A bright teen has missed six months of school due to unpaid fees. His future hangs in the balance.

A Son Who Stays Quiet, and Keeps Trying

Yi Kai, 16, was born and raised in Singapore to parents who migrated here from China. For years, his family paid international school fees of nearly $900 a month, costs they struggled to manage after his father walked out. In 2024, Yi Kai became a Singapore Permanent Resident. But by then, the damage was done. His school fees had built up, and he could no longer continue.

Yi Kai has been out of school since January 2025. He should have been preparing for his ‘O’ Levels this year, mapping out his future. He has always hoped he would be the first in his family to attend university.

Instead, he’s self-studying at home, exercising to stay motivated, and working part-time at a fast food outlet. He doesn’t complain. But the waiting wears on him.

A Mother Who Has Given Everything

Mdm Hong has lived in Singapore since 2009. After her husband severed contact three years ago, she became the sole breadwinner working a low-wage job to support Yi Kai and his older sister, now 17. The family of three survives on about $1,000 per month after paying for rent. 

“He has worked so hard,” she says. “And now, he cannot continue studying because of our family circumstances. I feel so guilty.” Still, she is proud of his resolve. “He has stayed focused and not turned to vices. He is still so obedient.”

Why Yi Kai Still Can’t Return to School

Before Yi Kai received PR status, he was considered a non-ASEAN international student. His monthly school fees of $1900/month were unaffordable.

The family’s financial collapse didn’t happen overnight. It started with the loss of his father’s support, and ended with every lifeline exhausted. Mdm Hong’s last resort, her elderly parents in China, had already paid SGD $5,000 in school fees to help her daughter graduate. But there is nothing left.

Yi Kai wants nothing more than to return and finish what he started. In 2023, he received the Most Improved Student Award and was described by his vice-principal as a well-liked and motivated student. A community social worker affirms his drive and responsibility, despite the odds.

Yet unless the arrears are cleared, his dream of completing school will continue hanging in the balance.

Six Months Behind, But Still Holding On

If the arrears aren’t paid soon, Yi Kai will miss the start of the 2026 academic year. That means losing time, confidence, and the momentum to prepare for the O-Levels. “He doesn’t say much,” Mdm Hong shares. “He knows I’m worried, so he keeps it in.”

From home, Yi Kai continues studying the Secondary 4 syllabus. But without teachers and classroom support, he’s starting to fall behind especially in the more technical subjects.

What Your Support Will Help Cover

Ray of Hope is raising $27,515.40 to clear Yi Kai’s school fee arrears and re-enrol him into school so he can complete Secondary 4 and sit for his O-Levels in 2026.

This amount will:

– Pay off his outstanding school fees

– Enable his re-enrolment for the upcoming academic year

Help Yi Kai Finish What He Started

Every child deserves the chance to finish school. Yi Kai isn’t asking for a shortcut, just the opportunity to keep going.

“I used to wish he could go to university,” says Mdm Hong. “Now, I just hope he can finish school and find a good job.”