Edusave Character Award

Edusave Character Award (ECHA)

Introduction

The ECHA is introduced by the Ministry of Education in 2012 to enable schools to recognise pupils who demonstrate exemplary character and outstanding personal qualities through their behaviour and actions.

The award also supports schools’ continuing efforts in nurturing pupils of good values and character, who are active contributors and concerned citizens.

ECHA aims to recognise pupils for demonstrating exemplary values and civic responsibility through their behaviour and actions. This is aligned with MOE’s emphasis on Values, Character and Citizenship Education.

Eligibility

To qualify for the Edusave Character Award, every nominee must meet the criteria as stipulated in both the Basic Tier and the 2nd Tier:

Criteria for Basic Tier

Student of Gongshang Primary for at least 6 months at the point of nomination
Singapore Citizen
Achieved ‘Excellent’ for conduct in both Semester 1 and Semester 2 for the current year
Endorsed by the Form Teachers, Subject Teachers and CCA Teachers on the display of personal qualities

Criteria for 2nd Tier

In addition, the nominee must strongly and consistently demonstrate the following qualities in both behaviour and actions:

School Values (Respect, Thrift, Integrity, Perseverance)
Qualities of Resilience / Civic Consciousness / Care and Harmony.
Pupils demonstrated how they have persevered and shown resilience despite difficult circumstances (e.g. through financial difficulties, facing family issues, health issues etc.) and have managed to overcome the odds and still do commendably well in both academic and non-academic domains.

The maximum quota per year for each mainstream school is set at up to 2% of the enrolment of Singaporean pupils. Gongshang Primary School will have the autonomy to decide on the distribution of awardees.

Pupils who are conferred the award will receive the Edusave Character Award according to the quantum as shown:

Level	Quantum
Primary 1 to 3	$200
Primary 4 to 6	$350

Selection

Criteria

The basic criterion for selection is the awardees’ strong and consistent demonstration of the following in their behaviour and actions:

Excellence in Personal Conduct
Attitude in class, punctuality, adherence to the School Rules
Embodying School Values
Respect, Thrift, Integrity, Perseverance
Possessing Qualities of Resilience
Perseverance and Resilience despite of difficult circumstances, Civic Consciousness, Care and Harmony

Process

The school has instituted a rigorous and robust selection process. Each of the following stages will have at least two distinct groups of stakeholders:

Stages	Stakeholders
Nomination	Nomination of pupils for the award is opened to all staff, pupils, parents, and coaches or instructors of Co-Curricular Activities. Only shortlisted nominees (as informed by the Form Teacher) are required to write a short reflection.
Shortlisting	Middle Managers and the level teachers will form the shortlisting panel. Each level will look at the submissions and rank the nominations. Inputs will be sought from all teachers. The Selection Panel comprises of Vice Principal (1) and Key Personnels from the Student Development Team (SDT). The panel will look at the rank-order of the nominees and deliberate further. It will also present the final list of awardees (up to 2% of eligible pupils) to the Endorsement Panel.
Endorsement	The Endorsement Panel comprises of the Principal, Vice-Principal (2), 1 Key Personnel (not in the shortlisting panel) and 2 representatives from the Parent Support Group. The panel will conduct group dialogues with the shortlisted nominees.

Stages

Stakeholders

Nomination

Nomination of pupils for the award is opened to all staff, pupils, parents, and coaches or instructors of Co-Curricular Activities. Only shortlisted nominees (as informed by the Form Teacher) are required to write a short reflection.

Shortlisting

Middle Managers and the level teachers will form the shortlisting panel. Each level will look at the submissions and rank the nominations. Inputs will be sought from all teachers.

The Selection Panel comprises of Vice Principal (1) and Key Personnels from the Student Development Team (SDT). The panel will look at the rank-order of the nominees and deliberate further. It will also present the final list of awardees (up to 2% of eligible pupils) to the Endorsement Panel.

Endorsement

The Endorsement Panel comprises of the Principal, Vice-Principal (2), 1 Key Personnel (not in the shortlisting panel) and 2 representatives from the Parent Support Group. The panel will conduct group dialogues with the shortlisted nominees.

It is important to note that the decision of the school for the Edusave Character Award is final.
The school will not consider any appeal on the outcome of the Edusave Character Award.

How to Nominate

Online Nomination

Fill in the online nomination form here: https://for.edu.sg/gsps-echa

Hardcopy Nomination

Print a copy of the nomination form.
The completed form must be duly signed and submitted to the General Office before the deadline.

Timeframe

The nomination for 2024 has ended.