The COVID-19 pandemic may have prevented participants from the July 2020 intake of the Management and Leadership in Schools (MLS) programme from travelling as part of their learning journeys, it has certainly not curbed their creativity and enthusiasm for learning while having to remain in Singapore.

Supported and funded by MOE and the National Institute of Education, the Learning Experience Beyond Campus (LEBC) programme provided the MLS participants with opportunities to rediscover and delve into the delights and wonders of Singapore. It also empowered the MLS participants to design and customise their own LEBC journey to challenge mindsets, develop better self-awareness, foster creativity and promote self-efficacy.

Drawing parallels to concepts of leadership and management, the wide range of LEBC activities included multi-level school visits, as well as online and physical tours with organisations such as Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre, National Parks Board and S.E.A. Aquarium. Additionally, an intertidal walk during low-tide along Sentosa’s Siloso Beach allowed participants to appreciate how different creatures and the environment co-exist, drawing similarities to practices in systems thinking and educational leadership.

In embracing the values of servant leadership, MLS participants also contributed towards Values-in-Action (ViA) activities, such as volunteering at Willing Hearts, delivering care packs to families in Jalan Kuhoh with Beyond Social Services, and joining a coastal clean-up to give back to the larger community.