Our Founder and CEO - Ms Areena Loo
Areena Loo (Ms) is the Founding Director of Bridge Learning, Singapore's Leading Early Intervention Institution.
Passionate Educator
Prior to the compelling call to Bridge Learning, she was with the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Singapore as a qualified schoolteacher, a certified Teacher Counsellor and a trained Learning Support Coordinator. With a striking portfolio of being the assessor and manager of a vast range of emotional, behavioural and learning challenges under her, she is inevitably adept with screening and assessment methodologies, case consultation, management and intervention works.
She has worked directly with mainstream students who are gifted, have learning difficulties and Learning Disabilities (lds/LDs). Her track record of working with these learners has been impressively successful. Her eclectic approach towards teaching and intervention has not only made her an effective educator but also a popular one with the young.
Her Calling
Considering the conspicuous gap for more affordable and quality specialised services for children with learning difficulties and Learning Disabilities in Singapore, she visited a wide spectrum of educational institutions in several countries such as Australia, United States and Taiwan for research and interviews. For her to witness many young lives being mislabelled and misunderstood as “naughty”, “stupid”, “lazy”, “hopeless” or as having Learning Disabilities (LDs) but not receiving any practical help, was especially frustrating.
Her deep convictions for the abilities of learners who learn differently and a burning passion to integrate them into the mainstream system has led her to set up Bridge Learning in year 2003. She believes firmly that Singaporeans and Asians can rise up to be on par and surpass our foreign counterparts in this specialised field.
Presently, she is more involved with Diagnostic Assessments, professional training and Social Enterprise leadership. As a skilled trainer since her MOE days, she has conducted approximately 4000 Diagnostic Assessments and numerous professional training workshops, seminars and conferences for parents, educators, volunteers and the public at large.
Her experience in the mainstream education system accompanied with her specialist training give her edge in both fields and is a gem in helping struggling students who are capable of learning and excelling. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Special Education and is a part-time tutor and supervisor at National Institute of Education (NIE) for training school teachers.
Humble Beginnings
Her humble beginnings launched in faith and conviction has led her to be crowned Singapore’s first ever DHL Young Entrepreneurs for Sustainability (YES) Award, whose works evidence commitment towards the achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). She has also been honoured with another prestigious Spirit of Enterprise Award given jointly by the government and business sectors.
A celebrated Social Entrepreneur, Areena’s burning passion is to create wealth through honourable and profitable businesses so as to reach out to the needy, abused and oppressed children, orphans and street-kids in the nations. She envisioned them being educated and growing up to become strategic marketplace leaders with great influence for societies.
Areena’s sphere of influence rises as a sought-after speaker addressing a wide spectrum of audience from undergraduates, young working adults, entrepreneurs and professionals in the academic, social, business and government sectors.
She has also recently been honoured as a Young Global Leader and became the first speaker to bring awareness and education of children with Learning Disabilities to the world leaders and governments at the prestigious World Economic Forum (WEF).
