Leadership change at FMSS

THERE has been a leadership change at Fairfield Methodist Secondary School (FMSS).

Miss Elaine Lim, its Principal for the past seven years, has been posted to the Ministry of Education (MOE), and is succeeded by the Vice-Principal, Mr Victor Owyong.

Miss Lim, an Old Girl of the school, counts it her privilege to rejoin the school first as a teacher, and then to move up as Principal in 2000. She was promoted to Deputy Director, Humanities and Aesthetics Branch 2, Curriculum Planning and Development Division in the MOE with effect from Dec 17, 2007.

Under her leadership, she raised the standing of the school by garnering these awards: School Distinction Award, Singapore Quality Class Award, Best Practice Award (Teaching and Learning), Outstanding Development Award (Character Development), Sustained Achievement Award (Academic Value-Added), Sustained Achievement Award (Uniformed Group) and Sustained Achievement Award (Sports). The school was reaffirmed its Autonomous Status in 2007, a milestone achievement.

Miss Lim said: “Fairfield is a place where dreams come true and where miracles happen. We cater to such a wide ability range of pupils, yet the school continues to have a sustained high level of achievement. The teachers have been instrumental in sowing into the life of each child, and God’s grace is always so evident and abundant in the school.”

English teacher Mdm Chong Quek Keow said of her: “What I appreciate about Miss Lim is that she believes in the power of prayer. She trusts in God and constantly seeks Him in prayer for guidance in running the school.”

Miss Lim shares her perspective that the opportunity to be part of the Fairfield Family is God’s plan for each pupil, staff and parent to experience His fullness and His grace.

Mr Owyong went to FMSS with 11 years of diverse experience as an educator. A former Anglo-Chinese School boy, he obtained a PSC Local Merit Scholarship (Teaching) to study at the National University of Singapore. Following his training at the National Institute of Education, he served at Serangoon Junior College, the National Education Branch, MOE HQ and as HOD/ National Education, HOD/ Corporate Services and Support and Vice-Principal of Jurong Junior College.

During his stint at the MOE, he had opportunities to be involved in policy meetings chaired by the Senior Management. Some of the policy work that he was involved with included the Review of the National Education Programme, the Review of the Gifted Education Programme and the formulation of the Lee Kuan Yew National Education Award.

He was a member of the study team from the MOE and the National Youth Council that visited the United States to study Service Learning in 1999. On his return, he was closely involved with the introduction of Service Learning to schools as a way to develop the learning outcomes for pupils and to improve the quality of the Community Involvement Programme nationwide.

Mr Owyong believes that “schools have the responsibility to develop our students to be good citizens.”