About Us
Our Purpose
We envision a world where persons with disabilities are empowered and thriving in inclusive communities.
We work with our partners to create opportunities for persons with disabilities to make the most of their abilities and participate meaningfully in society. Through practical education, meaningful support and effective training programmes, we strive to increase the quality of life for them and their families.
Registered as a charity in 1992, Rainbow Centre is an Institution of a Public Character.
Vision
Beyond disabilities: empowered and thriving in inclusive communities
Mission
We are committed to enhancing the quality of life of persons with disabilities and their families through:
- Providing person-centric programmes and services to enable them to achieve their fullest potential;
- Leading innovation and developing capabilities that better support their needs and aspirations;
- Advocating and engaging partners and the public to co-create an inclusive community.
Values
We respect the intrinsic and unique worth of every individual, and serve with compassion and dedication to discover, build, and celebrate the ability of each person. We act with integrity and achieve through the synergy of teamwork between staff, families, and the communities that support our mission. We pursue innovation to strive for excellence in services for persons with disabilities, to maximise potential and create opportunities to thrive in community.
Our People
Board of Governance
(2020-2022)
President
Dr Kenneth Poon
Vice-President
Mr Chew Kei-Jin
Honorary Treasurer
Ms Cindy Ho
Assistant Treasurer
Ms Angeline Ooi
Honorary Secretary
Mr Milton Ong
Past President
Mr Yew Teng Leong
Committee Members
Mr Alban Kang
Mr Damien Tan
Ms Evangeline Chua
Prof (Dr) James Hui
Dr Kenneth Lyen
Mr Kevin Leong
Prof (Dr) Lee Eng Hin
Dr Majeed Khader
Dr Sylvia Choo
School Management Committee
(1 Dec 2018 – 30 Nov 2020)
Chairman
Mr Milton Ong
Supervisor
Dr Kenneth Poon
Honorary Treasurer
Mr Damien Tan
Secretary
Ms Jessica Wee
Committee Members
Dr Abdul Majeed Bin Abdul Khader
Ms Cindy Ho
Ms Evangeline Chua
Prof (Dr) James Hui
Mr Louis Lim
Ms Michelle Ong
Ms Tan Sze Wee
Ministry of Education Representative
Ms Janice Beh
Management Team
Ms Tan Sze Wee
Executive Director
Mr Malcolm Wong
Deputy Executive Director
Mr Richard Yap
Director, Finance & Operations
Ms Goh Boon Keng
Director, People & Culture
Ms Michelle Ong
Principal, Margaret Drive School
Ms Jessica Wee
Principal, Yishun Park School
Ms Fauziah Ahmad
Principal-Designate, Yishun Park School (Woodlands)
Ms Lee Mee Kium
Deputy Director, Finance & Operations
Mr Quincy Tan
Senior Assistant Director, Development & Innovation
Ms Janice Leong
Assistant Director, Early Intervention Programme
Mr Jimson Tham
Assistant Director, Therapy & Outreach Services
Ms Sharon Sim
Assistant Director, Therapy & Outreach Services
Ms Helen Lui
Vice-Principal, Margaret Drive School
Ms Loi Wei Ming
Vice-Principal, Yishun Park School
Mr Josh Lye
Vice-Principal, Yishun Park School (Woodlands)
Our Logo
The diverse arcs represent our person-centric approach. Everyone is celebrated for their uniqueness and abilities.
The paths come together to form a rainbow – a symbol of hope and our aspirations for those we serve.
The colours represent:
Passion for our work
Believing in possibilities
Enabling growth of each individual
Co-creating inclusive communities
Press Releases
PRISM: An Art Exhibition to Commemorate Singapore’s Bicentennial and Fundraise for Rainbow Centre’s Third Campus
24 September 2019
PRISM: An Art Exhibition to Commemorate Singapore’s Bicentennial and Fundraise for Rainbow Centre’s Third Campus Through a glass prism, light diffuses to a rainbow of colours. Through this exhibition, we glimpse into the colourful young minds of Rainbow Centre’s student artists.Rainbow Centre is launching a three-week art exhibition in commemoration of Singapore’s bicentennial. Thirty carefully curated pieces will be displayed and be available for purchase at the East Garden Gallery, The Fullerton Hotel daily from 9-28 November 2019. The gallery is open round the clock.
$600,000 Raised for New Rainbow Centre Campus for Students with Autism at Charity Golf Event
27 September 2018
$600,000 Raised for New Rainbow Centre Campus for Students with Autism at Charity Golf Event
Rainbow Centre (RC) organised a charity golf to raise funds for its third and newest campus on 27 September 2018. When completed by 2022, the purpose-built campus at Admiralty Link will be able to serve up to 300 students aged 7-18 years old with autism. The new campus aims to provide a conducive environment for students to learn, gain independence and grow interdependently alongside their communities. The first batch of 65 students started classes at an interim campus at Marsiling Lane this year.
An Inclusive Space for Serious Coffee and Meaningful Interactions
5 May 2018
An Inclusive Space for Serious Coffee and Meaningful Interactions
Rainbow Centre’s (RC) newest space, Seeds Cafe, offers an inclusive space where the public and people with disabilities can mingle meaningfully.Beyond its specialty coffee, tasty food offerings and inviting decor, the cafe champions community efforts to build an inclusive, interactive space for everyone by bringing together members of the public, students with disabilities and caregivers. The cafe’s Seeds Market, held on the first Saturday of each month, features activities that promotes interaction between the public and persons with disabilities.
Launch of Service to Equip Parents Facing Persistent Challenging Behaviours in Children and Youths with Autism
26 November 2018
Launch of Service to Equip Parents Facing Persistent Challenging Behaviours in Children and Youths with Autism
Rainbow Centre (RC) launches the Family Empowerment Programme (FEP) to support parents and caregivers of students with autism with persistent challenging behaviours on 26 March, 2018. The FEP goes beyond the usual practice of working with the client in school and clinic settings. Our therapists and psychologists work with caregivers in their homes to equip them with skills and resources to manage current and potential future challenging behaviours of their child.
Rainbow Centre Celebrates 30th Anniversary With New Look and New Services
18 November 2017
Rainbow Centre Celebrates 30th Anniversary With New Look and New Services
Rainbow Centre celebrates its 30th anniversary on 18 November 2017 at its new extension wing at Margaret Drive. The celebration features the launch of its new vision, new logo, refreshed student and staff uniforms, as well as a musical produced collaboratively by partners, volunteers, staff and students. As Rainbow Centre enters into its next lap, it looks forward to better serve the community with new innovative spaces, a third school campus, and new services to enhance the quality of life for persons with disabilities and their families.
RC in the News
Hurdles to higher education
Fewer than two in 10 – or 15 per cent – of students who graduate from special education schools go on to
mainstream post-secondary schools, according to the latest figures from the Ministry of Education (MOE).
This means that about 5,100 out of the current 6,000 students who are studying in special education schools
now are unlikely to continue their studies in junior colleges, polytechnics or the Institute of Technical
Education after they leave school at the age of 18.
Some 35 per cent will join the workforce, while the rest will go to sheltered workshops that train and provide
job opportunities for those who are not ready for open employment, spend their time at day activity centres or
remain at home.
An inclusive arts festival for children, with or without special needs
SINGAPORE — Mr Jovan Neo talks about equality a lot. “We are human beings, we are equal, but with different abilities,” he said multiple times during an interview with TODAY.
This is the message that the 20-year-old, who has autism, hopes to get across at the “Peekaboo!” inclusive arts festival, which is being held at the Rainbow Centre in Margaret Drive on every Saturday this month.
Mr Neo, a game design student at the Institute of Technical Education, is involved in two art projects and facilitating workshops at the festival.“I want to help other children like myself, who might have trouble making new friends,” he said.
Education lessons for Singapore from Finnish inclusivity
Finland has often attracted global attention for being an education miracle – there are no major exams until the age of 18, private tuition is unheard of and yet students still do well in global education rankings.
But the exam-free culture is not the only noteworthy part about its education system. Schools there have gone big on inclusive education – including children with special needs in regular schools – in the last three decades.
More than 95 per cent of its students with special needs, including those with severe conditions such as cerebral palsy, are in publicly funded, regular schools known as comprehensive schools.
Helping students ease into real world
This year’s National Day Parade (NDP) funpacks feature art from special education students for the first time,
letting young artists from places such as the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore School contribute to the yearly
celebrations.
The designs featured on the funpacks are in line with this year’s NDP theme, We Are Singapore, representing
Singaporeans from different walks of life overcoming challenges and achieving their aspirations.
NDP funpacks feature art by special education students
This year’s National Day Parade (NDP) funpacks feature art from special education students for the first time,
letting young artists from places such as the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore School contribute to the yearly
celebrations.
The designs featured on the funpacks are in line with this year’s NDP theme, We Are Singapore, representing
Singaporeans from different walks of life overcoming challenges and achieving their aspirations.
Our History
Annual Reports
Annual Report 2019/2020
Click to view PDF
Financial Statements 2019/2020
Click to view PDF
Annual Report 2014/2015
(PDF 10MB)
Annual Report 2015/2016
(PDF 21MB)
Annual Report 2016/2017
(PDF 13MB)
Annual Report 2017/2018
(online)
Annual Report 2018/2019
(online)