It’s Back to School Again!
2 Dec 2006
Media Release
1. The “Back to School” Programme which closed for application on 30 September 2006 has received overwhelming responses. This year, a total of $2 million worth of vouchers were issued, benefiting up to 20,000 children based on $100 worth of voucher per child. Last year, a total of more than $1.9 million worth of vouchers for more than 19,000 children were given out.
2. Each successful applicant who received $100 worth of “Back to School” voucher can use the voucher to purchase shoes, books, stationeries and other school-related items from schools’ bookshops and their authorized suppliers for uniforms at Government and Government-Aided Schools, Junior Colleges and Centralised Institute under Ministry of Education. This year, special schools such as Metta School, APSN Tanglin School and all ITE Co-op Shops are also accepting the use of the vouchers at their schools.
3. Mr Ong Ah Heng, Director of Community Development Department, NTUC said, “We are happy to receive more support towards this programme from schools and merchants this year. We believe this programme will help to lighten the financial burden of union members who are in financial hardship, in terms of the school-related expenses for their school-going children.”
4. In preparation for the start of the new school term, the “Back to School” vouchers can also be used in the “Back to School” Fairs or at participating retail outlets. This year, union members can visit the “Back to School” Fairs at Downtown East and Yio Chu Kang Community Club from 2 to 4 December 2006 from 10am to 6pm. Union members will be able to stretch the value of their “Back to School” vouchers as they can look forward to enjoying more variety and better value school related items at the Fairs. There will be free haircut and free eye screening for students at both Fairs.
5. Besides Bata Shoe, Cylon Interactive, Kimage, NTUC FairPrice, Pacific Bookstores and POPULAR which are the regular merchants who participated in the Fairs last year, new merchants such as Hang Ten, Spectacle Hut, Faber-Castell and OCBC Bank are also joining in to provide better value goods and services for the low-income union members. Einstein Kristiansen, a well-known Norwegian cartoonist will also make a special appearance at Downtown East. He will be doing a Special Creative Drawing on stage at 11.00am. From 11.30am to 12pm, children can also catch Einstein drawing at Faber-Castell booth.
6. In addition, the Used Textbooks Project organized by NTUC FairPrice will also be held at both locations on 2 and 4 December 2006. 2 December is reserved for identified needy children of union members, schools and welfare organisations. The parents/children are required to produce an official letter which will allow them priority entry to the distribution centers on this day. Both distribution centers will be closed on 3 December for books sorting. Members of the public can visit the centers on 4 December to pick up the used textbooks they need.
7. Details on the offers provided by the participating merchants at the “Back to School” Fairs can be found in Annex A. Alternatively, the information can also be obtained from the NTUC’s website at www.ntuc.org.sg.
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For media queries, please contact:
Julie Tai (Ms)
Principal Executive
Corporate Communications Department
National Trades Union Congress
DID 6213 8186
HP 9848 2483
Fax 6327 3749
Email taihl@ntuc.org.sg
