Denise Phua Lay Peng (born 1959) is a Singaporean politician and special needs volunteer. After a successful corporate career spanning two decades, she became the president of the Autism Resource Centre (Singapore) and co-founded Pathlight School. She is also a Member of Parliament (MP), representing the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) in Jalan Besar Group Representation Constituency (GRC). As an MP, she has focused on developing programmes for the disabled and special needs communities in Singapore.
Early years and corporate career
Phua studied at Balestier Girls' Primary School, Raffles Girls' School and Hwa Chong Junior College.[1][2] She graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and earned a Master of Business Administration Degree from Golden Gate University.[2][3] At Hewlett-Packard, she gained experience in human resource management and product marketing, spending several years overseas developing their marketing communications strategy. She then returned to Singapore and became a regional Product Manager in their Asia Pacific Peripherals Group. In 1991, she joined the Wuthelam Group as a Human Resource Director. She was also a founding partner, and the Regional Managing Director, of the Centre for Effective Leadership, a regional leadership training firm.[2][4]
Volunteer work
When her son was diagnosed with autism at the age of three,[5][6] Phua consulted local and foreign professionals and did research online to find out how she could help him.[5][7] She subsequently founded WeCAN, a voluntary organisation which helps caregivers of autistics and trains special education teachers.[2][3][8] WeCAN also offers an early intervention programme for autistic preschoolers.[9]
In 2005, Phua left the corporate world to be a full-time special needs volunteer.[1][3] She and her partners sold the Centre of Effective Leadership to Right Management, a Manpower Inc. subsidiary.[2] Phua then became president of the Autism Resource Centre (Singapore).[1][10] She often wrote to newspapers and government agencies on issues affecting the special needs community.[6][11]
Phua was co-founder and former acting principal of Pathlight School,[4][10] the first special school for autistic children in Singapore;[10] as of 2008, she is their supervisor.[12] The school offers mainstream curriculum and life skills education to their students.[9][13] A believer in helping autistics realise their potential and integrate into society,[9][14] Phua helped develop many of the school's programmes.[15] These include employability skills training through a student-run café,[16] specialised vocational training,[14] and satellite classes where Pathlight students mix with neurotypical peers.[15] In four years, enrolment increased tenfold and the school attracted media attention for their impact on students.[17][14][13]
Political career
Phua joined the ruling People's Action Party's Jalan Besar branch in 2004.[4] The following year, she was appointed to the Feedback Supervisory Panel, which leads the government's Feedback Unit.[11] In the 2006 general election, she was fielded as a PAP candidate in Jalan Besar GRC, which was contested by the Singapore Democratic Alliance.[18] During the election campaign, she promised to make Singapore a more inclusive society by representing the disabled and special needs communities.[7][19] The PAP team won Jalan Besar GRC with 69.26% of the vote.[18]
In July 2006, the PAP formed a workgroup, headed by Phua, to explore initiatives to improve the financial security of disabled and special needs children.[20] The workgroup suggested the formation of trust funds, Central Provident Fund accounts and insurance for such children, as well as financial planning education for their parents.[21][22] Phua also led a committee that drew up a five-year plan to improve services for special needs children.[23] It was released in February 2007 with over thirty proposals, including raising the age limit for special schools, job training based on industry needs and support for employers of special needs people.[24][25] The PAP studied the ideas and later implemented some of them.[22][24] Laws were also drafted to prohibit abuse of the mentally disabled and to allow parents to appoint someone to look after their special needs children after they die.[26]
Phua criticised the PAP's "many helping hands" approach, saying that special education should be led by the Ministry of Education (MOE), as they had more resources and expertise.[6] Vivian Balakrishnan defended the policy, arguing that it reduced bureaucracy and left jobs to the right people.[27] However, the MOE agreed to play a more active role in special education, with increased funding and teacher training.[28][29] The MOE also introduced more satellite classes in mainstream schools and helped special schools set targets for learning outcomes.[28][29]
Personal life
Phua enjoys reading by the sea.[2] She is married to the senior vice-president of a telecommunications company and the couple have two children; a 14-year-old daughter and a 13-year-old son.[30] The entire family are active volunteers at Pathlight School.[7]
References
- ↑ a b c "Why would Ah Beng vote for you?", The New Paper, 25 March 2006
- ↑ a b c d e f "Denise Phua Lay Peng", Candidate Profiles, People's Action Party
- ↑ a b c Jasmine Yin, "She's one for the underdogs", TODAY, 24 March 2006
- ↑ a b c Clarence Chang, "It's about remaking lives", The New Paper, 18 March 2006
- ↑ a b "Small Victories are Sweet", Family.sg
- ↑ a b c Chi Yin, "An advocate for kids with special needs", The Straits Times, 24 March 2006
- ↑ a b c "Interview with Denise Phua", Passion People, 938LIVE
- ↑ Sharmilpal Kaur, "Fund set up to train autism-care teachers", The Straits Times, 29 November 2001
- ↑ a b c Chuah Yii Wen, "Lighting new path for autistic children", The Straits Times, 10 February 2007
- ↑ a b c "Volunteer Denise Phua one of new PAP candidates", Channel NewsAsia, 23 March 2006
- ↑ a b Chia Sue-Ann, "14 new faces on feedback panel", The Straits Times, 22 June 2005
- ↑ "About us - School Board Members", Pathlight School
- ↑ a b "This special school is mainstream too", The Straits Times, 5 August 2006
- ↑ a b c "An early start for a child with autism", The Straits Times, 4 July 2007
- ↑ a b Loh Chee Keong, "From dread to delight", TODAY, 23 July 2007
- ↑ Teo Xuan Wei, "Autistic students run cafe", TODAY, 20 January 2006
- ↑ "Pathlight School to get new S$33m home next year", Channel NewsAsia, 2 April 2008
- ↑ a b "2006 Parliamentary General Election Results", Singapore Elections Department
- ↑ Ansley Ng, "Ready to disagree, ready to serve", TODAY, 24 March 2006
- ↑ Tan Hui Leng, "Need for a net", TODAY, 20 July 2006
- ↑ Radha Basu, "Bold suggestions a big relief for worried parents", The Straits Times, 26 October 2006
- ↑ a b "MCYS studies proposal on enhancing financial security of special needs persons", Channel NewsAsia, 25 October 2006
- ↑ Sarah Ng, "Masterplan to improve lives of disabled", The Sunday Times, 3 September 2006
- ↑ a b Jasmine Yin, "Another step-up into society", TODAY, 13 February 2007
- ↑ "More to be done to help people with disabilities in Singapore", Channel NewsAsia, 12 February 2007
- ↑ Radha Basu, "Parents of special-needs kids applaud draft law", The Straits Times, 15 August 2007
- ↑ Wee Li-en, "Many helping hands the way to go: Vivian", The Business Times, 11 November 2006
- ↑ a b Derrick A Paulo, "Where needs be, a bit of special help", TODAY, 8 March 2007
- ↑ a b "MOE takes greater ownership of pre-school and special needs education", Channel NewsAsia, 7 March 2007
- ↑ "Thanks to son, she's voice of the voiceless", The New Paper. 9 March 2008