PHASING OUT OF SJAB TMS CORP

Dear Parents / Guardians,

We regret to inform you that Temasek Secondary School will be phasing out SJAB with effect from 2014 due to low student interest in UG and smaller enrolment cohort due to failing birth rate. This means that there will not be any new intake of Sec 1 students in 2014 into SJAB. The impact if any, will be minimised for existing students in SJAB at Sec 2, Sec 3 and Sec 4 in 2014. Your child at Sec 2 and 3 will be given options to decide either to continue with SJAB to complete their CCA term or to apply to transfer to another CCA. The Sec 4 students will continue with SJAB to complete their CCA membership in SJAB until they stand down from CCA in April 2014 for their O Levels.

HOD CCA – Mr Eugin Wong and SJAB teachers – Ms Jacinta Yeo, Miss Eileen Chua and Mdm Farhanah have prepared the various CCA career plans for each level to ensure that students will still be able to continue their CCA learning and achievements that are comparable to their peers in other CCAs.

The CCA career plan is envisaged to provide a clear roadmap of attainment opportunities required for the student to complete with the outcome that the student will attain LEAPS grading comparable to his peers in other CCAs. The CCA career plan covers development in the required domains of holistic development of every child.

Secondary 1 Students (2013)

• Propose for all students to change to another CCA of choice, preferably to another Uniformed Group with relevant skills such as National Civil Defence Cadet Corp (NCDCC). First aid skills and footdrill skills can still be applied in NCDCC while the students will be exposed to additional skills such as fire safety, HAZMAT and urban rescue.

• Students will undergo promotion process from Recruit to Lance Corporal before they leave SJAB to ensure that they are in line with their peers in other CCAs in terms of leadership grade.

• For application to transfer to select skills-based CCAs in Sports and Aesthetics, the Sec 1 student is required to undergo auditions and trials to assess the student’s aptitude. Allocation will be based on principle of merit as some of these CCAs have limited places.

• Sec 1 students are not encouraged to stay in SJAB as in three years’ time, the low membership of the current Sec 1 SJAB is too small to make training meaningful. The cohort size will also be too small for HQ SJAB activities and training.

Secondary 2 Students (2013)

• Students given the choice to either transfer to another CCA or stay in SJAB until they graduate in 2015.

• Students who have passed Basic NCO course in 2013 will be required to attend Advanced NCO course in June 2014 in order to attain Staff Sergeant rank (contributes to 4 points Leadership in LEAPS) so that they will not lose out to their peers in other CCAs.

• Students who have not attended Basic NCO course due to family disapproval / overseas trips will be strongly recommended to transfer out so that their developmental opportunities are not arrested and can be better served in another CCA. They will undergo the promotion process from Lance Corporal to Corporal before they leave to ensure they are comparable in leadership attainment with the average percentile of their peers in other CCAs. If they would like to stay in SJAB, they will have to undertake to attend Basic NCO course in 2014 for eligibility for higher student leadership appointment where for them, the highest rank attained will be Sergeant (3 points Leadership).



For students who choose to stay, we hope that they will attain LEAPS grading comparable to their peers in other CCAs. These are the plans for them in 2014 and 2015.

Leadership

• Cadets to attain Sergeant (3 points) / Staff Sergeant (4 points) rank after attending and passing BNCO/ANCO courses organised by HQ.

Achievement

• Cadets to obtain Chief Commissioner’s Badge (5 points). Cadets need to be committed to attend courses required to obtain the badge.

• Cadets will be trained to attain top 3 positions in at least one competition which is possible based on the teachers’ track record.

Participation

• Cadets have to participate in at least one competition.

• Attendance has to be at least 75% per year.

Service

• Cadets to complete 100 CIP hours (5 points) by the end of 2014 through events such as Sec 3 Resilience Camp, Combined Sports Meet, Cross Country etc. This is the same for students in other CCAs.

Secondary 3 Students (2013)

• Sec 3 students in 2013 going on to Sec 4 in 2014 will complete their SJAB membership and attend the Passing Out Parade after March holidays in 2014. As their membership term is considered as completed, their CCA points are not affected.

• Only Amirah (3NA) might come back to SJAB in Sec 5NA (2015) if she pursues the ‘O’ level pathway after her ‘N’ levels at end of Sec 4NA in 2014.

As put forward in this letter, the school’s main consideration is always to ensure that the student’s development comes first and will not be affected in comparison with similar peers in spite of the phase out of his/her CCA.

                               

If you have any other concerns or require further verifications, please feel free to speak to the SJAB teachers in charge – Ms Jacinta Yeo or Miss Eileen Chua. You may email Ms Yeo at Jacinta_yeo_soo_hua@moe.edu.sg or Miss Chua at chua_ying_ling_eileen@moe.edu.sg. You may also call the school’s General Office at 64495020 during office hours from 8am to 5pm to provide your details so that we may return your calls.



Thank you.



Best regards



Ms Jacinta Yeo and Miss Eileen Chua
2014 Temasek Secondary School SJAB Teachers