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About DAS

DAS Constitution 2006

  1. Name

    This association shall be known as the “Dyslexia Association of Singapore” (herein referred to as the “Association”).

  2. Place of Business

    Its place of business shall be at “2 Bukit Merah Central, #05-00, Singapore 159835” or such other address as may subsequently be decided upon by the Executive Committee (as hereinafter defined) and approved by the Registrar of Societies.

    WEF Dec 2008, Place of Business has been moved to “1 Jurong West Central 2, #05-01, Jurong Point, Singapore 648886”.

  3. Aims

    1. To put quality first in delivering a comprehensive and effective professional service for dyslexic people and those with specific learning differences on a not-for profit basis.
    2. To provide an assessment service for individuals at risk of having dyslexia and/or specific learning differences.
    3. To provide educational programs and other support services for individuals with dyslexia and/or specific learning differences.
    4. To raise public and professional awareness of the nature and incidence of dyslexia and specific learning differences.
    5. To enable others (teachers, parents and professionals) to help dyslexic individuals and those with specific learning differences.
    6. To assist and elicit financial and other support for people with dyslexia, those with specific learning differences and their families.
    7. To promote and carry out local research into dyslexia, specific learning differences and to disseminate results.
    8. To network with other organizations in Singapore and internationally to bring best practices to the DAS and Singapore.

    Goal

    To build a world class organisation dedicated to helping dyslexic people and those with specific learning differences in Singapore and reaching out to the Region

  4. Membership

    There shall be five classes of members, namely ordinary, junior, corporate, life and honorary members :
    1. Ordinary members : All persons aged 18 years and above shall be eligible to apply for ordinary membership.
    2. Junior members : All persons below 21 years of age shall be eligible to apply for junior membership. Upon reaching the age of 21 years, junior membership ceases and the person shall be eligible to apply for ordinary membership.
    3. Corporate members : All voluntary and commercial organizations, clubs and institutes of learning shall be eligible to apply for corporate membership.
    4. Life members : All persons who are eligible to apply for ordinary membership shall be eligible to apply for life membership. Life members shall enjoy the same rights and privileges as ordinary members.
    5. Honorary members : Honorary membership may be conferred by the Association at a general meeting on any person who has rendered outstanding service to the Association.
  5. Membership is open to application by all persons and organizations who subscribe to the aims of the Association.
  6. An applicant for membership shall complete a prescribed form which shall be sent to the Hon Secretary with the prescribed subscription.
  7. An applicant shall be duly proposed and seconded by two members of the Association. An applicant shall be admitted to membership by the Executive Committee at its sole discretion and no reason need to be given for rejections.
  8. Upon approval of the application, the name of the new member together with such particulars as the Executive Committee shall require shall be entered in the membership register and the new member shall be notified of his admission into the Association. A copy of the Constitution of the Association shall be provided to every approved applicant who has paid his subscription.
  9. The Executive Committee may expel any members whose conduct in its opinion has been prejudicial to the aims and interests of the Association. No member, however, shall be expelled without being given an opportunity to appear before the Executive Committee to present his defence.

  10. Subscription and other dues

    The membership subscriptions shall be determined from time to time by the Executive Committee.
  11. Annual subscriptions shall be payable on 1st April of each year or on admission.
  12. It shall be the duty of each member to pay his subscriptions promptly when due. The Executive Committee may terminate the membership of any member who is more than three months late in paying his subscriptions.

  13. Patrons

    The Association may, on the recommendation of the Executive Committee, at a general meeting appoint suitable persons, subject to their consent, to be Patrons of the Association. Patrons must be Singapore citizens.

  14. Supreme Authority and General Meetings

    The supreme authority of the Association is vested in a general meeting of the members presided over by the President.
  15. A annual general meeting shall be held no later than September each year. At other times an extraordinary general meeting must be called by the President on the request in writing of 20 or more members and may be called at any time by order of the Executive Committee.
  16. At least two weeks’ notice will be given of an annual general meeting and at least ten days’ notice of extraordinary general meeting; such notice is to be mailed to members together with the agenda for the meeting.
  17. The following points will be considered at the annual general meeting :
    1. The previous financial year’s accounts and report of the Executive Committee
    2. The election of office bearers and Honorary Auditors for the following term of office.
  18. Any member who wishes to place an item on the agenda of a general meeting should submit the item in writing to the Hon Secretary at the registered address of the Association one week before the meeting is due to be held.
  19. At least one quarter of the total membership of the Association present or 30 voting members, whichever is the lesser, at a general meeting shall form a quorum. In the event of there being no quorum, the meeting shall be adjourned for half an hour and should the number then present be insufficient to form a quorum, those present shall be considered a quorum, but they shall have no power to alter, amend or make additions to any of the existing rules.

  20. Management and Executive Committee

    The general management and policy of the Association shall, subject to any resolutions of the members, be directed by a committee (“the Executive Committee”) consisting of the following to be elected at each annual general meeting:
    • A President
    • A Vice President
    • An Hon Secretary
    • An Hon Treasurer
    • An Asst Hon Secretary
    • An Asst Hon Treasurer
    • 5 Ordinary Committee Members
  21. Only ordinary and life members may stand for election to the Executive Committee; they must also have been members of the Association for at least one year and they cannot be employees of the Association. At least two members of the Executive Committee shall be parents of dyslexic children unless such parents shall not be available for election or decline to be elected.
  22. Candidates for election to the Executive Committee shall be duly proposed by one member and seconded by another. The nominations must reach the registered address of the Association one week before the annual general meeting. Election will follow on a simple majority vote of the members. They will serve a one year term of office from the date of their election to the date of the next annual general meeting.
  23. Members of the Executive Committee may be re-elected year after year provided that :
    1. No person on the outgoing Executive Committee shall be eligible for election if he has served 4 or more consecutive years on the Executive Committee.
    2. The Hon Treasurer and the Asst Hon Treasurer shall not be re-elected to the same or related post for a consecutive year.
    3. Except for the first annual general meeting, a minimum of 3 members of the outgoing Executive Committee shall not stand for re-election. If there are insufficient volunteers, then the members with the longest service on the Executive Committee shall retire and if there are several of them with the same length of service, retirement shall be determined by ballot.
  24. In addition, the Executive Committee may co-opt any member (including junior members) to serve on the Executive Committee, either as replacements or as additional committee members, provided that the total number of members on the Executive Committee shall at no time exceed twelve.
    1. The Executive Committee shall meet as often as shall be required but not less than four times a year. At least one-third of the committee members must be present for its proceeding to be valid. A resolution by e-mail by a quorum of Executive Committee members shall be as valid and effectual as if it had been passed at a Meeting of the Executive Committee duly called and constituted.
    2. Any member of the Executive Committee absenting itself from three meeting consecutively without satisfactory explanations shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Committee and a successor may be co-opted by the Committee to serve until the next general meeting. Any changes in the Committee shall be notified to the Registrar of Societies and the Commissioner of Charities within two weeks of the change.
  25. The powers and the duties of the Executive Committee shall be :
    1. To organize and conduct activities in pursuit of the objects of the Association and carry out the directions and wishes of the members as contained in any resolution of a general meeting; and it may not act contrary to the expressed wishes of the general meeting without prior reference to it and always remains subordinate to the general meetings.
    2. To report to the annual general meeting and approve annual accounts for submission thereto;
    3. To appoint such sub-committees for such purposes and delegate such powers and duties to such sub-committees as it may think fit;
    4. To co-opt members to serve upon itself and on any sub-committee subject to Article 14 above and such appointment to be subject to review at the first Executive Committee meeting after the next annual general meeting;
    5. To appoint a replacement for any office bearer who has resigned or is unable to continue his duties through death, illness or otherwise until the end of the term;
    6. To appoint advisors and consultants to the Association, Executive Committee or any sub-committee, such appointment to be subject to review at the first Executive Committee meeting after the next annual general meeting;
    7. To open bank accounts and to stipulate the terms for the operation of the accounts including the designation of authorized signatories.
    8. To arrange the place and covering of meetings;
    9. To appoint proxies to represent it at other meetings;
    10. To employ any person or persons in the service of the Association on such terms as it may think for.
    11. To do such things and undertake such activities as may be determined in furtherance of the aims of the Association.

  26. Duties of Office Bearers

    The duties of the office bearer are as follows :
    1. The President shall act as chairman at all general and committee meetings and shall have a casting vote in the event of a tie. He shall also represent the Association in its dealings with outside persons and organizations;
    2. The Vice-President shall assist the President and deputies for him in his absence;
    3. The Hon Secretary shall keep all records, except financial, of the Association and shall be responsible for their correctness. He shall keep minutes of all general and committee meetings. He shall maintain an up-to-date register of members at all times;
    4. The Hon Treasurer shall keep all funds and collect and disburse all moneys on behalf of the Association. He shall maintain proper records of the finances of the Association and shall be responsible for their correctness;
    5. The Asst Hon Secretary shall assists the Hon Secretary and deputize for him in his absence;
    6. The Asst Hon Treasurer shall assist the Hon Treasurer and deputize for him in his absence;
    7. The Ordinary Committee Members shall have such duties as may be assigned to them from time to time by the Executive Committee.

  27. Audit and Financial Year

    Two voting members, not being members of the Executive Committee, shall be elected as Hon Auditors at each annual general meeting and will hold office for a term of one year only and shall not be re-elected for consecutive terms. They will be required to audit each year’s accounts and present a report upon them to the annual general meeting. They may be required by the President to audit the Association’s accounts for any period within their term of office at any date and make a report to the Executive Committee.
  28. The financial year shall be from 1st April to 31st March of the following calendar year.

  29. Trustees

    If the Association at any time acquires any immovable property, such property shall be vested in the Trustee subject to a declaration of trust. No person shall be a trustee while serving as a member of the Executive Committee. Any trustee may at any time resign his trusteeship. If a trustee dies or becomes a lunatic or of unsound mind or moves permanently or is absent from the Republic of Singapore for a period of one year, he shall be deemed to have resigned his trusteeship. If a trustee is guilty of misconduct of such a kind as to render it undesirable that he continues as a trustee, a general meeting may remove him from his trusteeship. Vacancies in the trusteeship may be filled at a general meeting, but the number shall not be greater than four or less than two. Notice of any proposal to remove a trustee from his trusteeship or to appoint a new trustee to fill a vacancy must be given at least two weeks before the meeting at which the proposal is to be discussed. The result of such meeting shall then be notified to the Registrar of Societies. The addresses of immovable properties, names of trustee and any subsequent change must be notified to the Registrar of Societies.

  30. Prohibitions

    Gambling of any kind and the playing of paikow or mahjong, whether for stakes or not, are forbidden on the Association’s premises. The introduction of materials for gambling or drug taking and of bad characters into the premises is prohibited.
  31. The funds of the Association shall not be used to pay the fines of members who have been convicted in court.
  32. The Association shall not engage in any trade union activity as defined in any written law relating to trade unions for the time being in force in Singapore.
  33. The Association shall not attempt to restrict or interfere with trade or make directly or indirectly any recommendations to, any arrangements with its members which has the purpose or is likely to have the effect of fixing or controlling the price or any discount, allowance or rebate to a any goods or services which adversely effects consumer interest.
  34. The Association shall not hold any lottery, whether confined to its member or not, in the name of the Association or its office bearers, Executive Committee or members, except with the written approval of the relevant authorities.
  35. The Association shall not indulge in any political activity or allow its funds and/or premises to be used for political purposes.
  36. The Association shall not raise funds from the public whatever purposes without the prior approval in writing of the Registrar of Societies and other relevant authorities.

  37. Amendments to Rules

    No alterations, additions or deletions to these rules shall be made except at a general meeting, and they shall not come into force without the prior sanction of the Registrar of Societies and the Commissioner of Charities.

  38. Interpretation

    In this Constitution, where the context so admits, the singular shall include the plural and the plural shall include the singular, and the masculine shall include the feminine.
  39. In the event of any question or matter arising out of any point which is not expressly provided for in the rules, the Executive Committee shall have power to use their own discretion. The decision of the Executive Committee shall be final unless it is reversed at a general meeting of members.

  40. Dissolution

    The Association shall not be dissolved, except without the consent of not less than 3/5 of the members of the Association for the time being resident in Singapore expressed, either in person or by proxy, at a general meeting convened for the purpose.
  41. In the event of the Association being dissolved as provided above, all debts and liabilities legally incurred on behalf of the Association shall be fully discharged, and the remaining funds will be donated to an approved charity or charities in Singapore which is/are registered under the Charities Act Chapter 37.
  42. In the event of the Association being dissolved as provided above, all debts and liabilities legally incurred on behalf of the Association shall be fully discharged, and the remaining funds will be donated to an approved charity or charities in Singapore which is/are registered under the Charities Act Chapter 37.
  43. A certificate of dissolution shall be given within 7 days of the dissolution to the Registrar of Societies and the Commissioner of Charities.