14 educators recognised for their commitment

SINGAPORE — Fourteen teachers — comprising seven primary, five secondary and two junior college educators — edged out more than 1,100 nominees from 234 schools to clinch the national-level Caring Teacher Award this year. The awards, held every two years since 1996, are in recognition of educators’ commitment to the holistic development of their students.

The winners — four of whom received national awards and the remaining 10, national commendation awards — received their prizes from Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Parliamentary Secretary for Education at a ceremony held at Fusionopolis on Thursday (March 31). The national award winners are: Miss Noor Haida Mohd Jakaria (Chongzheng Primary School), Madam Poh Swee Lan Janet (Yu Neng Primary School), Miss Lee Han (Christ Church Secondary School) and Ms Santha Selva Raju (Innova Junior College).

Nominations for the Caring Teacher Award were open for five weeks starting September last year. Students, teachers, principals and members of the public submitted their nominees, with each school limited to having five candidates.

The Caring Teacher Award is given out biennially in recognition of an educator’s exemplification of the values of caring, sharing and concern for the academic, moral, social, emotional and mental welfare of their students.