Author: Tee Hun Ching
Publication: The Statesman
Date: November 14, 2003
For 30 years, the Singapore Teachers'
Union has been toying with the idea of a magazine for students. The dream
came true this year when it partnered Vimarks Consultancy, an educational
media company owned by former Member of Parliament, Mr R Sinnakaruppan.
Quest, a full-colour monthly magazine
targeted at children aged nine to 14, was launched last month. The inaugural
issue is not for sale - though 12,000 copies will be distributed free to
schools. The first issue for sale, priced at $4, will hit selected newsstands
in January and the STU has decided to offer a 25 per cent discount for
copies ordered through schools.
About 5,000 subscriptions are targeted
for this year, and about 25,000 to 30,000 by the first half of next year.
Mr Swithun Lowe, 57, general secretary of STU, says: "The idea was first
floated 30 years ago but we didn't have the means or network to do it.
Now, we've found the right partner." He and Mr Sinnakaruppan, who are long-time
friends, were catching up over a meal earlier this year when the topic
came up.
"Within five minutes, we said: 'Let's
do it'," Mr Sinnakaruppan, 44, recalls, and work began six months ago.
Quest will tap on an established India-based content provider called Chandamama
India and adapt its syndicated content for local use.
The company, which has arms here
in Singapore and the USA, has been developing content for children for
the last 56 years. A team of 34 editorial staff members employed by both
Vimarks and Chandamama India will also develop original content for the
magazine.
The 50-page inaugural issue offers
a glimpse, for example, of Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew's childhood, an
interview with Raffles Institution 's headmaster Wong Siew Hoong, and a
comic strip that lays out in simple terms how a cut in the Central Provident
Fund rates affects a family.
Ms Jessie Tan, principal of Yew
Tee Primary School, says the magazine has "a lot to offer to children".
"It's a children's magazine that contains everything, from fiction and
articles on current affairs to brainteasers and science experiments," she
adds. Every issue comes with a free CD-ROM, which has something for everyone
in the family, such as software for adults and educational games for kids.
The aim of the magazine is not profit,
but "to promote a good publication that has high educational value and
makes learning fun," says Mr Lowe.
The people behind Quest see no conflict
with other newspapers for children. Especially, if it's value-based journalism
that is being pursued. Mr Sinnakaruppan says: "There is enough room for
several complementary product offerings. Quest shares a common purpose...
which is to educate our children."
Agreeing, Dr George says having
more children's periodicals will "help spread the message that the time
has come to treat children's media needs seriously." "More choices will
encourage children, teachers and parents to compare and contrast the options,
and thus become smarter media consumers," he adds. "That's good news for
any publisher with a quality product."
- The Straits Times, Singapore.
