Our Principal
An Educator’s Message
Mr Ng Aik Boon, Principal
As an educator, Mr Ng aims to make a difference in the lives of his students and teach children to prepare for life. He first joined teaching wanting to be a History teacher because he enjoyed History. However, he soon realised that he wanted to be more than just a teacher teaching a subject but to be an educator who can change and shape his students’ lives.
Mr Ng places a strong emphasis on holistic development. He believes that learning must go beyond our academic studies – the languages, Mathematics, Science, but also the Arts and Sports - Music and Art, Physical Education etc. All these are essential to the holistic development and growth of a young person, as he shares:
“We must grow as a human being. We must learn to know how we learn, how to be a better person and grow to be Youths of Character.”
Other than our signature programmes (Applied Learning Programme and our Learning for Life Programme), students are given the opportunities to participate in academic or non-academic competitions that develop their character and teach them about teamwork and cooperation. For example, many students participate in the bi-annual YCKPS Got Talent, a platform for students to showcase their talents, become more confident, and deepen their appreciation for the Arts.
A unique programme in our school is the “In The News” segment, which takes place every Monday morning during the School Assembly. During this segment, Mr Ng shares news articles about real-world events and inspiring news stories that captured his attention, and shares lessons that students can learn from these. Not only do we become more aware of what is happening in the world around us, but it also shows Mr Ng’s strong belief that inculcating values is just as important to the growth of a student as his academics studies.
Mr Ng believes in not only growing students, but teachers as well. To support teachers’ development, he looks for or creates opportunities for teachers to learn. In his daily walks around school and visits to the classrooms, he looks at what the teachers are doing well, highlights them, and shares with them areas in which they can continue to grow and improve.
Mr Ng also recognises that the school cannot work alone to develop students for the future – this requires the support of our parents. The school partners them in our education journey and aims to share with them necessary information such as the school’s beliefs, programmes and initiatives, together with national policies that also affect how education is carried out in an ever-changing society.
In the 21st Century, with the development and evolution of technology and the changing landscape around us, knowledge becomes outdated very quickly. Mr Ng believes that we will always need to keep learning – be willing to learn, unlearn and relearn all at the same time.
“All students can learn and succeed, but not in the same way and not in the same day.” – George Evans
Just as how every student is different in their own strengths and different pace of learning, the school aims to help every student grow and become the best versions of themselves, imbuing in them the School Values of Care, Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Resilience and Excellence. Armed with these values, Mr Ng believes that every student should do well in life. He hopes that every student in YCKPS will truly grow to be Youths of Character who are Keen to Serve.
When prompted about his favourite place in the school, Mr Ng said that it is the school garden. He enjoys the greenery and listening to the sounds of nature – the moving water in the pond and the birds chirping. At times, he can see butterflies flitting around the flowers, the birds flying around and occasionally even a little lizard scurrying amongst the plants. Mr Ng goes on to explain that there is much we can learn from nature, even in the smallest and simplest things.
Indeed, there is much that we can learn from the things around us. Learning may begin in school, but it certainly does not end there. Our dedicated teachers not only teach us subjects, but they also teach us about life and the importance of values. They point us in the right direction and set us on course to go through the rest of our lives in primary school and beyond. Even after graduation, what our teachers have taught us will forever be etched in our minds and will guide us to become better people with each passing day.
