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Sassy Mama
5 days ago
- Science
- Sassy Mama
Where To Go For Science Tuition In Singapore
Looking for science tuition in Singapore? We round up some of the best science tuition centres in Singapore that offer a hand in chemistry, biology and physics. It's no secret that Singapore's known for excelling in STEM subjects, science included! That said, we know just how science tuition in Singapore can help give your child a leg up in this fascinating subject. Whether your child is struggling with chemistry, biology and/or physics, or you just want to have that assurance that they can score in Science, we've rounded up a list of recommended places to go for science tuition in Singapore. Learning about the way our bodies work, the forces that keep the world in motion, and the magic of chemical reactions can truly be a joy, so check out these science tuition centres in Singapore and find a science tuition near you! Read more: Top Tuition Centres In Singapore For All Education Levels Where To Go For Science Tuition In Singapore: Math Science Guru: Personalised science tuition Math Science Guru is a math and science tuition centre in Singapore with an effective programme that guarantees improvement in scores from F9 to A1 in just 12 weeks! Thanks to their personalised style of coaching and a curriculum that is closely aligned with the MOE curriculum, the experienced science tutor here helps students break down complex concepts into bite-sized pieces. An expert in the field, the science tutor has more than 22 years of experience in helping students across IP, IB, O-levels, NA, NT, and PSLE exams. To ensure consistency and quality, Math Science Guru does not hire any other tutors. The founder of this science tuition centre and #1 Raffles Institution Lecturer, Mr. Allen, does all of the heavy lifting so you don't have to. He offers 24/7 homework support, so students know that help is just one message away. With over 3,000 satisfied parents and students and counting, this science tuition centre is sure to help your child get all of their questions answered and score well on the next science exam. Quote MSGXSASSYMAMA to get $50 off fees for any sign-up from July to September 2025. Math Science Guru, 91 Bencoolen Street, Singapore 189652, Tel: (+65) 8233 2805, F9 to A1 Academy: Effective methods for science exams F9 to A1 Academy is an award-winning science and math tuition centre in Singapore with more than 20 years of experience helping students score AL1s. They have an impressive track record with 98% of students having achieved AL1s in PSLE Science and PSLE Math, and their top students receiving the 'Best in Science' and 'Best in Math' awards. One of their most popular courses is the Advanced PSLE AL1 Science Masterclass, where P5 and P6 students benefit from F9 to A1 Academy's exclusive proprietary teaching techniques. Curious to know the secret behind their success? Their WIN™ Science PSLE AL1 Answering Framework and HEURISTICAL™ Methodology help students think strategically and efficiently to answer challenging PSLE open-ended questions. Thanks to their unique methodology, students from St. Nicholas Girls' School and Fuchun Primary took home the Best in Science Awards in 2023 and 2024. It's no wonder this result-oriented science tuition in Singapore receives rave reviews! Call or WhatsApp: (+65) 8188 8009 to schedule your child's F9 to A1 free trial lesson. Then quote SASSYMAMA to get $80 off your first month's fee. F9 to A1 Academy, Read more: Best Math Tuition In Singapore TLS Tutorials: Personalised science tuition with small classes TLS Tutorials is known for their caring and comprehensive approach to helping students achieve their academic goals. Their team of experienced tutors adopt a meta-cognitive teaching approach to enhance their students' understanding and pique their interest in the topic of focus. By offering quick feedback and personalised tutorial sessions with up to four students per class, their science tuition classes help students learn each topic in-depth and take their science exams with confidence. They break down complex science concepts into bite-sized chunks, taking a progressive approach so students can build the necessary foundational knowledge before moving on to the next topic. After which, they shift focus to question analysis, experimental thinking and structured answering framework, where students learn how to apply their knowledge. To reinforce learning, students will put their knowledge to the test with ample practice questions and personalised study plans so they will be ready for their next science exam. Quote 400OFF SASSY to get $400 off yearly tuition fees. Discount applied monthly. Only valid new students. TLS Tutorial, 10 Windstedt Road, Block A, #02-04, Singapore 227977, Tel: (+65) 8803 6858, AGrader Learning Centre: Science tuition for P3 – P6 students AGrader Learning Centre is a popular tuition centre in Singapore that offers in-person science tuition for students in Primary 3 to Primary 6. For those who prefer to learn from home, students in Primary 5 and 6 can opt for online science tuition classes. Beyond just helping students in class every week, AGrader Learning Centre offers free after-class learning resources, which include past year paper practice packs, revision packs, topical packs and more. AGrader Learning Centre, multiple locations in Singapore including Yishun, Jurong West, and Bedok, BlueTree Education: Primary Science tuition BlueTree Education is a MOE-registered science tuition in Singapore that helps students ace the PSLE and O-levels. Four in five students here achieve distinctions, thanks to their fun and engaging lessons. Their qualified teachers adopt a 3E Framework (Explore, Explain & Extend), helping students acquire a deep love for learning through hands-on experiments and real-life applications. They offer tuition in science, physics, chemistry and more. BlueTree Education, multiple locations in Singapore including Orchard, Sengkang, and Tampines, EduFirst Learning Centre: Science tuition for primary & secondary school students EduFirst Learning Centre is a student care and tuition centre in Singapore for students aged 5 and up. Primary school students who need a learning boost in science can get help from their science tuition classes. Rather than rote learning, each science tuition class teaches students the importance of science in their daily life and how science can help to save the environment. Secondary school students can also get science tuition for biology, chemistry and physics. EduFirst Learning Centre, multiple locations in Singapore including Woodlands, Bukit Timah and Pasir Ris, Explorer Academy: Chemistry, physics & biology tuition At Explorer Academy, students get a hands-on experience to discover the wonders of science firsthand. Each science tuition lesson is engaging, helping students not only achieve excellent results but also fall in love with science. Their team of brilliant science tutors are experts at breaking down complex subjects into bite-sized pieces, so students leave with a new understanding and confidence for their next exam. They offer primary school science tuition, secondary school science tuition and subject-specific O-level science tuition. Explorer Academy, 1187 Upper Serangoon Road, The Midtown, #01-36/37, Singapore 533971, The Learning Lab: Science tuition & enrichment The Learning Lab is a tuition centre in Singapore that offers science tuition for Upper primary students, secondary students and junior college students. Those preparing for the PSLE will find their science tuition lessons extra useful, as they will get a comprehensive revision of past topics to master key science concepts. For Secondary 4 students, they can get extra help in biology, chemistry and physics so they can take their O-levels with confidence. The Learning Lab, multiple locations in Singapore including Tampines, Woodleigh and Choa Chu Kang, Learning Point: Engaging curriculum for science tuition Offering science tuition for students from preschool to secondary school, Learning Point makes learning fun and challenging so students can achieve their academic goals. Primary 2 students especially love their Young Science Explorers programme, which is filled with immersive activities to foster a passion for science. Secondary students can master proven techniques to excel in higher-order questions while engaging in interactive activities. Learning Point, multiple locations in Singapore including Thomson Plaza, Century Square and Bukit Timah Plaza, Science Masterclass: Science tuition in AMK & Marine Parade Science Masterclass is said to be one of the best science tuition centres in Singapore for primary and secondary students. With personalised assessments tailored to each student's level, this science tuition in Singapore offers an individualised learning journey to reduce stress. Rather than just memorising scientific facts, students get hands-on with experiments to watch complex chemistry, biology and physics concepts unfold in real-time. Science Masterclass, two locations in Singapore including Ang Mo Kio and Marine Parade, The Science Shifu: MOE-based science tuition The Science Shifu offers online primary science tuition for students in Primary 3 to Primary 6 and secondary science tuition for O-level prep. By combining in-class theory with hands-on activities and science experiments, students master key science concepts in Biology, Chemistry and Physics with ease. They also offer online enrichment courses for an extra learning boost. The Science Shifu, ManyTutors: Private science tutors in Singapore ManyTutors offers live online classes for tough science subjects like Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. With a database of private tutors across Singapore, you can easily find a science tutor for one-on-one science tuition or small group tuition. Simply fill in your postal code to get a curated list of science tutors near you. ManyTutors, The Pique Lab: PSLE & O-level science tuition The Pique Lab offers science tuition for students from Primary 3 to Secondary 2. By using The Proven Complete Concept Integration™ Methodology, students at this science tuition centre learn to apply complex concepts to challenging questions and achieve their academic goals. This methodology stems from years of research and development, helping 84.6% of their students achieve distinction rates. The Pique Lab, 1 Selegie Road, #07-01, Singapore 188306, The Science Lab Learning Centre: Consistent top scorers in science As their name suggests, The Science Lab Learning Centre specialises in offering science tuition for students in Secondary School and Junior College. Their world-class teachers instil a passion for science in each class and nurture a love for learning. A testament to their effective teaching methods in delivering science tuition for students, many of their students are consistent top scorers. The Science Lab Learning Centre, 215 North Upper Thomson Road, Singapore 574349, Read more:
CNA
05-07-2025
- General
- CNA
I don't want to micro-manage my kids' schoolwork. But as a PSLE parent, do I have any other choice?
In October 2024, I declared that I would be easing up on pressuring my five kids to do well in school. I wrote: 'Sometimes our kids need to fall before they can decide to pick themselves up and keep walking. As parents, we can guide and support – but we can't live their lives for them.' I received mixed responses to that piece from friends and family, who largely fell into two camps: 'Their Grades, Their Choices', and 'I'll Do Anything It Takes To Help My Child Succeed'. Fellow parents in the first camp told me I should lighten up even more on the revision schedules and supervision. 'They're already in primary school. They must learn the consequences of not completing their work or studying enough for their tests, right?' Meanwhile, friends in the second camp urged me to step up my involvement – hire tutors if my children need more help with certain subjects, or push them harder in their extracurriculars to gain an advantage in the Direct School Admissions exercise. At the time, I wholeheartedly agreed with Camp 'Their Grades, Their Choices'. But this year, as my eldest child prepares to sit the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE), I've found myself getting more and more involved in his studies. With the PSLE just a few short weeks away, do I still believe in my kids' autonomy over their academics? Or have I succumbed to parental backseat driving, revving the revision engine wherever I can? WHEN IS IT TIME TO INTERVENE? My eldest child wasn't happy with his final grades at the end of last year. Nevertheless, he'd worked hard in the lead-up to his end-of-year exams so we wanted him to have a proper break for December. So break we did. We went on not one but two holidays, one with family and one with friends. Video and board games were played, movies watched. We spent time with loved ones, swimming and eating and playing our days away. In January 2025, I told myself and my son that we'd have to work a lot harder in the upcoming months. He agreed solemnly, promising to study as diligently as he could. The first six months of his Primary 6 year whizzed by, culminating in Weighted Assessment results that he wasn't satisfied with. At the end of Term 2, he came to me with a plaintive request: 'I don't think I can do this alone, Mum. Can you please help me with my PSLE revision?' I spent hours looking through all the syllabus requirements for his subjects and drew up a detailed week-by-week plan for him, working backwards to ensure he'd cover everything well before his Preliminary Examinations. Then I sat my son down and showed him all the work he'd have to put in over the next 17 weeks. To my surprise and relief, he was fully onboard with the revision plan and readily agreed to follow it. (Although there was still some moaning, of course. Who likes being forced to study?) Since then, I'm very pleased with how he's stuck to his word. There are still some days when he plays a bit more than he studies – but so far, he's been able to recognise this and double his efforts the next day to make up for any lost time. Lately, I've also been trying something new. My son has expressly asked me to accompany him when he studies, explaining that he concentrates better when I'm there. So I've been sitting with him at the study table wherever I can, working on my own projects and tasks while letting him know that I'm available for questions and moral support. EVERY CHILD IS DIFFERENT In my October column, I wrote that 'sometimes our kids need to fall before they can decide to pick themselves up'. I still believe this. But now, I'm also learning new ways to account for the fact that every child has different needs which require different levels or types of attention. For example, one of my children, also in primary school, is quick and bright academically but requires very close supervision to ensure that they don't fritter away all their time on games and YouTube videos. 'Managing' this child in the same way as my eldest would likely be too suffocating. Instead, I focus on their lifestyle habits more – for instance, putting strict screen time restrictions in place. With this child, I also devote more time and energy to cajoling, encouraging and sometimes just listening to complaints. Another child, a few years younger, needs a lot more repetition to retain information, but does well when given attention and time to digest. For this child, we've found that being more involved in the learning process is crucial – prescribing work daily, sitting close by to guide and explain. With each child, we've learnt to observe and listen before deciding how involved or helpful we aim to be with their academic journey. EYE ON THE PRIZE Ultimately, it is impossible to parent well without being extremely invested in our kids' growth and well-being, no matter how brilliant or responsible or mature they may seem. But education is only one aspect of raising our children. No doubt, there's a lot riding on our kids' schoolwork. Especially so with the PSLE, which determines what their formal education journey will look like in the next four to seven years: which secondary schools they go to, what track they end up in (O-Levels, Integrated Programme and so on), and the opportunities they will have access to. However, helping our kids do well in school is only part of raising and equipping them to live good lives as adults. It's not the be all and end all of parenting. I'm not getting more involved in my eldest child's schoolwork because I want him to feel like his academic performance is the only thing that matters, because it's not. I'm also not upping the ante just to 'motivate' him. Instead, I'm doing it simply because he asked, which shows me that he's taking ownership of his own studies. To me, this is my responsibility as a parent – not to take over the wheel completely, but to give my child the tools and resources he feels he needs in order to give his very best effort and be proud of whatever that may look like. With the PSLE just three short months away, I make sure to remind my child that a perfect score isn't the prize we're keeping our eyes on. Instead, it's the attitude and mindset he's forging for approaching life's challenges. Will he face them with determination and resilience, taking responsibility for and pride in his own effort? Or will he let himself be led by resentment, fear and frustration? In 20, 30 or even 50 years' time, I believe these are the things he will still carry with him from this PSLE journey – not how many AL1s or 2s he scored, hours he spent mugging nor practice papers he completed. This, to me, is the true prize: The understanding that the most valuable things in life aren't merely quantified by a grade or a score. The journey matters more than the destination.
AsiaOne
29-06-2025
- AsiaOne
Once homeless and jailed 7 times, social worker now helps others break free from crime, Singapore News
Mr Rizwan Habib, who stole money as a child to feed his mother's drug habit and spent close to 21 years in jail across seven jail terms, celebrated a series of remarkable milestones in the past year. The 43-year-old, who took his PSLE, O levels and A levels behind bars, completed his social work degree at the Singapore University of Social Sciences in April. In May, he started his "dream job" as a social worker with the Industrial and Services Co-operative Society (Iscos), helping ex-offenders to turn their lives around. He also moved into his first home, a two-room Housing Board flat, in November 2024. Mr Rizwan, who was once homeless and spent a large part of his life in jail, said: "I never had a place to call home before. It feels surreal." A traumatic childhood Mr Rizwan said that when he was about five years old, his father walked out on the family. His mother was an unemployed drug addict, and as an only child, he had to fend for himself from a young age. He started stealing and committing other petty crimes at the age of 11 to feed his mother's habit, as it pained him to see her suffering from withdrawal symptoms when she tried to quit drugs. He also stole to support his family. He said: "My mum and her boyfriend looked to me to find money. And we didn't have food. We had to survive." He dropped out of school at Primary 2. They were homeless, and his mother had a host of problems, so sending him to school was not a priority. He and his mother, together with her boyfriend, lived in a derelict unused temple for a period of time. A nearby well provided them with water, and they used candles and kerosene lamps for light. Poverty and homelessness aside, what frightened him more as a boy were the snakes he saw around the temple. When he was 12, Mr Rizwan was arrested for the first time and sent to the Singapore Boys' Home and the Reformative Training Centre for three years. During that time, his mother died of kidney failure. At 14, he became an orphan. "My life started going downhill after her death. I only had my mother, and now I'm alone," he said. "I didn't know what to do." His mother's death tipped him into a pit of anger, and a life of crime. His friends in jail felt like a surrogate family to him. He decided he would become a hard-core gangster, going to the extent of tattooing the words "hard core" and his gang's name on his hands. "When I was 15 or 16, I felt the life outside (prison) was very alien. I had no education, no family, no home, no skills," he said. "And I felt that prison life, with its routine and discipline, was the only life I was familiar with." In all, he was jailed seven times for drug and gang-related offences, and given 38 strokes of the cane. The total length of his seven jail terms added up to almost 28 years, before his remission for good behaviour. His longest stint out of prison before he was arrested again was 13 months. The shortest was just one month. Each time he was a free man, he fell back into his old ways - drugs, his gangster friends and the lure of making a quick buck from illegal activities. The road to redemption His journey from prisoner and primary school dropout to university graduate and social worker started with his love for reading. He said: "My mum would get me to read the newspapers to her. She told me: 'Rizwan, don't stop reading.' I think this helped me appreciate knowledge and education." While in jail, he taught himself to read newspapers with a dictionary by his side. Reading took him out of the confines of the prison cell and broadened his world view, and he read all kinds of books he found in the prison library. Encouraged by the prison officers, he did his PSLE and O levels in his 20s at the prison school. He took the A levels in his 30s behind bars too. The fear of growing old and dying in prison - like some inmates he saw around him - spurred him to turn his life around. "Do I have to keep blaming everyone else for what happened to me? I don't have to be a prisoner of my past," he said. "I wanted to change, but how? The 'how to change' part kept escaping me. So I started reading books about habits, as I realised my habits were leading me back to prison." Among the books that shaped his thinking were Daniel Kahneman's Thinking, Fast And Slow; Malcolm Gladwell's Blink: The Power Of Thinking Without Thinking; and John Steinbeck's The Grapes Of Wrath. Mr Rizwan decided he had to shed his identity as a thug. He found a stable job, first at a call centre and later at a tech firm, after his release from prison at the age of 37. He made new friends and avoided old temptations or people from the past who could lead him down the slippery slope again. He started to exercise and learnt to enjoy his own company. Touched by a social worker he had met in jail who went the extra mile to help him, he also pursued a part-time degree in social work after his release to be a guiding hand for others. "Her concern and sincerity really touched me, and she visited me in prison even after she was no longer my social worker. Nobody had visited me in jail before," he said. "I thought I could make use of my life experiences as a social worker to do the same for others, like what she did for me." Today, Mr Rizwan works with inmates and ex-offenders, as well as their families, to help them turn over a new leaf after their release. Because he had walked a similar path, sharing his past with some of them has helped to build rapport and trust. For him, the work is deeply fulfilling. New life, new bonds Mr Rizwan now lives with his girlfriend Elizabeth Neo, 36, her six-year-old son from her previous marriage and their three cats in his new flat in Tengah. Ms Neo, a part-time waitress, also has a painful past - three stints in jail for drug offences and an abusive former partner. The emotional scars carried over to the early days of her five-year relationship with Mr Rizwan. "We were both very broken people. In the past, we were very hot-tempered, hot-headed, and we would physically fight. At times, I would slap or bite him," she said. "But now we no longer have huge fights. Rizwan has changed a lot, and he doesn't flare up so easily. He is more willing to listen first." The couple had joined the Brotherhood programme, which helps abusive men break the cycle of violence, run by Thye Hua Kwan (THK) Moral Charities. Mr Rizwan, who once attended the programme to deal with his anger issues, is now a buddy and a mentor to the other men in the group. Both he and Ms Neo also volunteer with the Singapore After-Care Association to befriend ex-offenders and inmates. Mr Ben Ang, centre director for THK Family Service Centre @ Bedok North, said: "Rizwan connects with ex-offenders and at-risk individuals in ways no textbook can teach because he has lived through what they're going through. He walks alongside them with empathy, respect and understanding. "Today, Rizwan stands as a powerful testament to resilience, redemption and the possibility of change." At the urging of an aunt, he found his father through Facebook about three years ago. However, he has mixed feelings about their reunion, as they were estranged for most of his life. His father apologised for his past actions. Mr Rizwan said: "I'm okay talking to him, but I think it will take a lot of effort to rebuild the father-son relationship." For now, he is thankful for the second chances he has had - studying behind bars, surviving a serious stabbing during a gang fight and the indescribable happiness of having a home to call his own. He said: "I'm very happy now, and I'm at peace." [[nid:683485]] This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
New Paper
29-06-2025
- New Paper
Once homeless and jailed 7 times, social worker now helps others break free from crime
Mr Rizwan Habib, who stole money as a child to feed his mother's drug habit and spent close to 21 years in jail across seven jail terms, celebrated a series of remarkable milestones in the past year. The 43-year-old, who took his PSLE, O levels and A levels behind bars, completed his social work degree at the Singapore University of Social Sciences in April. In May, he started his "dream job" as a social worker with the Industrial and Services Co-operative Society (Iscos), helping ex-offenders to turn their lives around. He also moved into his first home, a two-room Housing Board flat, in November 2024. Mr Rizwan, who was once homeless and spent a large part of his life in jail, said: "I never had a place to call home before. It feels surreal." A traumatic childhood Mr Rizwan said that when he was about five years old, his father walked out on the family. His mother was an unemployed drug addict, and as an only child, he had to fend for himself from a young age. He started stealing and committing other petty crimes at the age of 11 to feed his mother's habit, as it pained him to see her suffering from withdrawal symptoms when she tried to quit drugs. He also stole to support his family. He said: "My mum and her boyfriend looked to me to find money. And we didn't have food. We had to survive." He dropped out of school at Primary 2. They were homeless, and his mother had a host of problems, so sending him to school was not a priority. He and his mother, together with her boyfriend, lived in a derelict unused temple for a period of time. A nearby well provided them with water, and they used candles and kerosene lamps for light. Mr Rizwan Habib recalls a time in his life living in a derelict temple with his mother when they were homeless. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH Poverty and homelessness aside, what frightened him more as a boy were the snakes he saw around the temple. When he was 12, Mr Rizwan was arrested for the first time and sent to the Singapore Boys' Home and the Reformative Training Centre for three years. During that time, his mother died of kidney failure. At 14, he became an orphan. "My life started going downhill after her death. I only had my mother, and now I'm alone," he said. "I didn't know what to do." His mother's death tipped him into a pit of anger, and a life of crime. His friends in jail felt like a surrogate family to him. He decided he would become a hard-core gangster, going to the extent of tattooing the words "hard core" and his gang's name on his hands. "When I was 15 or 16, I felt the life outside (prison) was very alien. I had no education, no family, no home, no skills," he said. "And I felt that prison life, with its routine and discipline, was the only life I was familiar with." In all, he was jailed seven times for drug and gang-related offences, and given 38 strokes of the cane. The total length of his seven jail terms added up to almost 28 years, before his remission for good behaviour. His longest stint out of prison before he was arrested again was 13 months. The shortest was just one month. Each time he was a free man, he fell back into his old ways - drugs, his gangster friends and the lure of making a quick buck from illegal activities. The road to redemption His journey from prisoner and primary school dropout to university graduate and social worker started with his love for reading. He said: "My mum would get me to read the newspapers to her. She told me: 'Rizwan, don't stop reading.' I think this helped me appreciate knowledge and education." While in jail, he taught himself to read newspapers with a dictionary by his side. Reading took him out of the confines of the prison cell and broadened his world view, and he read all kinds of books he found in the prison library. Encouraged by the prison officers, he did his PSLE and O levels in his 20s at the prison school. He took the A levels in his 30s behind bars too. The fear of growing old and dying in prison - like some inmates he saw around him - spurred him to turn his life around. "Do I have to keep blaming everyone else for what happened to me? I don't have to be a prisoner of my past," he said. "I wanted to change, but how? The 'how to change' part kept escaping me. So I started reading books about habits, as I realised my habits were leading me back to prison." Among the books that shaped his thinking were Daniel Kahneman's Thinking, Fast And Slow; Malcolm Gladwell's Blink: The Power Of Thinking Without Thinking; and John Steinbeck's The Grapes Of Wrath. Mr Rizwan decided he had to shed his identity as a thug. He found a stable job, first at a call centre and later at a tech firm, after his release from prison at the age of 37. He made new friends and avoided old temptations or people from the past who could lead him down the slippery slope again. He started to exercise and learnt to enjoy his own company. Touched by a social worker he had met in jail who went the extra mile to help him, he also pursued a part-time degree in social work after his release to be a guiding hand for others. "Her concern and sincerity really touched me, and she visited me in prison even after she was no longer my social worker. Nobody had visited me in jail before," he said. "I thought I could make use of my life experiences as a social worker to do the same for others, like what she did for me." Today, Mr Rizwan works with inmates and ex-offenders, as well as their families, to help them turn over a new leaf after their release. Because he had walked a similar path, sharing his past with some of them has helped to build rapport and trust. For him, the work is deeply fulfilling. New life, new bonds Mr Rizwan now lives with his girlfriend Elizabeth Neo, 36, her six-year-old son from her previous marriage and their three cats in his new flat in Tengah. Mr Rizwan Habib now lives with his girlfriend Elizabeth Neo in his new flat in Tengah. ST PHOTO: LUTHER LAU Ms Neo, a part-time waitress, also has a painful past - three stints in jail for drug offences and an abusive former partner. The emotional scars carried over to the early days of her five-year relationship with Mr Rizwan. "We were both very broken people. In the past, we were very hot-tempered, hot-headed, and we would physically fight. At times, I would slap or bite him," she said. "But now we no longer have huge fights. Rizwan has changed a lot, and he doesn't flare up so easily. He is more willing to listen first." The couple had joined the Brotherhood programme, which helps abusive men break the cycle of violence, run by Thye Hua Kwan (THK) Moral Charities. Mr Rizwan, who once attended the programme to deal with his anger issues, is now a buddy and a mentor to the other men in the group. Both he and Ms Neo also volunteer with the Singapore After-Care Association to befriend ex-offenders and inmates. Mr Ben Ang, centre director for THK Family Service Centre @ Bedok North, said: "Rizwan connects with ex-offenders and at-risk individuals in ways no textbook can teach because he has lived through what they're going through. He walks alongside them with empathy, respect and understanding. "Today, Rizwan stands as a powerful testament to resilience, redemption and the possibility of change." At the urging of an aunt, he found his father through Facebook about three years ago. However, he has mixed feelings about their reunion, as they were estranged for most of his life. His father apologised for his past actions. Mr Rizwan said: "I'm okay talking to him, but I think it will take a lot of effort to rebuild the father-son relationship." For now, he is thankful for the second chances he has had - studying behind bars, surviving a serious stabbing during a gang fight and the indescribable happiness of having a home to call his own. He said: "I'm very happy now, and I'm at peace."
Straits Times
28-06-2025
- Straits Times
Life After... being homeless and jailed 7 times: Social worker now helps others break free from crime
Mr Rizwan Habib, who stole as a child to feed his mother's drug habit, says it felt 'surreal' moving into his first home in 2024. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH Life After... being homeless and jailed 7 times: Social worker now helps others break free from crime So much of the news is about what's happening in the moment. But after a major event, people pick up the pieces, and life goes on. In this new series, The Straits Times talks to the everyday heroes who have reinvented themselves, turned their lives around, and serve as an inspiration to us all. SINGAPORE - Mr Rizwan Habib, who stole money as a child to feed his mother's drug habit and spent close to 21 years in jail across seven jail terms, celebrated a series of remarkable milestones in the past year. The 43-year-old, who took his PSLE, O levels and A levels behind bars, completed his social work degree at the Singapore University of Social Sciences in April. In May, he started his 'dream job' as a social worker with the Industrial and Services Co-operative Society (Iscos), helping ex-offenders to turn their lives around. He also moved into his first home, a two-room Housing Board flat, in November 2024. Mr Rizwan, who was once homeless and spent a large part of his life in jail, said: 'I never had a place to call home before. It feels surreal.' A traumatic childhood Mr Rizwan said that when he was about five years old, his father walked out on the family. His mother was an unemployed drug addict, and as an only child, he had to fend for himself from a young age. He started stealing and committing other petty crimes at the age of 11 to feed his mother's habit, as it pained him to see her suffering from withdrawal symptoms when she tried to quit drugs. He also stole to support his family. He said: 'My mum and her boyfriend looked to me to find money. And we didn't have food. We had to survive.' He dropped out of school at Primary 2. They were homeless, and his mother had a host of problems, so sending him to school was not a priority. He and his mother, together with her boyfriend, lived in a derelict unused temple for a period of time. A nearby well provided them with water, and they used candles and kerosene lamps for light. Mr Rizwan Habib recalls a time in his life living in a derelict temple with his mother when they were homeless. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH Poverty and homelessness aside, what frightened him more as a boy were the snakes he saw around the temple. When he was 12, Mr Rizwan was arrested for the first time and sent to the Singapore Boys' Home and the Reformative Training Centre for three years. During that time, his mother died of kidney failure. At 14, he became an orphan. 'My life started going downhill after her death. I only had my mother, and now I'm alone,' he said. 'I didn't know what to do.' His mother's death tipped him into a pit of anger, and a life of crime. His friends in jail felt like a surrogate family to him. He decided he would become a hard-core gangster, going to the extent of tattooing the words 'hard core' and his gang's name on his hands. 'When I was 15 or 16, I felt the life outside (prison) was very alien. I had no education, no family, no home, no skills,' he said. 'And I felt that prison life, with its routine and discipline, was the only life I was familiar with.' In all, he was jailed seven times for drug and gang-related offences, and given 38 strokes of the cane. The total length of his seven jail terms added up to almost 28 years, before his remission for good behaviour. His longest stint out of prison before he was arrested again was 13 months. The shortest was just one month. Each time he was a free man, he fell back into his old ways – drugs, his gangster friends and the lure of making a quick buck from illegal activities. The road to redemption His journey from prisoner and primary school dropout to university graduate and social worker started with his love for reading. He said: 'My mum would get me to read the newspapers to her. She told me: 'Rizwan, don't stop reading.' I think this helped me appreciate knowledge and education.' While in jail, he taught himself to read newspapers with a dictionary by his side. Reading took him out of the confines of the prison cell and broadened his world view, and he read all kinds of books he found in the prison library. Encouraged by the prison officers, he did his PSLE and O levels in his 20s at the prison school. He took the A levels in his 30s behind bars too. The fear of growing old and dying in prison – like some inmates he saw around him – spurred him to turn his life around. 'Do I have to keep blaming everyone else for what happened to me? I don't have to be a prisoner of my past,' he said. 'I wanted to change, but how? The 'how to change' part kept escaping me. So I started reading books about habits, as I realised my habits were leading me back to prison.' Among the books that shaped his thinking were Daniel Kahneman's Thinking, Fast And Slow; Malcolm Gladwell's Blink: The Power Of Thinking Without Thinking; and John Steinbeck's The Grapes Of Wrath. Mr Rizwan decided he had to shed his identity as a thug. He found a stable job, first at a call centre and later at a tech firm, after his release from prison at the age of 37. He made new friends and avoided old temptations or people from the past who could lead him down the slippery slope again. He started to exercise and learnt to enjoy his own company. Touched by a social worker he had met in jail who went the extra mile to help him, he also pursued a part-time degree in social work after his release to be a guiding hand for others. 'Her concern and sincerity really touched me, and she visited me in prison even after she was no longer my social worker. Nobody had visited me in jail before,' he said. 'I thought I could make use of my life experiences as a social worker to do the same for others, like what she did for me.' Today, Mr Rizwan works with inmates and ex-offenders, as well as their families, to help them turn over a new leaf after their release. Because he had walked a similar path, sharing his past with some of them has helped to build rapport and trust. For him, the work is deeply fulfilling. New life, new bonds Mr Rizwan now lives with his girlfriend Elizabeth Neo, 36, her six-year-old son from her previous marriage and their three cats in his new flat in Tengah. Mr Rizwan Habib now lives with his girlfriend Elizabeth Neo in his new flat in Tengah. ST PHOTO: LUTHER LAU Ms Neo, a part-time waitress, also has a painful past – three stints in jail for drug offences and an abusive former partner. The emotional scars carried over to the early days of her five-year relationship with Mr Rizwan. 'We were both very broken people. In the past, we were very hot-tempered, hot-headed, and we would physically fight. At times, I would slap or bite him,' she said. 'But now we no longer have huge fights. Rizwan has changed a lot, and he doesn't flare up so easily. He is more willing to listen first.' The couple had joined the Brotherhood programme, which helps abusive men break the cycle of violence, run by Thye Hua Kwan (THK) Moral Charities. Mr Rizwan, who once attended the programme to deal with his anger issues, is now a buddy and a mentor to the other men in the group. Both he and Ms Neo also volunteer with the Singapore After-Care Association to befriend ex-offenders and inmates. Mr Ben Ang, centre director for THK Family Service Centre @ Bedok North, said: 'Rizwan connects with ex-offenders and at-risk individuals in ways no textbook can teach because he has lived through what they're going through. He walks alongside them with empathy, respect and understanding. 'Today, Rizwan stands as a powerful testament to resilience, redemption and the possibility of change.' At the urging of an aunt, he found his father through Facebook about three years ago. However, he has mixed feelings about their reunion, as they were estranged for most of his life. His father apologised for his past actions. Mr Rizwan said: 'I'm okay talking to him, but I think it will take a lot of effort to rebuild the father-son relationship.' For now, he is thankful for the second chances he has had – studying behind bars, surviving a serious stabbing during a gang fight and the indescribable happiness of having a home to call his own. He said: 'I'm very happy now, and I'm at peace.' Theresa Tan is senior social affairs correspondent at The Straits Times. She covers issues that affect families, youth and vulnerable groups. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
