The Community Involvement Programme (CIP) was launched by Wee Heng Tin, then the Director-General of Education, on 1 October 1997.^[1] The initiative, which is part of National Education, aims to build social cohesion and inculcate civic responsibility in pupils.^[2] It is a compulsory programme for students of all levels, from primary to pre-university.^[3] Through  active participation and involvement in community service, the programme aspires to help students develop a strong social conscience, and a sense of belonging and commitment to their community, society and country^[4] via experiential learning.^[5]

CIP was implemented in January 1998. Every student is required to fulfil a minimum of six hours of community service each year. By the time a student completes 10 years of primary and secondary school education, he would have fulfilled at least 60 hours of service. The type of volunteer work differs according to age group. Primary school pupils are engaged in activities such as peer group tutoring, tending to the eco-garden, maintaining school facilities and making handicraft to raise funds. Secondary school students help out in public libraries, welfare homes or self-help groups, teach senior citizens computer skills, or ‘adopt’ a community project such as maintaining a section of a beach or park. Older students in junior colleges (JC) or centralised institutes (CI) may assume leadership roles in youth groups or camps for younger students, or help out at grassroots events.^[6] In 2005, the minimum six-hour requirement was removed for JC and CI students.^[7] As part of the reflection exercise, all students participating in CIP are given log books where they record their involvement and activities.^[8]

References
1. Ministry of Education. Singapore. (1997). Launch of the Community Involvement Programme: Speech by Mr Wee Heng Tin, DGE, on 1 Oct 97. Retrieved April 16, 2014, from MOE National Education website: http://www.ne.edu.sg/speech-launchofcommunityinvolvement.htm
2. Ministry of Education. Singapore. (2014). Community Involvement Programme. Retrieved April 16, 2014, from MOE National Education website: http://www.ne.edu.sg/cip.htm
3. National Education Branch. Ministry of Education. (2003). National Education in schools. In S. K. S. Tan & C. B. Goh (Eds.), Securing our future: Sourcebook for infusing national education into the primary school curriculum (p. 14). Singapore: Prentice Hall. Call no.: RSING 372.95957 SEC.
4. Ministry of Education, Singapore, 1997.
5. National Education Branch. Ministry of Education, 2003, p. 27.
6. Ministry of Education, Singapore, 1997; National Education Branch. Ministry of Education, 2003, p. 27.
7. Ministry of Education, Singapore (2005). NE milestones: 2005. Retrieved April 16, 2014, from MOE National Education website: http://www.ne.edu.sg/nemilestones.htm
8. Ministry of Education. Singapore, 2014.

The information in this article is valid as at 2014 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.