9/9/18.

For Charity yesterday, my dearest students from various generations(Past and Present) came together with me to support our 3M Step-Up Challenge 2018 @ MacPherson Zone C RC , where I am currently serving as a Chairman.

As the organising Chair for this event, supported by South East CDC and People’s Association, my team of RC Volunteers synergised and put this together, for the third year running, even though our estate is an ageing estate. MacPherson celebrates her 50th Anniversary this year.

For Charity yesterday, many Residents, Family Members and Friends of MacPherson had come together to clock 12,692 minutes of exercise, which means that 423 needy families from South East District will soon be beneficiaries of hampers of 3M products.

Initially, we had a humble target of 6,000 minutes, but because we had tremendous support from everyone, near and far, we managed to clock double our target!

Even though we had a sudden downpour in the last 10 minutes of the event, it did not dampen our spirits. Yes, the event was cut short because we were all soaked to the skin! We had a wet weather programme but we were totally drenched in that downpour while we were dancing to our Zumba exercise under the azure blue skies! In fact, it was so hilarious, we were all chuckles and guffaws!

We feel so blessed in so many ways.

This picture here is so memorable to me because you are actually seeing me with four of my students who believe that Love comes when you can love yourself and your family, and you have more than enough Love to give back to society.

I am so heartened, so grateful for this, my boys.

Out of these four students, two of them have become teachers.

Yes, you read that right.

I taught Jiansen when I became a newly-minted teacher some *20 years ago*, with my big, forbiddenly red, thick, wavy hair and hopelessly hopeful dreams of shaping young minds to be the best they can be. He is currently teaching.

I taught Eugene less than a decade ago, when I was going through the transition period of moving from public education to the private sector – I was teaching in a well-known learning centre in Singapore, where tuition classes were necessarily and possibly smaller for good reason. He is also currently teaching and studying, like me.

Some people assume that in the private sector, we only teach for the exams.

That is not really accurate.

In the private sector, private teachers/tutors also shape young minds and character. In the private education sector, we support the Singapore education scene.

We do not compete with the public sector.

We fill the gaps, we assist, we aid, we complement, even though naysayers continue to throw brickbats at the tuition industry for being “unnecessary”, “harmful” or “unfair”.

The Yeo Brothers, Ee Min and Ee Bin are currently my students in MYEC, and they, too, have learnt to give back to the community. In fact, Ee Min and Ee Bin’s parents have, from the beginning, entrusted their children in our care because they know that we care for our students, and that we will do what is necessary to help them discover their potential. It is my ardent hope that they too, like Jiansen and Eugene, can grow to become youth leaders of Singapore in future.

Yesterday, when all my four students, past and present, arrived at the courtyard of Zone C, and they climbed the steps up the 10 storeys of Blk 71 Circuit Road, continuously, one round after another, a glow of pride filled my heart, knowing that my dearest students have become good people. They put community before self.

As I witness my past and present students standing with me to take this precious wefie, it warms my heart to know that they are such fine, young men, and I know that they will continue to be so. They will be the next generation of youth leaders who will be the multipliers of impacting our community wherever they will be. I am so, so proud of all of you.

As I look upon this picture, I reaffirm my strong belief in my profession yet once again.

I know that regardless of age, race, language, religion or status, we are all bonded together because we believe that people are inherently good, and we can serve our larger community, because our hearts are bigger when it is filled with positivity and kindness. And Love.

To Jiansen, Eugene, Ee Min and Ee Bin, thank you for being my teachers.

I am forever grateful.

Signing off, and Love always,

Ms Anna Yayah,
Owner and Founder,
MYEC Tuition Centre.