National Education
Citizenship Depositions
NE is anchored on the following citizenship dispositions, which will enable our youth to realise their part in the flourishing of their community and nation:
A Sense of Belonging
To develop a deeper understanding of who we are, a shared understanding of the values that are important to us as a nation.
A Sense of Reality
To be aware of the contemporary realities – including Singapore’s constraints and vulnerabilities – which affect us as a nation amidst the backdrop of a less predictable world.
A Sense of Hope
Having confidence and optimism in Singapore’s future and the resilience to face the challenges ahead.
The Will to Act
Ultimately, these citizenship dispositions cultivate the will to act: To be active citizens who have a collective resolve and a sense of shared mission towards building a Singapore for all.
National Education in AES
National Education (NE) is and still remains important in our education system as a means to nurture national cohesion, instincts for survival as a nation, and confidence in our nation’s future in our students.
Particularly, given the greater opportunities for Singaporeans to live, work and study abroad, it becomes increasingly important for NE to also strengthen the sense of belonging among our students so that they will regard Singapore as their home even if they go overseas to work or study.
In Assumption English School (AES), AssumptionKnights commemorate the four NE core events: Total Defence Day, International Friendship Day, Racial Harmony Day and National Day. These are the NE events which have been identified as defining moments in Singapore’s history. The aim is to entrench these events and the images they evoke in the consciousness of each successive generation.
Racial Harmony Day 2020 and National Day 2020
2020 is a different year for all of us. It is a year of challenges for many, so we have focussed our celebrations and commemorations on “Relationships”, so that we can understand, appreciate and support one another. It is important to note that it is not the celebration or any parade that makes the occasion special, but the very people, each and every one of us, that make the occasion what it is.
For photo and video highlights, please refer to the school’s highlight page. https://assumptionenglish.moe.edu.sg/about-aes/highlights
Racial Harmony Day 2019
Schools in Singapore commemorate Racial Harmony Day every year on 21 July. The significance of this date is that on this exact day back in 1964, Singapore experienced terrible racial riots. Having found a way to balance racial and religious sensitivity over the decades, Racial Harmony Day (RHD) now serves to remind us that social division once cost us dearly and that race and religion are potential fault-lines in the Singapore society.
This year during Racial Harmony Day in AES, we had a few events that the students and staff looked forward to eagerly. The theme for this year was “The Singapore Connection”, so, naturally, we found the one item that could connect everyone together - food. Hence, this year’s commemoration focused on the variety of cuisines and dishes found in Singapore.
This year, one of the highlights of RHD was the international students presenting on popular snacks originating from their own hometowns, such as honeycomb cakes from Vietnam and ‘putos’ from the Philippines. Students and teachers were able to taste local and international snacks if they answered some of the questions given to them correctly. It was indeed an informative session where teachers and students were able to understand more about other cultures through the knowledge of food. Our AssumptionKnights and teachers went the extra mile to wear ethnic costumes from a variety of cultures. We also had the inter-class ethnic costume competition and best dressed student (individual) competition.
We had a drama performance by Interaction Arts And Drama Network entitled “HOPE, Our Lost Phone”. The theme of “Our Strength in Unity through Diversity” was strongly emphasized in the programme too. The play helped the students appreciate other cultures in cosmopolitan Singapore and nurtured the spirit of friendship and collaboration among different people. Students understood that beyond ethnicity, a common identity can also be forged from shared experiences and values. It allows students to appreciate cultural diversity and helps nurture a willingness to embrace others from diverse backgrounds. Students learned how they can welcome and integrate their international peers into the school and society.
In AES, we embrace our diversity and celebrate each other’s customs and cultures but we also make an effort to remember the times when tensions between the ethnic and racial groups boiled over into conflict and violence. Harmony is about much more than what we wear on the surface - it is really about the respect for one another that we carry inside us and the ways we embody that through our actions.
National Day Celebrations 2019
It was a special celebration this year as Assumptionknights celebrated the nation’s 54th birthday with a carnival and an Assumptionknight Challenge for the very first time!
The festivities kicked off with the AES Uniformed Groups and Symphonic Band marching in with the Singapore flag, which is a grand spectacle that every Assumptionknight looks forward to annually. Our principal, Mr Benjamin Kwok, then delivered the National Day message, followed by the recitation of the recollections, which was led by our student emcees. The morning assembly ended with a march-off by the cadets of the Uniformed Groups led by SSG Chan Weng Huen and SSG Lim Kar Zun Daniel, from Red Cross Youth and National Cadets Corps respectively.
The highlights of the day’s celebrations were the carnival and the Assumptionknight Challenge! Students and staff had the opportunity to experience nostalgic memories by trying their hands at traditional games as well as enjoying local snacks such as kacang putih and biscuit piring wafer! Enthralling acts such as the performances by our Dance Ensemble and ELDDS, as well as splendid performances by our Show Choir and Band, were just some of the other highlights of the day. The celebrations ended on a high note as the school came together to sing classic National Day songs.
These festivities were held to provide platforms for Assumptionknights to rediscover and share their experiences and memories of living in Singapore which coincide with this year’s theme, ‘Our Singapore’. It commemorates Singapore’s bicentennial birthday and allows us to tell our Singapore story from past to present. We must acknowledge that our youths are the pioneers of the future, and together we must collectively own the future of Singapore.
