Academic awards were given to 575 students from the Chinese Development Assistance Council, Eurasian Association, Singapore Indian Development Association and Yayasan Mendaki on Saturday.

The awards, presented by Health Minister Gan Kim Yong, recognise the academic achievements of students under the four self-help groups during the national examinations last year.

To commemorate the spirit of collaboration, the self-help groups also composed a song entitled "Coming Together, Achieving Together". Students and volunteers from the groups performed the song at the awards ceremony held at Singapore Polytechnic.

The Collaborative Tuition Programme was launched in 2002 to allow students to take part in tuition programmes offered by other self-help groups, optimising the use of community resources and providing more convenience to students from less well-to-do families.