Page 4 - NAFA Annual Report 2016/2017

CHAIRMAN’S

MESSAGE

It has been a productive and inspiring record 5,000 students enrolled in its diverse range of enrichment courses in art, music,
year for us. NAFA is moving at a very dance and drama catering to children and young youths aged 4 to 18. Likewise, our
rapid pace and we remain steadfast to NAFA Arts Kindergartens continue to do well with rising student enrolment. The Centre
our mission of inspiring learning and for Lifelong Education recorded a 5.8% increase in its part-time student population.
growth through the arts. We are deeply A total of 60 short and certificate courses were offered in 2016, including new courses
committed to grooming practitioners who approved for SkillsFuture Credit and the National Silver Academy.
are poised to take on the evolving arts and
creative industry landscapes. NAFA is also proud to have groomed our 14th Young Artist Award (YAA) recipient,
multi-disciplinary artist Ezzam Rahman, who received this prestigious accolade in
NAFA has built a sturdier academic, 2016. A visionary young artist, Ezzam has also assumed various teaching, training and
operational and financial foundation to mentoring positions from the age of 22. It was no mean feat to achieve the YAA and
support future growth. We successfully I congratulate Ezzam of this noteworthy achievement. To date, NAFA has also nurtured
completed an in-depth review of our 18 13 Cultural Medallion recipients and numerous graduates who have become
diploma courses covering the curricular accomplished artists and educators in their own right.
structure and contents. Various initiatives
have been introduced or are in the In 2016, the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple made a generous donation of $5 million
pipeline to enhance students’ learning. to NAFA. We are immensely grateful to the Temple for its kind contribution towards our
In the next two years, NAFA hopes to long-term infrastructure and capability development. We disbursed close to $850,000
enhance and expand its range of tertiary in the form of scholarships, merit awards and bursaries to more than 100 students.
courses. We will also continue to improve Aside from the support of our donors, our alumni have also played a pivotal role in the
our course offerings for the NAFA Arts growth of the Academy. They have backed us tirelessly, in many different ways. We hope
Kindergartens, School of Young Talents to strengthen our ties with our graduates, keep up to date with their achievements, and
and Centre for Lifelong Education. build a stronger sense of belonging to NAFA.

I am pleased to highlight a 15% After all the hard work in planning and fundraising, the Tower Block at Campus 1 is now
increase in student enrolment for our completed. An eight-storey extension sitting atop the Bencoolen MRT station, the new
diploma courses, in the last academic building has given us 20% more floor space for new state-of-the-art classrooms, dance
year. The School of Young Talents saw a studios, visual arts studios, as well as student interaction and self-study areas. Today,