Taekwondo will be included in the Singapore Schools Sports Council (SSSC) and Singapore Primary Schools Sports Council (SPSSC) calendar in 2010.
It is a breakthrough for the sport.
The Singapore Taekwondo Federation (STF) has been trying for years to convince the Co-curricular Activities Branch (CCAB) of the Ministry of Education to recognize taekwondo as an inter-school sport. Although taekwondo is recognized as a CCA, it is not in the SSSC and SPSSC sports calendar.
With the inclusion of taekwondo in the SSSC and the SPSSC calendar, participating schools and pupils excelling in the sport will, among other things, qualify for the Achievement Award (AA), Sustained Achievement Award (SAA) and Colours Award.
As it is the policy of the CCAB to organize school sports events with only National Sports Associations, it means that only students taught by taekwondo coaches recognized by the STF can enjoy the privilege.
The acceptance of taekwondo as an inter-school sport by CCAB has enhanced the status of the sport further. This is due to the initiative of STF Advisor, Prof Tan Cheng Han.
A meeting with CCAB officials was held on 15 October 2008. Prof Tan, Mr Milan Kwee (STF President) and Mr Lim Teong Chin (STF GM) represented the STF at the meeting which proved to be fruitful.
Participants of the Annual Rosyth School Invitation Taekwondo Championships, the Hwarang Taekwondo Meet and the National Inter-Junior College Poomsae Taekwondo Championships can expect some changes in the competition format. This is to ensure that the tournamnents comply with the SSSC and SPSSC competition rules and regulations.
The STF would like to thank all principals of schools with taekwondo programmes, teachers in charge of the sport and school taekwondo coaches for their support of and belief in the organization and the sport.