(From Left): Mrs Lee E-Lyn, Ms Sulochanah, Ms A. Neshanthini & Ms Wong Jia Min.
The Leading Foundation Teacher Award recognises passionate and dedicated teachers who have contributed significantly to the fields of early childhood and special needs education. These are individuals who have put in commendable efforts to caring, teaching and making a difference in the lives of children.
In 2021, four exemplary educators were honoured for upholding excellence in these fields at the eighth Leading Foundation Teacher Award ceremony held on 24 November 2021. They were:
| Leading Foundation Teacher Award Early Childhood Educator category |
Leading Foundation Teacher Award Special Needs Educator category |
|---|---|
| Ms Sulochanah Kanapathy Ramakrishna Mission Sarada Kindergarten |
Mrs Lee E-Lyn Methodist Girls’ School (Primary) |
| Ms A. Neshanthini Neelamohan Sparkletots Preschool @ Braddell Heights Block 246 |
Ms Wong Jia Min Fei Yue Community Services |
The teachers each received a certificate and a cash award of S$2,500 sponsored by The Leading Foundation, founded by Professor Lim Siong Guan and Ms Joanne H. Lim. Professor Lim was formerly the head of the Singapore Civil Service, while Ms Lim is the founder of a communications consultancy. Mrs Jennifer Lim, the ceremony’s guest-of-honour and wife of Professor Lim, presented the awards.
The Leading Foundation Teacher Award was the first award in Singapore to honour excellence in early childhood, special needs and allied educators. It is administered by NIE and the Community Foundation of Singapore. Each year, nominees would be evaluated by a panel of experts from NIE, Ministry of Education and the National Institute of Early Childhood Development (NIEC).
In 2021, the panel sifted through 57 nominations to identify inspiring educators who have displayed exceptional dedication and commitment, gone beyond the call of duty to care for their students, and made significant contributions to their students and the schools they worked in.