Empowering All Children for a Better Future

As EtonHouse Community Fund’s founder and chairwoman, Ng Gim Choo has embarked on a learning mission that challenges traditional academic norms for underprivileged children across Singapore.

Ng Gim Choo may have handed over the EtonHouse reins to her younger son in 2022 as part of a carefully designed succession plan, but her drive for educational reform during a child’s formative years continues unabated.

At 71 years old and a grandmother of three, she currently serves as the founder and chairwoman of the EtonHouse International Education Group and the EtonHouse Community Fund (ECF), where her mission has evolved to empower underprivileged children. She is a passionate advocate for the idea that every child, regardless of their socioeconomic circumstances, should have the opportunity to experience learning in a joyful environment, giving rise to ECF’s signature programme, Joyful Learning.

Disrupting entrenched paradigms of education, however, has proven to be a formidable undertaking. Some parents — particularly those juggling multiple children and diverse commitments — display hesitance towards enrolling their children in Joyful Learning. Others harbour scepticism, dismissing the activities as mere frivolous play.

Yet, as Ng delves into the heart of a 90-minute Joyful Learning session, it becomes clear that there is more to this pedagogical approach than meets the eye. There’s storytelling, singing, dancing, and a goodbye song to cap it all off. Her belief in the pivotal role of play is corroborated by a wealth of research.

Dr Catherine Tamis-LeMonda, a professor of applied psychology at New York University specialising in infant and toddler learning and development, states that play is an approach to learning — a dynamic, enjoyable, and inquisitive means of discovering the world.

Ng holds a steadfast philosophy: Success cannot be confined solely to academic achievements. In her view, a child’s overall well-being and happiness take precedence.

Her ambition for the charity reaches far, involving the establishment of a wide network of skilled volunteers and educators to disseminate the Joyful Learning model across Singapore. Ng is also considering a board revitalisation to ensure the sustainability of the charity. She’s particularly attentive to ECF’s Institute of Public Character status, granted to registered charities for a specific duration, along with the importance of maintaining an independent board.

Beneath her nurturing demeanour and soft-spokenness lies an embodiment of steely determination — a woman on a mission. Without question, Ng ’s dedication to reshaping early education represents an ongoing narrative, one still in the making.