Co-curricular activity
Encyclopedia
Ministry of Education (Singapore)
The Ministry Of Education is a ministry of the Government of Singapore that directs the formulation and implementation of policies related to education in Singapore.-Statutory boards:...
, as a means to enhance social interaction, leadership, healthy recreation, self-discipline and self-confidence.
Through CCAs, students in their early teens are often given actual public responsibilities. Red Cross and SJAB members, for example, are often required to render first aid at public events. Most uniformed groups require precision, management and organizational skills, providing training to prepare students for the outside world.
In polytechnics and universities (tertiary education institutes), CCA records are considered by potential employers.
Classification of CCAs
- Performing Arts
- Sports and Games
- Uniformed Groups
- Clubs and Societies
- Student Associations
Secondary schools typically divide CCAs into Core CCAs and Merit CCAs:
- Core CCAs, which typically include the Sports, Performing Arts Groups and Uniformed Groups, tend to take up more time and resources and have more emphasis placed on them by the school. Membership in at least one Core CCA is compulsory for secondary school students in Singapore and it is considered an integral part of the education system.
- Merit CCAs, which typically include the Clubs and Societies, are usually less time-consuming. Academic clubs however may be consume as much time as, if not more than, Core CCAs. Merit CCAs serve as an optional pursuit for students with an interest in what the CCA has to offer.
Structure of the CCA Programme
CCA choices vary widely from school to school, although schools at each education level are required to conform to national standards prescribed for that level. For instance, all secondary schools must compulsorily offer Band as a musical group. Secondary schools with an enrolment of less than 1000 must offer either National Cadet CorpsNational Cadet Corps (Singapore)
The National Cadet Corps is a youth organisation in Singapore. As of December 2010, it had a total strength of 19877 members. This consists of 823 Officers, 726 Cadet Officers and 17157 cadets, amongst others.The NCC is represented in 144 Secondary Schools and there are a total 176 School...
or National Police Cadet Corps
National Police Cadet Corps
The National Police Cadet Corps is the largest uniformed group for youths in Singapore in terms of membership. As of 31 March 2004, the organisation has 596 teacher officers and 20,146 student members in 155 secondary schools, 2 polytechnics open units and 2 University Open Units.With the support...
as a uniformed group, and those with an enrolment of more than 1000, both.
In primary schools, CCAs are often introduced to students at Primary Three. Not all primary schools make CCA participation compulsory. In primary schools, Brownies are likened to junior Girl Guides.
In secondary schools, CCAs are treated more seriously. Students are required to pick at least one Core CCA to join at Secondary One. Belonging to a Core CCA is compulsory, and the students may choose a second CCA if they wish. At the end of the fourth/fifth year, 1 to 2 'O' Level points are removed from the examination aggregate (a lower aggregate indicates better marks). Although the marks are few, it is believed by many that they may make a difference when the students are considered for the most popular tertiary institutions. For example, one minimum prerequisite for admission Raffles Institution
Raffles Institution
Raffles Institution , founded in 1823, is the oldest centre for pre-tertiary learning in Singapore. It is an independent school in Singapore providing secondary and pre-university education. RI consists of a boys-only secondary section , and a coeducational pre-university section...
at Year Five, via the 'O' Levels, is an already perfect score with the maximum of 4 points removed.
Structure of Typical CCAs
CCAs are held outside of curriculum hours and the activities partaken depend on the nature of CCA. For example, Uniformed groups do foot drills and team-building exercises while competitive sportsmen spend most of the time training and learning techniques from their instructors.CCA groups typically feature an Executive Committee. In musical groups and CCAs catering to specific interests, the Executive Committee typically consists of a Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, among other positions.
The National Police Cadet Corps
National Police Cadet Corps
The National Police Cadet Corps is the largest uniformed group for youths in Singapore in terms of membership. As of 31 March 2004, the organisation has 596 teacher officers and 20,146 student members in 155 secondary schools, 2 polytechnics open units and 2 University Open Units.With the support...
has started a few Open Units in the tertiary institutions, recruiting members to serve as student leaders in the secondary school units.
Many former students return to their alma mater after graduation to help impart what they have learned to their juniors. Some do so within a formal framework, such as those in the uniformed groups (where ex-cadets are appointed as cadet officers), or the Voluntary Adult Leader scheme (for those above age 20). Others do so on a casual basis.
Competitions
Many CCA-related competitions are held in Singapore, creating a competitive environment which provide CCA groups an objective to work towards.The Ministry of Education organizes competitions for competitive sports at the zonal and national level, respectively the yearly Zonal and National Schools Competitions. MOE also organizes the biennale Singapore Youth Festival for the Aesthetics CCAs.
Student Associations
- Prefectorial Board/ Student's Council
- The Peer Support Board
- The Junior and Senior Leaders Board
- The Civics Tutorial Council/ Monitor's Council
- The House Committee
- Technology Student Association (TSA)
- Key Club
Sports and games
- Aikido
- ArcheryArcheryArchery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
- Badminton
- Basketball
- Cricket
- Cross Country
- Fencing
- Field Hockey
- Flatwater Canoe/Kayak Racing
- Floorball
- Golf (only offered in some schools)
- Gymnastics
- Artistic Gymnastics
- Rhythmic Gymnastics
- Trampoline Gymnastics
- Hockey
- Handball (played with a club)
- JudoJudois a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
- Netball
- Outdoor Adventure (usually in junior colleges)
- Rugby
- Sailing
- Sepak Takraw
- Shooting
- Air Pistol
- Air Rifle
- Soccer
- SoftballSoftballSoftball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
- Squash
- Swimming
- Table Tennis
- TaekwondoTaekwondoTaekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
- TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
- Tenpin Bowling
- Track and Field
- Volleyball
- Waterpolo
- Wushu
- Ultimate(Frisbee)
- Sumo
Uniformed groups
- Boys' BrigadeThe Boys' Brigade in SingaporeThe Boys' Brigade in Singapore is a youth uniformed group organisation which has been present in Singapore since 1930. It currently consists of over 700 officers and 5,500 Boys in over 117 companies. Its current Brigade President is Mr Tan Kok Heng...
- Girls' BrigadeGirls' BrigadeThe Girls' Brigade is an international and interdenominational Christian youth organization. It was founded in 1893 in Dublin, Ireland. The modern organization was formed as the result of the amalgamation of three like-minded and similarly structured organizations in 1964...
- Girl Guides SingaporeGirl Guides SingaporeGirl Guides Singapore is the national Guiding organization of Singapore. It serves 12,340 members . Founded in 1917, the girls-only organization became a full member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in 1966...
(GG) - Military BandMilitary bandA military band originally was a group of personnel that performs musical duties for military functions, usually for the armed forces. A typical military band consists mostly of wind and percussion instruments. The conductor of a band commonly bears the title of Bandmaster or Director of Music...
- National Cadet CorpsNational Cadet Corps (Singapore)The National Cadet Corps is a youth organisation in Singapore. As of December 2010, it had a total strength of 19877 members. This consists of 823 Officers, 726 Cadet Officers and 17157 cadets, amongst others.The NCC is represented in 144 Secondary Schools and there are a total 176 School...
(NCC) - National Civil Defence Cadet CorpsNational Civil Defence Cadet CorpsThe National Civil Defence Cadet Corps of Singapore was formed in 2005 and is currently the newest recognized member of the National Uniformed Group...
(NCDCC) - National Police Cadet CorpsNational Police Cadet CorpsThe National Police Cadet Corps is the largest uniformed group for youths in Singapore in terms of membership. As of 31 March 2004, the organisation has 596 teacher officers and 20,146 student members in 155 secondary schools, 2 polytechnics open units and 2 University Open Units.With the support...
(NPCC) - Red Cross YouthRed Cross YouthThe Red Cross Youth is a youth organisation for adolescents and young members interested in the organization.-Singapore:In Singapore, Red Cross Youth is one of the Uniformed Groups for Primary School and Secondary School students. With a membership of 231 Teacher Officers, 1231 Links in 45 Primary...
(RCY) - St. John Ambulance BrigadeSt. John Ambulance in SingaporeSt John Ambulance Singapore is a voluntary organisation in Singapore which provides training in First Aid and Home Nursing. Its members also perform voluntary first aid coverage duties during national events....
(SJAB) - The Singapore Scout AssociationThe Singapore Scout AssociationThe Singapore Scout Association is one of the oldest youth movements in Singapore. Scouting encourages the holistic physical, mental, spiritual, emotional and social development of youth with a strong emphasis on duty to God, duty to country, help other people as stated in the Scout Promise and...
(SSA)
Performing Arts groups
- Angklung Ensemble
- Bands
- Brass BandBrass bandA brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
- Concert BandConcert bandA concert band, also called wind band, symphonic band, symphonic winds, wind orchestra, wind symphony, wind ensemble, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of several members of the woodwind instrument family, brass instrument family, and percussion instrument family.A...
- Symphonic Band
- Wind Band
- Brass Band
- Chinese OrchestraChinese orchestraThe term Chinese Orchestra can refer to either:* The ancient Chinese Orchestra, or* The modern Chinese Orchestra-The ancient Chinese Orchestra:...
- Some schools feature instead an ensemble focusing on a particular Chinese instrument, such as the GuzhengGuzhengThe guzheng or "gu zheng", also called zheng is a Chinese plucked zither. It has 18-23 or more strings and movable bridges....
.
- Some schools feature instead an ensemble focusing on a particular Chinese instrument, such as the Guzheng
- Choir
- Dance Clubs
- Chinese Dance
- Indian Dance
- International Dance
- Malay Dance
- Modern Dance
- English Drama
- GamelanGamelanA gamelan is a musical ensemble from Indonesia, typically from the islands of Bali or Java, featuring a variety of instruments such as metallophones, xylophones, drums and gongs; bamboo flutes, bowed and plucked strings. Vocalists may also be included....
- General Music
- Guitar Ensemble
- Guzheng Ensemble
- HandbellHandbellA handbell is a bell designed to be rung by hand. To ring a handbell, a ringer grasps the bell by its slightly flexible handle — traditionally made of leather, but often now made of plastic — and moves the wrist to make the hinged clapper inside the bell strike...
Ensemble - Harmonica and Keyboard Ensemble
- Harp Ensemble
- Indian Orchestra
- PianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
- Orchestra
- Strings Ensemble
- ViolinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
Note that Band may either count as a uniformed group or a performing arts group.
Clubs and societies
- AVA Club (Audio and Visual Aid)
- Art Club
- Astronomy Club
- Chess Club
- Chinese Cultural Club
- Chinese Calligraphy Club
- Computer Club
- Debate Club
- Drama Club
- Entrepreneurship Club
- Environment Club
- Future Problem Solving Program
- Gardening
- Green Club
- Guitar Club
- Health and Fitness Club
- Hydroponics Club
- Infocomm Club
- Interact Club
- Innovation Program
- Research Program
- Language Club
- Library Club
- Mathematics Club
- Media Club
- Mind Sports Club
- Multimedia Club
- Philatelic Club
- Photography Club
- Robotics Club
- Science Club
- Maths Club
- Singapore Youth Flying ClubSingapore Youth Flying ClubThe Singapore Youth Flying Club , headquartered at Seletar Airport, was established in December 1971 as the Junior Flying Club the then newly formed Singapore Armed Forces to introduce aviation and provide flight training to the youth of Singapore...
(SYFC) - Video Animation Club
- World Scholar's Cup
In some schools, instead of separate clubs for Language, Debate and Drama (and even Culture), these domains are grouped under the heading of Language Debate and Drama Societies, an example of which is the English Language Drama and Debate Society (ELDDS).