We will be organising a new overseas trip that will be open to all Sec 1 to 5 cadets. I have decided not to gather all of you as the exams are near. Instead, I will explain the programme and you will receive consent forms on it tomorrow.
The Siem Reap trip was cancelled as we could not secure enough air tickets from both Malaysia Airlines and Silkair. I was pondering a bus trip to Malaysia or a plane trip to China, namely either Wuhan or Chongqing. I chose Malaysia for the following reasons:
- Air tickets are normally cheaper and more readily available before August. I check with some vendors and confirmed that tickets are limited and the cost is actually more than what is value for money. I believe your parents' money are hard earned so I will not want to come up with a trip that is of less value than what it should be.
- I explored the option of flying to Wuhan or Chongqing. I have ruled out both options due to the 2 reasons. First, I researched on Wuhan and realise that there are very few halal restaurants there in Northern China. McDonalds and KFC are not certified halal too in China. So I will not want a trip that will exclude any student unless its due to safety or health reasons. Second, I went to Chongqing last week to explore the possibility of that place. Chongqing has no direct airlines besides Silkair, another small aeroplane Airbus A320 like Siem Reap. In my visit there, there are quite a number of Halal restaurants there as there is a strong Uighur population working in Chongqing. There are also a number of CIP opportunities there. It is also a safe city once ruled by Bo Xilai. However, I check with Silkair and realise that there are not enough tickets to fly many students there in December. This is cause Chongqing is popular vacation spot for people taking Cruise to visit 3 Gorges Dam. Hence it is a possible venue for 2015 SJAB trip, but not 2013.
- I was also thinking of Batam by cruise. But I choose Malaysia in the end cause there is a new SJAB CPBS Badge launched this year in Category 4. It is known as St John Worldwide Badge. To get the badge, you need to research on the structure, uniform, activities and awards of a SJAB overseas, do a project on it and present it in a function. We can be one of the first if not the first to pioneer this badge by visiting SJAB HQ in Kuala Lumpur. Moreover, bus trips will be less susceptible to unreasonable price hikes. With the fall of the Malaysian ringgit, this is a good chance to get good value.
- I also explored not organising one. But the next overseas trip is in 2015. Although I am personally fatigued after organising the failed Cambodia trip, I will still go ahead. Cause the SJAB overseas trip has over the years not only help the needy in other countries, it has also been a good platform to equip cadets with important soft skills like confidence speaking and event management. These soft skills will help you when you enter the workforce or apply scholarships next time. No batch should be shortchanged unless we have exhausted every avenue. The Cambodia trip is the second SJAB trip that was cancelled since its birth in 2008. We had to cancel the SJAB Kunming Dali Lijiang trip in 2008 too due to earthquake in Sichuan. So I chose Malaysia as chances of another cancellation is slim unless there is sudden political unrest.
Date: 2 Dec to 5 Dec (Mon to Thu 4D 3N)
Estimated Cost: $380 (before subsidy for students with income below $4500. Additional subsidies of around $50 to $80 is also available for Singapore students due to our CAA Gold last year). The number of students will determine the final cost. We need at least 15 to proceed with the trip. The trip is more expensive than the Sec 2 Sabbatical due to more days, a smaller no and we are visiting more expensive places, not outside palaces).
Number of students: It is open to all students, including those who did not sign up for the Siem Reap trip. This is the first SJAB only trip so we are the only UG CCA going.
Overview:
- The overseas Service Learning Trip to Selangor provides a meaningful opportunity for students to help the needy pupils in a school or orphanage in Malaysia. For 1 day, students will engage in physical activities to help improve an adopted area in the school. These activities can include cleaning, washing, small repairs and re-arranging of furniture. They will also be teaching the students first aid, English or basic hygiene. This is in line to "Service to Mankind" where we help the needy.
- To prepare for this service-learning trip, the students will organise some fund raising activities and collection of stationary in the school to buy materials needed for the improvement project in the school or orphanage. These activities will take place after SA2.
- The students will also be one of first among Singapore SJAB schools to pioneer the new St John Worldwide CPBS Badge. Students will also visit the SJAB HQ in Kuala Lumpur to do research on the structure, uniforms, awards and programmes of SJAB Malaysia. Upon return to Singapore, they will do a project on it and showcase their findings on International Friendship day 2014. This will help them achieve the badge. If opportunity arises, the students will also interact and share best practices in First Aid with the Malaysian students from SJAB.
- The trip will develop resilience and teamwork among students through trekking in waterfall nature reserves and Batu caves.
- Students will study science and tourism in Malaysia through visits to the National Science Centre and i-City Snow centre.
- The cost of the trip will include:
- Air conditioned bus transportation
- All meals ( I will try to include a few fastfood meals due to popular demand).
- Travel Insurance
- Accommodation at 3 star hotels. Triple sharing (subject to student male/ female ratio).
- Sightseeing Tours & admission fees for the places of interest they are visiting.
- Travel Information, handbook, activity sheet and notes.
- Shortlisted students may need to attend an interview.
Deposit:
As a mark of
commitment to the trip as well as to secure the booking of land tickets (due to
cancellation policy imposed by travel agents), the school would like to request
for a 30% deposit of the total estimated cost:
Estimated 30%
deposit of estimated total cost of $380=$120 (approximately 30% of the total cost) for all
students or $80 – only for gross household income less than or equal
$2500 and FAS students.
Students who have
kept the $93 or $279 deposit cheque for the Siem Reap Trip can submit that
cheque as the deposit too.
Kindly make the
cash or cheque payment (payable to “Anderson Secondary School”) and a
photocopy of your passport by 23 September 2013 (Tuesday). Students who
are applying for financial subsidy should also submit your subsidy forms and
photocopy of gross family income slip or CPF by the same date too.
Consent Form
Please sign the Consent Form given tomorrow, if you are interested.
Please return the consent form, deposit money, passport photocopy (if you did not pass me the other time), subsidy forms, consent forms and acknowledgement if applicable to
me, Mr Chen or Mrs Kumar by Tuesday 24 September 2013.
Thank you for reading such a long email.
Regards
Mr Yong
