The Singapore Centre for Chinese Language (SCCL) held the finals of "2024 National Preschool Teaching Aid Competition – Creating Singapore's Chinese Picture Books" on 9 March 2024. The anticipation has finally come to an end as we unveiled the results of our highly anticipated Teaching Aid Competition Finals!

        Out of 150 entries, 15 entries were selected to advance to the finals. The judges ultimately selected one Most Outstanding Award, one Outstanding Award, one Excellence Award and two Promising Awards. Zhang Qian, Shirley Ling Sher Fen, Weng Meifang, Lo Wei-Ting, Chen Rui Rui, and Li Jing Xian from M.Y World @ Woodlands Glade won the Most Outstanding Award for their entry "Who is the Smartest Fish in the Reservoir?". The story was based on Zhang Qian's personal experience. The reservoir worker stopped her daughter and her from feeding the fish in the reservoir as the fish may be overfed and this will affect the ecological system.

       Audrey Han Yan Yi, a family doctor in a local clinic, won the Outstanding Award for her entry "The Golden Years of a Senior Citizen". Audrey wrote the story based on her experiences working with the elderly and hoped to create a book whereby children will show love, care, concern and empathy for the elderly.

        Shih Mei Ling from Odyssey The Global Preschool – Wilkinson won the Excellence Award for her entry "Who ate the Bubur Cha Cha?". Shih Mei Ling drew her inspiration from local desserts in Singapore and hope to introduce local desserts to children. Familiar animals like otter, squirrel, rabbit, pigeon and cat were in the illustrated book to draw the interest of the children.

        The two Promising Awards were given to Yang Xue Ling, Chieng Wei Qin and Mo Xue Ying from PCF Sparkletots Preschool @ Buona Vista Blk 54 and Su Hang from E-Bridge Preschool. Their entries were "Mother Bowl Strolls Through the Food Court" and "The Sari Smiled".

       The "2024 National Preschool Teaching Aid Competition – Creating Singapore's Chinese Picture Books" aims to encourage teachers to use local Mandarin vocabulary and utilise the Singaporean Mandarin Database to create picture books containing Singaporean Mandarin words and enhance children's awareness and love of Singapore Chinese literature. Public are welcome to visit our YouTube Channel to view the 15 shortlisted entries.

Dr Foo Suan Fong, SCCL Executive Director, presented the Most Outstanding Award to Shirley Ling Sher Fen (left) and Zhang Qian (center) from M.Y World @ Woodlands Glade

Dr Foo Suan Fong, SCCL Executive Director, presented the Outstanding Award to Audrey Han Yan Yi

Dr Foo Suan Fong, SCCL Executive Director, presented the Excellent Award to Shih Mei Ling from Odyssey The Global Preschool – Wilkinson

Group photo of the award winners
From the left: Shirley Ling Sher Fen, Zhang Qian, Mo Xue Ying, Yang Xue Ling, Audrey Han Yan Yi, Shih Mei Ling and Su Hang