Singtel’s carnival for students with special needs draws record turnout of 2,500

SINGTEL on Wednesday (Oct 9) hosted its annual carnival for students with special needs at the Singapore Expo.

Into its 10th year, the event drew a record turnout of 2,500 students across 23 special education (Sped) schools and 2,200 volunteers.

The animal kingdom-themed event – meant to promote inclusivity for students with special needs – featured 55 food and game stalls.

The group underwrites the cost of the carnival and volunteers included staff from Singtel and companies which are in the Business Network on DisAbility group.

Business Network on DisAbility comprises a community of companies and is co-chaired by the telco.

Second Minister for Education and Foreign Affairs Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman graced the event.

Along his walkabout around the carnival, he visited a booth set up by technology services company NCS group – a Singtel subsidiary – where students could explore the use of generative artificial intelligence.

The carnival is a flagship initiative of the telco’s corporate philanthropy programme, the Singtel Touching Lives Fund (STLF).

The event was launched in 2013 to address the lack of safe and inclusive spaces for children with special needs, to boost their personal development, as well as for them to enjoy themselves, said the group.

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At the same time, the carnival builds a sense of inclusion and understanding of vulnerable communities among Singtel’s employees and partners, added its group chief people and sustainability officer, Aileen Tan.

Since the telco launched STLF in 2002, it has raised more than S$58 million for the fund, which supports about 1,800 students yearly.

STLF’s beneficiaries include APSN Chaoyang School, APSN Delta Senior School and APSN Tanglin School, among others.