sector, Curriculum Reviews, IT Masterplan for Schools, Full Time School Counsellor Scheme and so forth. 
 
3.                  To recognise schools’ efforts in promoting and strengthening partnerships with their key stakeholders in education, 12 Outstanding PARTNERS Awards and 36 Merit Awards have been given out since 2002. This is growing testimony to the value of stakeholder involvement with the school community and this is where COMPASS members have played active roles as validators. 
 
4.                  COMPASS members are also highly sought after to be members of committees such as Committee on Compulsory Education, Primary Education Review and Implementation Committee, Committee for Reducing Attrition in Education, National Education Committee as well as in the selection panel for the President’s Award for Teachers. 
 
5.                  Your role in COMPASS is pivotal in helping schools strategically harness community resources to bring about the desired learning outcomes for their students. MOE therefore recognises and appreciates the great work that all of you have put in. While we would like every member to continue their stint in COMPASS for as long as possible, we understand the heavy commitments that members have and the need to retire one-third of the Council every term. 
 
6.                  For members who are retiring – Mrs Josephine Teo, Ms Eunice Olsen, Mr Tan Chor Pang, Madam Ng Hwee Heng and Mr William Pushpam, – I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to everyone for your valuable contributions in championing the cause of COMPASS. 
 
7.                  To our new members -  Mr Lim Biow Chuan, Mr Neoh Kok Cheng, Mrs Shirley Lo, Mdm Koh Teck Siew, Mr Krishnan Aravinthan, Mrs Wong Siew Shan - a very warm welcome to COMPASS. We value your expertise, skills and fresh insights to help us to better engage our stakeholders, in particular our parents to better prepare our pupils with new skills and attitudes to function in the 21st century.
 
8.                  Lastly, not forgetting our members who have been re-appointed (Dr Lim Wee Kiak, Mrs Tan Hwee Seh, Mrs Mildred Tan, Mr Bernard Goh, Mr Syed Ahmad, Ms Ng Mie Ling,Mr Ong Peng Tsin, Mr Yeo Swee Hong Mdm Zakiah Halim, Mr Alan Robert John, Mr Mohd Abdul Akbar B M A Kader, Ms Ong Soo Giok, Mr Harish Nim, Mr Alfie Othman) , I look forward to another great term ahead. There is a lot that still needs to be done but with your dedication and commitment, I know we can bring COMPASS to a new dimension.
 
 
9.                  Let me offer a toast to everyone here for all the great work you have done. FOR COMPASS!