Allan received his Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in China Studies from the National University of Singapore and the Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Chinese Language) from the National Institute of Education (NIE), Singapore.

Allan was a teacher in River Valley High School and was responsible in the planning as well as the teaching of the Bicultural Studies Programme curriculum. He was one of the pioneers in the development and execution of the Integrated Programme in River Valley High School. He was also one of the first few teachers to teach “China Studies in Chinese” and “Chinese Language and Literature” at A Level. Allan’s teaching experience in River Valley High School has strengthened his skills in curriculum development and pedagogy.

His research paper “Effectiveness of Teaching for Understanding Curriculum in Engaging Year One Students to Learn Chinese Culture and History” was published in the 1st International Conference on Teaching and Learning of Chinese as a Second Language 2009 organised by Singapore Centre for Chinese Language.

As part of his professional development, Allan has completed the Teaching for Understanding(1) Course conducted by the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. Under the MOE “TLLM Ignite!” Project, he has also received specialised training in the Research Activist (RA) Attachment Scheme, which led to accreditation towards a Masters in Education degree at NIE. He has also undergone International Baccalaureate’s specialised training in teaching Chinese and in guiding students for their Extended Essays.

Allan has also excelled in his position as the Commanding Officer for River Valley’s National Cadet Corps Boys and Girls Unit. Under his leadership, both units achieved Gold Award for four consecutive years (2009-2012) in the Best Unit Competition.

Before joining the education sector, Allan was a prolific drama scriptwriter in Mediacorp Studios. With a keen interest in dramas and films, he used to be an active film critic for an online magazine. Currently, he applies his knowledge as a scriptwriter by teaching the Chinese Language though Film Appreciation.

Allan hopes that his proficiency in Media Industry and extensive teaching experience will contribute positively to SOTA.