Keeping an eye on the children's future
Education centre, optician give free glasses to kids from low-income households
Last year, YYD Education Centre and optical specialists Trendy Eyes teamed up in a bid to better support children here.
Through the partnership, the education centre, which offers free tuition classes for low-income children, also provides free eye check ups and a pair of prescription glasses for children who need them.
The non-profit centre, which began operations in 2014 and caters to children from Primary 2 to 6, offers classes for Mathematics and English.
On Saturday, 40 children from its Fernvale branch were offered the free check ups.
Director for Operations for YYD, Mr Joel Tan, said the programme has benefited 160 children.
He said: "Children are our future, so giving them a good education is so important.Education is the best way to help the children break out of that cycle.
"Getting their eyes checked and getting glasses can be something that lower-income families can't afford, or think about, but it is so important," he added.
Saturday's exercise, the second of its kind, was held at Trendy Eyes in Bedok Point.
Ms Toh Chiew Tee has three boys and a girl aged between 3 and 11 and her two older sons attend tuition at YYD.
Speaking in Mandarin, the store administrator, 37, who had her two sons checked on Saturday - they didn't need glasses - said: "Having good vision is essential for the children to be able to learn well at school.
"I would want to have my kids checked every half a year or yearly, but with issues like cost and time, I am not always able to keep a close eye on it.
Ms Daing Nasuha Mohamed's son, Muhammad Mukhriz Muhamad Faidzu, who is in Primary 3, got a new pair of spectacles free.
Ms Daing, 36, a homemaker expecting her fourth child, said: "Making glasses can cost around $200 dollars each time.
"Having such a programme helps us financially. Also, sometimes we don't know if our child can see properly or not, so these tests help to make sure they are getting the eyecare they need."
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