President's Message

President’s Message

As highlighted in the opening statement of Term 4, 2019. ELL (English Language and COVID-19 began to impact DAS towards sustainable. With MOE's support, we can bursaries for the DAS Preschool encouragement has been instrumental to transition to home-based learning by over DAS President Mr Eric Lee's message, the Literacy) Division's FY2019-2020's full-year the end of FY2019-2020. I would like to keep our MLP fees affordable and our Programme for 2019 and 2020. The our continued development. Mrs Goh's 3,000 students across our 14 learning financial impact of COVID-19 on the revenue was $16,581K which is five thank the DAS Executive Committee and services accessible to parents and their President's Challenge has been a great kind letter on our behalf to the Lee centres was a momentous undertaking in Association only began when the percent higher than FY2018-2019's Management for being adequately children. The MLP fee payable by parents supporter over the years and donating Foundation has resulted in a $300K response to the COVID-19 situation. requirement for DAS to switch to $15,784K. Besides higher MLP fees and prepared to switch to Home-Based is $25.68 per hour (including GST) and this significant sums to DAS. Much staff donation from the Foundation towards the This was an excellent example of Home-Based Learning commenced at the MOE Grant received because of higher Learning when the Ministry of Education has not changed since 2007. preparatory work in the latter half of building of our new Yishun Centre. management's excellent stewardship, start of School Term Two from 23 March MLP enrolment, there have been more instructed us to do so from Term Two Nevertheless, over the next few years, we FY2019-2020 resulted in the Singapore willingness to embrace change and 2020. We will experience the full impact in contributions from the new iReach and Week One (23 March 2020). DAS was anticipate significant financial stresses as Teochew Foundation agreeing to provide Board renewal continues to be an improvement and must be acknowledged. the next Financial Year (FY2020-2021). iStudySmart programmes as well. therefore, able to continue delivering our demand for our services increase, DAS with up to $814K for 100 per cent important item on the Executive However, although COVID-19 continues to programmes and services and for most of especially if MOE funding on a per capita bursaries for DAS students attending I am most grateful to Ms Lucy Tay, Committee's agenda. We now have four Looking forward, although COVID-19 will dominate the conversation, it is important Full-year FY2019-2020 revenue for our students, their learning was not basis is not increased in line with inflation. non-MOE funded programmes and Director, Special Educational Needs, MOE Executive Committee members, Mr Jim continue to impact our operations, DAS we do not forget the many achievements dyslexia assessments was $566K which is disrupted. The full impact of COVID-19 will services. And there were many other for attending the DAS Student Graduation Lee, Mr Kevin Kwek, Ms Wong May Lyn will not stop focusing on quality and and successes of DAS in FY2019-2020. much lower than the $854K in dyslexia be felt by DAS in the next Financial Year Likewise, DAS provides bursaries for important donations. and Achievement Awards Ceremony on and Dr Zubin Daruwalla who are around 50 sustainability. We will continue to invest assessment fees received in FY2018-2019. (FY2020-2021) but with government support students from lower-income families to 26 November 2019 at the SUTD years old and below. We also have four resources and expand efforts to secure Although the number of referrals received measures such as the Jobs Support access much-needed non-MOE funded DAS also organised another excellent Auditorium as our Guest of Honour. Her new sub-Committee members - Ms Alicia funding and donations to support a in 2019 was not significantly lower than in Scheme and donations already pledged DAS programmes. In FY2019-2020, the World Dyslexia Awareness Week (WDAW) presence and wonderful speech truly Tan, Ms Lye Ay Wen, Mr Dickon Addis, Mr comprehensive and holistic range of 2018, 2018 saw an exceptionally high from the Singapore Teochew Foundation amount of DAS bursaries provided was in the first week of October 2019. I would encouraged everyone and re-affirmed the Anurag Pandey - who joined us over the programmes. We will continue to invest in number of assessments due to a huge and the national Bicentennial Fund, we can $1,017K although net donations raised was like to thank Mr Mervyn Koh and UOB Government’s support for our students past 12 months. They will be contributing the professional development of our staff. backlog from 2017. Like in 2017, we had a be confident that DAS will be financially only $811K during the FY. We are most Business Banking for once again providing and their parents. to the Fundraising Committee as well as This is so that the DAS can reach out and shortage of psychologists to conduct sound going forward. grateful to the many generous donors who DAS with the UOB Plaza Atrium for our the Programmes and Services Committee. serve even more people with dyslexia and assessments in 2019 and early 2020. The have come forward to help children from WDAW Exhibition and Art Competition. I am most heartened by the support and We will endeavour to continue to attract associated learning needs with assessment and processing waitlist had The work of DAS for the dyslexia lower-income families benefit from DAS I would also like to thank Gardens by the approval we have received from the more qualified and committed people to high-quality services. With DAS having incurred a financial deficit increased to over 300 at the end of March community has been ongoing for 29 years services. I am not able to name them all Bay for allowing DAS use of the Gardens Ministry of Education, the Housing join the Executive Committee and in FY2014-2015 for the first time in more 2020 and wait time for an assessment was and this would not have been possible but we will certainly not forget the many and Member of Parliament and Mayor of Development Board and the MP Advisor supporting Committees to ensure the We will continue to engage, collaborate than a decade, one of management's ten to twelve weeks compared to two to without the firm foundation laid by our individuals and organisations who have the Central Singapore District Ms Denise of the Yishun area, Associate Professor continuity necessary to pursue the and partner MOE in all our efforts. We will priorities for the past five years was to three weeks in late 2018. We expect founding President Dr Jimmy Daruwalla, our supported the work of DAS. Phua for attending our WDAW Walk for Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim to replace outstanding work achieved by DAS over strive to reach out to new partners, donors stabilise the finances of DAS and its assessment numbers to pick up again supporters, donors, volunteers, parents and Dyslexia on 4 October 2019 and donating our current Yishun Centre with a larger the years to help people with dyslexia. and supporters. Even while we already subsidiaries. I am therefore pleased that at from September 2020 as more of course the ExCo and staff of DAS. A major DAS fundraising event for generously to DAS. centre with more classrooms. As 83 per have a well-run organisation internally, we Group level, we were in surplus from assessment capacity becomes available. FY2019-2020 was our Pledge Card effort cent of the students enrolled at the DAS I am delighted that at the management will not stop always looking at better ways FY2015-2016 to FY2019-2020. This is despite I would like to thank the Ministry of from January to March 2020. Due to the I would also like to thank the members of Yishun Centre are from lower-income level, there continues to be stability and and newer perspectives. the MOE Grant rate being largely One heartening development is the Education (MOE) for their continuous splendid efforts of staff, parents and parliament, Mr Chng Kee Hiong, Associate families and qualify for bursaries, we hope progress under the leadership of Chief unchanged and lower donations received in revenue for SpLD assessments increasing support over the years and providing the students of DAS, we raised $85K. Staff Professor Daniel Goh, Mr Faisal Manap, Mr the relocation will allow us to reach out to Executive Officer Mr Lee Siang. Under Lee We will continue to further our mission - FY2019-2020. It has therefore been another by 40 per cent to $104K in FY2019-2020 MOE Grant for dyslexic students attending also contributed over $12K in FY2019-2020 Pritam Singh, Mr Seah Kian Peng, Mr Teo more of such children who reside in the Siang and his General Management Team's Helping Dyslexic People Achieve. challenging year for DAS and Group compared to $74K in FY2018-2019. With the MOE-aided DAS Main Literacy from their monthly salaries towards the Ser Luck, the Singapore soccer legends, Yishun vicinity and need the services to able management, DAS has continued to accumulated funds remain at $13.98million many students with dyslexia having Programme (MLP) at our fourteen DAS DAS bursary fund. It is wonderful to see media celebrities, F17 Academy players, be provided close to where they live. We grow from strength to strength. I would as at 31 March 2020. This is only around 66 comorbid SpLDs, SpLD assessments are Learning Centres. We expect the Grant to staff, parents and students contributing to sponsors MEDIA360, SPEEDOC, WARRIX & expect the new centre to be built and like to thank him and his team for another per cent of the annual expenditure for expected to contribute more to the amount to $10,423K in FY2019-2020. these efforts to ensure children from 1 PLAY SPORTS and all students and ready for classes by January 2021. outstanding effort in the past year in FY2019-2020. DAS must, therefore, revenue of SAS (SpLD Assessment lower-income families can access much spectators for joining us for Score for reaching out and helping many more continue to be prudent in our spending. Services) going forward. Students from lower-income families also needed DAS programmes and services. Dyslexia event on 7 October 2019. In total, Most importantly, I would like to express students with dyslexia and associated benefited from the MOE Financial our efforts during WDAW raised a total of our appreciation to our ever-supportive learning differences despite limited funds The MOE-aided DAS Main Literacy Revenue and enrolment for various SES Assistance Scheme (FAS). If not for the Other notable contributions in $26K and much positive publicity for patron, Mrs Goh Chok Tong. Mrs Goh has and resources. In March 2020, the Programme has once again reached an programmes were mixed although overall MOE Grant and FAS, DAS would have to FY2019-2020 include the Ishk Tolaram dyslexia in Singapore. been our Patron since 1995 and her unprecedented yet relatively smooth all-time enrolment high of 3,157 students in full-year revenue for SES was $2,809K for charge higher fees for MLP to be Foundation who donated $243K to Eric Lee, President

FY2019-2020 which is a 10 per cent Australia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, DAS Academy's full-year revenue from with Dyslexia and Specific Learning increase from FY2018-2019's $2,548K. India, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Italy, UK DAS participants declined to $397K in Differences". Major areas for development This is due to overall SES enrolment and US. FY2019-2020 from $482K in FY2018-2019. include the increasing use of technology in reaching a historical high of 1,238 in Term 4, This is mostly because of reduced our classrooms, the continued 2019 with additional contributions from There was a one-time payment made by recruitment of full-time Educational development of talent-based programmes Science and Termly Programmes. DAS in FY2019-2020. IRAS had informed Therapists at DAS. such as an arts programme, Artventure as DAS that we have to pay $447K by end well as piloting additional support for Besides the 14 DAS centres, we also taught March 2020 due to an over claim of input Despite the above, because of improved Normal Tech students. in PAP Community Foundation Preschool tax over the last five years. cost controls, DAS Academy came in with Centres and some MOE schools. a surplus of $17K for FY2019-2020. This has been a wonderful team effort and I Additionally, we conducted a literacy and Despite the above one-time payment, For DAS International, full-year must once again acknowledge DAS numeracy programme for five residents of DAS achieved full-year revenue of FY2019-2020 revenue increased by 29 per colleagues for their immense effort and the the Singapore Boys Home in Term 4, 2019 $20,606K for FY2019-2020 compared to cent to $350K, up from $271K in Executive Committee for their support and and Term 1, 2020. FY2018-2019's $19,840K and a surplus of FY2018-2019. Besides a historically high guidance. It should be noted that the above $287K for the full FY2019-2020. number of one-to-one Specialist Tutoring developments were achieved despite a Part of the cost of DAS is our continued teaching hours, teacher/parent training in freeze in administrative headcount since investment in building a pool of expertise As our subsidiaries are an important Shenzhen and Guangzhou, China in June 2014 and a decrease in full-time Staff in Dyslexia and Specific Learning extension of our charitable work, I would and December 2019 also contributed. Strength from 240 at end-March 2019 to 237 Differences here in Singapore. I am like to also report that for DAS Academy, DAS International achieved an operating at end March 2010. Despite the greater pleased that there are currently four DAS the Full Year FY2019-2020 revenue was surplus of $79K for the full year of demands, DAS staff are serving longer. staff pursuing PhDs and 29 staff have $872K which is lower than the $934K for FY2019-2020 and was able to contribute 41 per cent have now served DAS for more completed Masters degrees in related FY2018-2019. Revenue from public $60K to DAS from this surplus and another than four years. This was 26 per cent just fields. To facilitate the reliability of DAS participants increased slightly to $462K in $150K from retained earnings in 36 months ago. This has been the result of a programmes, programme evaluation and FY2019-2020 from $444K in FY2018-2019. FY2019-2020. stable resignation rate. research has become part of the culture at Enrolment has been mixed with DAS. A DAS Handbook that includes the historically high numbers for Certificate The financial environment for DAS The breadth and complexity of work at DAS programme evaluation reports of all major Courses and the Specialist Diploma in continues to be very fluid especially have increased significantly. But DAS programmes was published for the first Specific Learning Differences and good because of the changes in our funding continues to be in the pioneering country in time in October 2014 and a 6th issue is interest for in-school workshops but lower agreement with MOE. The COVID-19 almost everything we do and there is much being put together for publication in numbers for the Masters in Special situation has also disrupted revenue. more we can accomplish for the greater late-2020. Educational Needs and workshops. Management will continue to be prudent. benefit of our clients with Dyslexia and Nevertheless, our efforts to increase the Specific Learning Differences. The 12th and 13th issues of the Asia Pacific Revenue from MOE Allied Educators range and productivity of our programmes Journal of Developmental Differences training was absent although this revenue and services are bearing fruit and we can featuring research articles from DAS staff item will return in FY2020-2021. 4th look forward with greater confidence as as well as researchers from Singapore and quarter revenue was impacted by the we provide more dyslexic people with the region was published in July 2019 and COVID-19 situation with many participants more comprehensive and better services. January 2020 respectively. In June 2015, deferring attendance or not signing up. DAS organised the first UNITE SpLD This is despite DAS Academy offering the The DAS strategy for the next five years Conference and a fifth instalment was option of online attendance for all remains unchanged and this is "To build a organised from 26 to 28 June 2019 with lectures. comprehensive and holistic range of speakers from DAS, Singapore as well as programmes and services for our clients Lee Siang, Chief Executive Officer President’s Message

As highlighted in the opening statement of Term 4, 2019. ELL (English Language and COVID-19 began to impact DAS towards sustainable. With MOE's support, we can bursaries for the DAS Preschool encouragement has been instrumental to transition to home-based learning by over DAS President Mr Eric Lee's message, the Literacy) Division's FY2019-2020's full-year the end of FY2019-2020. I would like to keep our MLP fees affordable and our Programme for 2019 and 2020. The our continued development. Mrs Goh's 3,000 students across our 14 learning financial impact of COVID-19 on the revenue was $16,581K which is five thank the DAS Executive Committee and services accessible to parents and their President's Challenge has been a great kind letter on our behalf to the Lee centres was a momentous undertaking in Association only began when the percent higher than FY2018-2019's Management for being adequately children. The MLP fee payable by parents supporter over the years and donating Foundation has resulted in a $300K response to the COVID-19 situation. requirement for DAS to switch to $15,784K. Besides higher MLP fees and prepared to switch to Home-Based is $25.68 per hour (including GST) and this significant sums to DAS. Much staff donation from the Foundation towards the This was an excellent example of Home-Based Learning commenced at the MOE Grant received because of higher Learning when the Ministry of Education has not changed since 2007. preparatory work in the latter half of building of our new Yishun Centre. management's excellent stewardship, start of School Term Two from 23 March MLP enrolment, there have been more instructed us to do so from Term Two Nevertheless, over the next few years, we FY2019-2020 resulted in the Singapore willingness to embrace change and 2020. We will experience the full impact in contributions from the new iReach and Week One (23 March 2020). DAS was anticipate significant financial stresses as Teochew Foundation agreeing to provide Board renewal continues to be an improvement and must be acknowledged. the next Financial Year (FY2020-2021). iStudySmart programmes as well. therefore, able to continue delivering our demand for our services increase, DAS with up to $814K for 100 per cent important item on the Executive However, although COVID-19 continues to programmes and services and for most of especially if MOE funding on a per capita bursaries for DAS students attending I am most grateful to Ms Lucy Tay, Committee's agenda. We now have four Looking forward, although COVID-19 will dominate the conversation, it is important Full-year FY2019-2020 revenue for our students, their learning was not basis is not increased in line with inflation. non-MOE funded programmes and Director, Special Educational Needs, MOE Executive Committee members, Mr Jim continue to impact our operations, DAS we do not forget the many achievements dyslexia assessments was $566K which is disrupted. The full impact of COVID-19 will services. And there were many other for attending the DAS Student Graduation Lee, Mr Kevin Kwek, Ms Wong May Lyn will not stop focusing on quality and and successes of DAS in FY2019-2020. much lower than the $854K in dyslexia be felt by DAS in the next Financial Year Likewise, DAS provides bursaries for important donations. and Achievement Awards Ceremony on and Dr Zubin Daruwalla who are around 50 sustainability. We will continue to invest assessment fees received in FY2018-2019. (FY2020-2021) but with government support students from lower-income families to 26 November 2019 at the SUTD years old and below. We also have four resources and expand efforts to secure Although the number of referrals received measures such as the Jobs Support access much-needed non-MOE funded DAS also organised another excellent Auditorium as our Guest of Honour. Her new sub-Committee members - Ms Alicia funding and donations to support a in 2019 was not significantly lower than in Scheme and donations already pledged DAS programmes. In FY2019-2020, the World Dyslexia Awareness Week (WDAW) presence and wonderful speech truly Tan, Ms Lye Ay Wen, Mr Dickon Addis, Mr comprehensive and holistic range of 2018, 2018 saw an exceptionally high from the Singapore Teochew Foundation amount of DAS bursaries provided was in the first week of October 2019. I would encouraged everyone and re-affirmed the Anurag Pandey - who joined us over the programmes. We will continue to invest in number of assessments due to a huge and the national Bicentennial Fund, we can $1,017K although net donations raised was like to thank Mr Mervyn Koh and UOB Government’s support for our students past 12 months. They will be contributing the professional development of our staff. backlog from 2017. Like in 2017, we had a be confident that DAS will be financially only $811K during the FY. We are most Business Banking for once again providing and their parents. to the Fundraising Committee as well as This is so that the DAS can reach out and shortage of psychologists to conduct sound going forward. grateful to the many generous donors who DAS with the UOB Plaza Atrium for our the Programmes and Services Committee. serve even more people with dyslexia and assessments in 2019 and early 2020. The have come forward to help children from WDAW Exhibition and Art Competition. I am most heartened by the support and We will endeavour to continue to attract associated learning needs with assessment and processing waitlist had The work of DAS for the dyslexia lower-income families benefit from DAS I would also like to thank Gardens by the approval we have received from the more qualified and committed people to high-quality services. With DAS having incurred a financial deficit increased to over 300 at the end of March community has been ongoing for 29 years services. I am not able to name them all Bay for allowing DAS use of the Gardens Ministry of Education, the Housing join the Executive Committee and in FY2014-2015 for the first time in more 2020 and wait time for an assessment was and this would not have been possible but we will certainly not forget the many and Member of Parliament and Mayor of Development Board and the MP Advisor supporting Committees to ensure the We will continue to engage, collaborate than a decade, one of management's ten to twelve weeks compared to two to without the firm foundation laid by our individuals and organisations who have the Central Singapore District Ms Denise of the Yishun area, Associate Professor continuity necessary to pursue the and partner MOE in all our efforts. We will priorities for the past five years was to three weeks in late 2018. We expect founding President Dr Jimmy Daruwalla, our supported the work of DAS. Phua for attending our WDAW Walk for Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim to replace outstanding work achieved by DAS over strive to reach out to new partners, donors stabilise the finances of DAS and its assessment numbers to pick up again supporters, donors, volunteers, parents and Dyslexia on 4 October 2019 and donating our current Yishun Centre with a larger the years to help people with dyslexia. and supporters. Even while we already subsidiaries. I am therefore pleased that at from September 2020 as more of course the ExCo and staff of DAS. A major DAS fundraising event for generously to DAS. centre with more classrooms. As 83 per have a well-run organisation internally, we Group level, we were in surplus from assessment capacity becomes available. FY2019-2020 was our Pledge Card effort cent of the students enrolled at the DAS I am delighted that at the management will not stop always looking at better ways FY2015-2016 to FY2019-2020. This is despite I would like to thank the Ministry of from January to March 2020. Due to the I would also like to thank the members of Yishun Centre are from lower-income level, there continues to be stability and and newer perspectives. the MOE Grant rate being largely One heartening development is the Education (MOE) for their continuous splendid efforts of staff, parents and parliament, Mr Chng Kee Hiong, Associate families and qualify for bursaries, we hope progress under the leadership of Chief unchanged and lower donations received in revenue for SpLD assessments increasing support over the years and providing the students of DAS, we raised $85K. Staff Professor Daniel Goh, Mr Faisal Manap, Mr the relocation will allow us to reach out to Executive Officer Mr Lee Siang. Under Lee We will continue to further our mission - FY2019-2020. It has therefore been another by 40 per cent to $104K in FY2019-2020 MOE Grant for dyslexic students attending also contributed over $12K in FY2019-2020 Pritam Singh, Mr Seah Kian Peng, Mr Teo more of such children who reside in the Siang and his General Management Team's Helping Dyslexic People Achieve. challenging year for DAS and Group compared to $74K in FY2018-2019. With the MOE-aided DAS Main Literacy from their monthly salaries towards the Ser Luck, the Singapore soccer legends, Yishun vicinity and need the services to able management, DAS has continued to accumulated funds remain at $13.98million many students with dyslexia having Programme (MLP) at our fourteen DAS DAS bursary fund. It is wonderful to see media celebrities, F17 Academy players, be provided close to where they live. We grow from strength to strength. I would as at 31 March 2020. This is only around 66 comorbid SpLDs, SpLD assessments are Learning Centres. We expect the Grant to staff, parents and students contributing to sponsors MEDIA360, SPEEDOC, WARRIX & expect the new centre to be built and like to thank him and his team for another per cent of the annual expenditure for expected to contribute more to the amount to $10,423K in FY2019-2020. these efforts to ensure children from 1 PLAY SPORTS and all students and ready for classes by January 2021. outstanding effort in the past year in FY2019-2020. DAS must, therefore, revenue of SAS (SpLD Assessment lower-income families can access much spectators for joining us for Score for reaching out and helping many more continue to be prudent in our spending. Services) going forward. Students from lower-income families also needed DAS programmes and services. Dyslexia event on 7 October 2019. In total, Most importantly, I would like to express students with dyslexia and associated benefited from the MOE Financial our efforts during WDAW raised a total of our appreciation to our ever-supportive learning differences despite limited funds The MOE-aided DAS Main Literacy Revenue and enrolment for various SES Assistance Scheme (FAS). If not for the Other notable contributions in $26K and much positive publicity for patron, Mrs Goh Chok Tong. Mrs Goh has and resources. In March 2020, the Programme has once again reached an programmes were mixed although overall MOE Grant and FAS, DAS would have to FY2019-2020 include the Ishk Tolaram dyslexia in Singapore. been our Patron since 1995 and her unprecedented yet relatively smooth Eric Lee, President all-time enrolment high of 3,157 students in full-year revenue for SES was $2,809K for charge higher fees for MLP to be Foundation who donated $243K to