NE@HWS

2011-07-29T13:05:00.000+08:00

Modified Hopscothc

2011-07-29T13:00:00.000+08:00

2011-07-29T12:59:00.000+08:00

Malay Dance Participation

2011-07-29T12:55:00.001+08:00

Malay Sarong

2011-07-29T12:52:00.001+08:00

Malay Dance

2011-07-29T12:50:00.000+08:00

Angklung

2011-07-29T12:48:00.001+08:00

2011-07-29T12:47:00.001+08:00

Five Stones

2011-07-29T12:44:00.000+08:00

Congkak

2011-07-29T12:42:00.001+08:00

Costume Wear Photo Shoot

2011-07-29T12:40:00.001+08:00

Ranggoli Design colouring

2011-07-29T12:38:00.000+08:00

Ranggoli designs coloured by groups of pupils

2011-07-29T12:21:00.003+08:00

Zero Point

2011-07-29T12:18:00.001+08:00

Costume Wear Photo Shoot

2011-07-18T22:15:00.000+08:00

Costume Wear Photo shoot

2011-07-18T21:58:00.000+08:00

Declaration of Religious Harmony

2011-07-18T21:40:00.001+08:00

We, the people in Singapore, declare that religious harmony is vital for peace, progress and prosperity in our multi-racial and multi-religious Nation. We shall always Recognise the secular nature of our State, Promote cohesion within our society, Respect each other’s freedom of religion, Grow our common space while respecting our diversity, Foster inter-religious communications, And thereby ensure that religion will not be abused to create conflict and disharmony in Singapore.

Racial Harmony Day Recess Activities

2011-07-18T21:28:00.005+08:00

Bunga Manggar
Ranggoli
Food Tasting- Tumpi / Muruku
Musical instrument / Angklung
Kungfu chopsticks
Costume wear / Photo shoots
Congkak, five stones
Sepak Takraw
Chapteh
Zero Point
Main Lereng
Hopscotch

2011-07-18T21:05:00.002+08:00

The NE Department in collaboration with the Music, PE, MRL, Art and CME departments had prepared a week long funfilled activities for the whole school. In order to encourage more active participations among the pupils, each activity participated by the pupils they get one house point. Parent Volunteers were also roped in to help out in the activities. The Parent Volunteers were very supportive and active Station Masters too.

Racial Harmony Day Commenoration

2011-07-18T20:58:00.003+08:00

Today, Hong Wen School pupils had a wonderful time watching the teachers on stage in their colourful and beautiful traditional costumes. The Indian performers shared interesting information about the Indian Classical Dance. The more sporting pupils had gone up to stage to join in the Indian dancing accompanied by the Indian dancers. The interest and excitement were reflected in the pupils good behaviour through out the one hour performance.

N.E.mation!

2011-07-11T00:31:00.000+08:00

N.E.mation! is a digital animation competition for youths to express their thoughts on Total Defence.

Students are given training in animation techniques to convert their stories into one-minute clips.

Find out more about current and past seasons of N.E.mation! at

www.nemation.sg

More about important facts on Racial Harmony and its impact on us

2011-07-11T00:24:00.002+08:00

Racial Harmony Day 2011JointHOMENewspaper Articles

Suggested Activity:Teachers are encouraged to use these articles as springboards for classroom discussions on racial harmony.Soft copies of the following news articles can be downloaded from the NE Intranet at:
http://intranet.moe.gov.sg/ne/resources/articles.htm

Buddhist groups reach out to young people- The Straits Times 18 May 2011

PM Lee calls on religious leaders to lead by example- TodayOnline, 4 December 2010

Twin threats of race and religion- The Straits Times, 17 August 2009

Commemoration of International Friendship Day (IFD) 2011@ HWS

2011-04-17T23:23:00.000+08:00

On 8 April, our school commemorated International Friendship Day (IFD). The assembly programme started with the sharing on the significance of IFD and ASEAN, followed by a briefing on 3rd ASEAN Schools Games. Other than enabling pupils to understand Singapore’s relations with other countries, another highlight of our commemoration programme would be the sharing by Mr Andrew of Mercy Relief. The sharing not only provides insights of the organization’s efforts in rendering help to countries in need, it also aims to let our pupils appreciate, and not take for granted what they have. After the talk, pupils are encouraged to “pay-it-forward” by sharing what they learnt with their family members and friends.

In line with this year’s IFD theme of “The World At Home”, and to help our pupils to appreciate other countries’ cultures, mini-exhibitions on various countries are being put up at the school library. Together with these exhibitions, there will be various experiential activities. For instance, for the mini-exhibition on Indonesia, pupils had the chance to try playing Sepak Takraw (a traditional sports of Indonesia) and for exhibition on Korea, pupils had fun making the origami of the traditional Korean hanbok.

Shared by Mdm Diana Ng

International Friendship Day 2011

2011-03-27T16:07:00.000+08:00

Singapore is a small nation state with little natural resources and no hinterland. We need trade to meet our basic needs. Our domestic market is small and hence Singapore also needs trade to sell our products and services overseas to make a living.

This reliance on trade makes it necessary for Singapore to establish friendly relations with as many countries as possible. It is imperative that our young cultivate a global outlook but remain rooted to Singapore.

International Friendship Day is a day dedicated to the understanding of Singapore's relations with neighbouring countries and beyond. It aims to give our students the opportunity to learn about the geo-political realities inherent in Singapore, as well as nurture in our students the spirit of friendship and collaboration among different people.

My Friends and I: Hong Wen’s RH Album

2011-03-27T16:04:00.002+08:00

Dear teachers and pupils,

As part of our school’s effort in promoting racial harmony, we have embarked on the project, “My Friends and I: Hong Wen’s RH Album” since 2007.

This project seeks to showcase photographs of our pupils with their non-Chinese friends.

You are strongly encouraged to submit one photograph taken together with a non-Chinese friend and include a short write-up about your friend.You are to submit your write-up to your form teacher or email the soft copy to Mdm Irni at irni_yusnita@moe.edu.sg.

You can view the write-ups at the noticeboard near the MRL.

Hope to receive your write-ups soon.

Regards,
Mdm Irni

An interview with one of the survivors during World War 2 ~Mrs Seah (Shared by Ms Ong Yu Yan)

2011-03-25T21:59:00.002+08:00

Mrs Seah was 11 years old when the war broke out. From Alor Star in Northern Malaya the family travelled to Taiping, Perak. They went into the forest to hide, with provisions of 'fried rice (rice padi which were dried and fried)' and drank from stream water. Many of the family members fell ill and her sister got very sick and nearly died.

When the British surrendered, they lost everything they had, their house was looted and they had to stay with their grandmother. Life was difficult under Japanese rule and they lived in fear. But they became independent, as the Japanese made everyone go out and work. She attended Japanese school for one to two hours every day and had to work the rest of the day.

The girls had to cut their hair short and dress up as a boy for there was the danger of rape. She had a close shave with a Japanese soldier, luckily a kind Korean working in the Japanese Army warned them and they hid underwater in the river to escape from the Japanese soldier.

Link: http://library.thinkquest.org/C002071/interviewseah.html

Thaipusam (Day of Thanksgiving)

2011-03-15T17:52:00.004+08:00

Thaipusam which falls in the Tamil month of Thai (usually January/ February) is an annual procession by Hindu devotees seeking blessings, fulfilling vows and offering thanks. Thaipusam is celebrated in honour of Lord Subrahmanya (also known as Lord Murugan) who represents virtue, youth and power to Hindus and is the destroyer of evil.

The festival generally lasts two days. On the first day before Thaipusam, a statue of Lord Subrahmanya decorated with jewels and finery and together with his two consorts, Valli and Devayani, is placed on a chariot and brought in procession. In Singapore, the chariot procession begins from the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple at Serangoon Road to the Layan Sithi Vinayagar Temple at Keong Siak Road. The procession symbolizes the blessings sought by Lord Subrahmanya from his elder brother Lord Vinayagar.

Thaipusam ceremony starts in the early hours of the morning when the first batch of devotees of Lord Subrahmanya carrying milk pots and wooden kavadis leave Sri Srinvasa Perumal Temple for Sri Thendayuthapani Temple at Tank Road. The milk in the pots they carry are offered to the deity of Lord Subrahmanya at Sri Thendayuthapani Temple. Some devotees pierce their tongues with skewers and carry a garlanded wooden arch across their shoulders. Others devotees may carry a kavadi (semi circular metal structure decorated with peacock feathers, flowers and plam leaves). The spiked kavadis which require elaborate preparations leave the temple in the later part of the morning and continue till night.

Carrying kavadi is a popular form of devotion for Hindus. It is usually carried in fulfillment of a vow that a devotee would have taken. Placing a kavadi at the end of the foot procession at the altar of Lord Subrahmanya and making an offering of milk symbolizes the cleansing of the mind and soul and seeking of blessings.

In preparation for carrying a kavadi, a devotee has to prepare himself spiritually. For a period of about a month, the devotee must live a life of abstinence whilst maintaining a strict vegetarian diet. It is believed that only when the mind is free of material wants and the body free from physical pleasures that a devotee can undertake the sacred task without feeling any pain.

Information from http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_626241.html on 20 January 2011 (shared by Mr Dass)

About 9,000 participants took part in the religious procession. Most carried milk pots along the way; about 300 carried spiked kavadis.

The 4km religious procession begins at the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple in Serangoon Road, and ends at the Sri Thendayuthapani Temple in Tank Road.

Thaipusam is a Hindu festival where devotees give their thanks to Lord Murugan, an important Hindu deity. Every year, tens of thousands of spectators are attracted to the event.

Have you heard of the Pongal festival? Shared by Mr Dass

2011-02-24T17:47:00.000+08:00

Pongal (Harvest Festival)
Pongal is traditional Indian harvest festival and is also known as Sankaranthi. It originated in South India as a community festival in celebration of a bountiful harvest. In modern Singapore this festival is celebrated as the commencement of the auspicious month of Thai.

Pongal is a festival when God is praised with simple faith and sincerity. Old vices are washed out and all that is good is welcomed in the New Year.

Pongal festivities go on for 4 days and are different day to day. The first day is called Bhogi Pongal which is celebrated within the family. This first day is celebrated in honour of Lord Indra, the supreme ruler of clouds that give rains. On the second day which is Surya Pongal, the worship of Surya Bhagawan, the sun God, takes place. The third day is Mattu Pongal. On this day, cattle which are sacred in Hinduism are honoured and worshipped. Cattle are revered as traditionally in India they are used to plough the fields which yield bountiful harvests. On this day the cattle are bathed, their horns polished and their bodies painted with bright colours. Multi-coloured beads, tinkling bells, sheafs of corn and flower garlands are tied around their necks. The fourth day of Pongal is referred to a Kaanum Pongal when colouful rice is fed to the crows and birds. The feeding of the birds is usually carried out by sisters for the welfare of their brothers. This practice dates back to the old days when young men were required to go out and work the fields to feed the family.

On the first day of Pongal, Hindu homes start the day with the preparation of pongal (sweet sticky rice) cooked in a new pot. Pongal literally means to boil over and hence the pot of rice is allowed to boil over as a sign of prosperity. Vegetables, sugar cane and spices are offered to the Gods and later consumed by the family to cleanse themselves of their past sins. Pongal rice is also prepared at all the temples and special prayers are conducted on these days.

For four days, Hindu temples throughout Singapore will be ringing with the rhythmic sounds of drums, clarinets and conch shells as Hindus celebrate Pongal festival.

Celebration of Pongal festival in Singapore in January 2011.

Residents in Serangoon got together to celebrate the Indian harvest festival Pongal on Sunday.

To commemorate the event, the Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and MP for Aljunied GRC, Mrs Lim Hwee Hua participated in a milk boiling ceremony.

The boiling over of milk in the clay pot represents material abundance for the household.

It is considered a good sign by the Indian community to watch the milk boil over as it symbolises good luck and prosperity for the year ahead.

Meanwhile, visitors at the Campbell Lane located in the Little India district also witnessed other customs such as the honouring of the cattle for having worked hard throughout the year for a good harvest.

Cows brought to Campbell Lane as part of the celebrations, were washed and had their horns painted.

They also wore multi-colored beads, tinkling bells and flower garlands around their necks.

As cows provide milk and plough the land, they are seen as bearers of good fortune and thanked on this day.

Pongal, a four-day harvest festival, is celebrated by Tamils every January.

Total Defence 2011 Commemoration Day@HWS on 15 February

2011-02-15T15:00:00.002+08:00

Singapore commemorates Total Defence Day on 15 February, the day when Singapore fell to the Japanese in 1942 during World War II. This is to remind Singaporeans that we should not take our current security and sucess for granted. This year, Total Defence Day falls on the second day of Chinese New Year. The historical significance of the date is Singapore fell to Japan on the first day of Chinese New Year in 1942.

During recess on 15 February, we carried out our food rationing exercise. Each pupil was given a bowl of porridge. At the field, pupils get a chance to do simple obstacle courses.

Commemorating Total Defence Day 2011 on 15 February 2011

2011-02-11T15:27:00.000+08:00

15 February, the day Singapore fell to the Japanese in 1942 during World War II, is Total Defence Day. It is to remind Singaporeans that everyone has a part to play in defending our country.

Building on the success of last year’s campaign which posed the question to Singaporeans “What Will You Defend?”, the Total Defence campaign in 2010 calls Singaporeans to action with its theme “I Will” – a personal pledge to do something to defend what we hold dear. Moving from reflection to action, the 2010 campaign aims to encourage Singaporeans to make a commitment and act on it, individually and collectively as a community. It could be a pledge to learn a personal skill, take better care of the environment, donate blood, help other Singaporeans or simply to keep fit.

Introduced in 1984, Total Defence provides the framework for a comprehensive and integrated response to deal with all kinds of threats and challenges, by bringing together all Singaporeans in a coordinated effort. Singaporeans can play their role in the five aspects of Total Defence – Military Defence, Civil Defence, Economic Defence, Social Defence and Psychological Defence. When Singaporeans all take personal responsibility for, and participate in, protecting the Singaporean way of life, they are playing their part to help keep Singapore secure.

Total Defence about the different things that we can do everyday in every sector of our society to strengthen our resilience as a nation. When we take National Service seriously, participate in civil emergency exercises, upgrade our skills, build strong bonds with different races and religions, and feel the pride of being Singaporean, we contribute to Total Defence.

For more information on the campaign, kindly log on to http://www.iwill.sg/.

5 pillars of Total Defence

2011-02-07T15:36:00.000+08:00

Military Defence

"Singaporeans keeping Singapore secure"

Deterring aggression
The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is a strong defence force that is able to deter anyone from thinking of attacking the country. The SAF draws its strength from the support of every Singaporean - national servicemen, families, friends, colleagues and employers.

Staying operationally ready
National Service is the only workable option to ensure our security. When National Servicemen (NSmen) and full-time NSmen (NSFs) take their training seriously, they help keep the SAF strong and operationally ready. Our operational readiness is also maintained by ensuring that all equipment is in good working order all the time, and keeping up with the latest advancements in technology to meet new challenges in the battlefield.

Able to meet all kinds of challenges
The SAF has widened its capabilities to deal with non-conventional threats such as terrorist bombings, hijackings, and chemical, biological and radiological attacks. The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the SAF will continue to work with other security agencies to deal with such threats.

Civil Defence
"Taking care of your family, friends, and people around you in times of crisis"

Knowing what to do during civil emergencies
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) recruits and trains civil defence volunteers in first aid, rescue and evacuation procedures, and shelter management. The SCDF also conducts talks and exercises to familiarise the public with basic first aid, the nearest bomb shelters and emergency arrangements like relief supply of critical items such as blood, water and food. Participating in such exercises helps us to be prepared. When we know what to do, we can help to save lives and property, and ensure that life goes on as normally as possible in times of crisis.

Alert at all times
The threat of global terrorism will be around for some time. Much has already been done to ensure that Singapore is well protected against terrorist attacks, but security personnel cannot be everywhere. Singaporeans can help by looking out for, and reporting, anything suspicious.

Economic Defence
"Working and saving to achieve a better life for everyone"

Staying relevant and competitive through rapid change and development
When we upgrade our skills and knowledge, it helps us to stay relevant and employable in this rapidly changing world. Our ability to embrace lifelong learning and re-training is vital to keeping our economy competitive.

Putting in place robust economic systems that can continue to function in times of crisis
When the foundation of our economy is strong, our economy will not break down so easily in times of war or crisis. Sound policies and practices help us withstand external shocks. Putting in place measures to keep businesses running and maintaining stockpiles of essential items also help to keep our economy going.

Making Singapore livable for future generations
By saving electricity and water, and by adopting environment-friendly practices as a way of daily life, we are helping to conserve energy and to protect our environment. As a result, Singapore will continue to be livable for future generations.

Social Defence
"Living in harmony, looking out for one another"

Singaporeans of all races and religions living and working together in harmony
Maintaining racial and religious harmony is critical to ensuring peace and stability in Singapore. When Singaporeans understand and are sensitive to the cultures and traditions of one another, and build strong bonds across different ethnic groups, we help strengthen social cohesion.

Looking out for one another
As one people, we have a duty to contribute to the community by helping the less fortunate and underprivileged among us, regardless of their race, language, religion, age or nationality. By doing so, we can further strengthen social cohesion, and build a gracious, compassionate society.

Psychological Defence
"Singaporean and proud of it"

Loyal and committed to our country
When Singaporeans are united in pride and passion for our country, we will stand up to defend what is ours and protect our independence as a nation.

Having the will and resilience to overcome challenges
Whatever the crisis or challenge, our ability to overcome challenges depends on how mentally strong we are. It is this will and the commitment of our people that will decide how strong we are as a nation.

6 National Education Messages

2011-02-01T11:29:00.000+08:00

NE Messages
1) Singapore is our homeland; this is where we belong.
We treasure our heritage and take pride in shaping our own unique way of life.
2) We must preserve racial and religious harmony.
We value our diversity and are determined to stay a united people.
3) We must uphold meritocracy and incorruptibility.
We provide opportunities for all, according to their ability and effort.
4) No one owes Singapore a living.
We find our own way to survive and prosper, turning challenge into opportunity.
5) We must ourselves defend Singapore.
We are proud to defend Singapore ourselves, no one else is responsible for our security and well-being.
6) We have confidence in our future.
United, determined and well-prepared, we have what it takes to build a bright future for ourselves, and to progress together as one nation.

Welcome to HWS NE Blog!!!

2011-02-01T11:23:00.000+08:00

Dear teachers and pupils of HWS,

A BIG welcome to our NE blog. Please check this blog for updates.

Our first commemorative event for 2011 will be Total Defence Day.

We look forward to your support.

Cheers
NE COMMITTEE