LKY award for Normal stream boy

Colin Ng (left) from Geylang Methodist Secondary and Mohammad Raihan Rosman from Yishun Town Secondary both received the Lee Kuan Yew Award for All-Round Excellence. -- ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANG

WHEN Colin Ng scored poorly in the Primary School Leaving Examination and was posted to the Normal stream, he lost confidence in himself.
But dedicated teachers and time in the National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) instilled in him a healthy sense of discipline.

Now, the 17-year-old Secondary 5 student is doing so well, he has landed a place at Temasek Polytechnic to study law and management next year.
Colin was among 92 students who were honoured yesterday at the Education Ministry's Special Awards Presentation.

Colin received the Lee Kuan Yew Award for All-Round Excellence. He hopes to join the police force upon graduation.

The youngest child of a store supervisor and an administrative officer, Colin said his time in the cadet corps played a large part in his turnaround from a mediocre student to a high-flier.
'In primary school, I handed in slipshod work and my aim was just to pass. But through the NPCC foot drills, I learnt to train for long hours with little rest. It taught me perseverance and I applied that to my studies.'
He is also the first student from his school, Geylang Methodist Secondary, to receive the prize.

Another winner of the Lee Kuan Yew Award for All-Round Excellence was Mohammad Raihan Rosman. The 17-year-old from Yishun Town Secondary is now studying precision engineering at the Institute of Technical Education. He has also been volunteering at a mosque for the last 11 years.

He credited his former teacher, Mr Ong Kwang Wei, for his unwavering support.
'When I failed my first-term tests in Sec 3, he didn't give up on me. It encouraged me and I could see he really cared,' said Raihan, who rose from 29th position in his class to third.
Dr Yaacob commended Raihan for his 'spirit of volunteerism' and reminded other youth to pay forward their success by helping others.

Fireplays

I'm busy marking the 4N and 3E papers and next week I've to get the results out! While taking a break in my mid of marking, I stumble upon this beautiful video. Great photography, good editing and nice song too!

Fireplays from Jon Thomas on Vimeo.

More Britons insuring teeth

June 7, 2008

Cost of dental treatment rising as more dentists enter private practice

LONDON - AS MORE and more dentists go private and the cost of treatment soars, a growing number of British consumers are insuring their pearly whites.

'In a way, we really should not call it 'insurance', but 'assurance', because it is covering against the probable,' said Mr Mike Izzard, chairman of the Association of Medical Insurance Intermediaries (Amii).

The cost of a standard filling in Britain can go up to three figures in many cases, and even a routine check-up by the National Health Service (NHS) can dent the bank balance.

'The number of NHS dentists is dropping, and access to dental work from the NHS is diminishing all the time,' Mr Izzard said.

This means most dentists now run a private practice, which charges much more. Mounting costs are leading to neglect of oral care, with almost a third of 1,000 adults surveyed in the country saying they have not visited a dentist in the past two years.

A fifth has not had dental work that was recommended due to the costs involved, according to the poll commissioned earlier this year by dental company Dentale.

Dental tourism is seeing a boom - an estimated 1.29 million people have had dental treatment outside of Britain because of lower costs.

This can prove economical for those who need a lot of dental work, but for those looking to cut the cost of routine treatment closer to home, insurance is rising in popularity.

'Everyone will use it. It just depends how much,' Mr Izzard said.

Most insurance companies in Britain are now offering dental insurance that helps pay for routine treatments, dental emergencies and serious dental problems - whether the treatments are done privately or by the NHS.

Premiums are based on age, while benefits vary from one plan to another, but in general the more you pay, the more your insurer will pay out, according to consumer organisation.

The most basic - and cheapest - policies tend to cover emergency and non-emergency treatment, but not regular check-ups.

Some will refund a percentage of the cost of general dental treatment up to an annual cap.

Consumers also have the alternative of choosing a capitation scheme, which will allow them to pay the cost of treatment on a monthly basis instead of settling bills as and when they arise.

The premium for the payment depends on the condition of the teeth and running costs of the operation, and it is determined after the patient has consulted a dentist who has signed up to such a scheme.

REUTERS

3EA and 3EB, we just finished the topic on British healthcare and this article proves to us that rising healthcare cost is indeed a concern among the people. Read the article and tell me whether did NHS meet the needs of the people?