29 August 2000

SPEECH BY RADM (NS) TEO CHEE HEAN
MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND 2ND MINISTER FOR DEFENCE
AT THE NANYANG POLYTECHNIC GRADUATION CEREMONY 2000
TUESDAY 29TH AUGUST 2000 10 AM NANYANG POLYTECHNIC AUDITORIUM

Introduction
1 It gives me great pleasure to join you this morning in this splendid auditorium, in this impressive campus, at your graduation ceremony. I would like to extend my congratulations to all the graduands for successfully completing your course of study. I would also like to commend the parents on a job well done. You have inspired and supported your children during these academically and emotionally challenging years.

Basic ingredients of education
2 As graduands, you have been part of an education system that values academic attainment, creativity, character building and commitment to the nation. Today signifies the culmination of one phase of life.

3 Your education thus far has provided you with a sound basic foundation in school. This is the first and basic task of any education system.

4 The second task of education is to build upon this foundation to provide you with a set of knowledge and skills that is in demand in our society and economy, and which will enable you to have a good job and lead productive and fruitful lives. I believe that this is where your polytechnic education has done an outstanding job.

5 But as you conclude this phase of your lives, today also marks the beginning of another phase; one where you build and extend the knowledge and skills you have acquired in a challenging work environment that is constantly changing. What are some of these challenges you are about to face? How can you, in the face of these challenges, achieve success in both your working and personal lives?

Responding to the challenges of Globalization and Technological Change
6 As we all know, a new economy is being created. Old barriers are being broken down as nations restructure to answer the challenges of globalization. Bill Gates, the world's richest man, is testimony to the power of ideas in the new economy, where the prized assets are knowledge and minds, and where intellectual capital, new ideas and innovation will determine the economic strength and competitive landscape of nations. Simply put, the new economy is about the unprecedented power of global markets to provide the impetus to innovate, to create new wealth by rewarding successful new ideas, products and services. Those peoples and countries who have the capacity to create, harness and use new knowledge will be the ones that succeed and thrive in this new era.

7 Globalization is not merely an economic phenomenon; it will affect every aspect of our lives. Globalization, together with the rapid developments in technology are the key factors driving the changes we witness and experience. And the next wave of discovery and innovation in the life sciences will bring about a re-evaluation of what constitutes life itself. These changes will affect the way we live, learn and interact.

8 Singapore's open economy and strategic interest in remaining a relevant global economic player mean that everyone must adjust and adjust quickly to the New Economy. The key to continued growth is to transform Singapore to a knowledge-based economy. Long gone are the days when the economy could compete by being low cost. We have already moved towards high-value added and highly productive activities, and we need to move on again to create whole new waves of products, services and activities that supercede old ones.

The role of Polytechnic Education
9 Your polytechnic education has equipped you well, and provided you with the education and skills that you will need in this new world. It will help ensure that as many Singaporeans as possible will benefit from globalisation and the technological revolution and remain on the correct side of the global income divide.

10 Polytechnic education has played and will continue to play a crucial role in the well being of Singapore's economy. Indeed, polytechnic education will become even more important to our economy and our people. The typical Singaporean, in the coming years will have benefited from a polytechnic education. Our polytechnics provide the bulk of our people - fully 40% of each cohort - with an education that is practical and relevant, up to date in technology, and forward looking in approach.

11 Our polytechnics have shown themselves to be highly innovative and responsive, continually reviewing their course offerings, and introducing courses in emerging new areas in IT, multimedia and the life sciences. As a result, the graduates of our polytechnics are well recognized not just in Singapore, but also internationally for the high quality of their training and the positive attitude that they have to work.

12 Our polytechinc graduates will continue to do well provided they realize the importance of life-long learning - the third and increasingly, indispensable, phase of education.

Importance of Lifelong Learning
13 As the Singapore economy becomes more knowledge-based, a single life-long career based on qualifications and skills achieved at the point of graduation is no longer a likely prospect for our young men and women. We simply live longer and technology advances so much faster, that in our lifetimes, we are likely to see through the life-cycle of several generations of technology from their infancy to obsolescence. In order to benefit from globalization, our young people must become lifelong learners who can adapt to the fast pace of change and who will constantly upgrade their skills.

14 The trend now is not life-long employment with a single employer but lifelong employability. Our polytechnics, with their core technical modules as well as elective modules in life skills have provided students with a broad-based education, in preparation for the knowledge-based economy.

15 Furthermore, our polytechnics are playing an increasingly important role in providing many opportunities for those who want to continue to learn. These opportunities come in the form of formal upgrading programmes, customized training in emerging technologies for specialists, professional development programmes for managers, skills redevelopment programmes for workers and self-improvement programmes for individuals. One example is the e-commerce programme being offered by Nanyang Polytechnic for professionals and managers already in the workforce.

16 There is much to learn. And you will never be too young to learn, nor too old to learn. The Ministry of Education, together with the Ministry of Manpower is studying how best to adjust the structure of our education system and workforce training to fit into this new paradigm of life-long learning. This will ensure that whatever level of post-secondary training that a Singaporean has attained, he will have a path for updating and re-skilling himself, whether at ITE, polytechnic or university level, and to go deeper and further in his education according to his interests, aptitude and ability.

On Staying Singaporean in the Face of Globalization
17 Some say our society is changing too rapidly. Yet, as history has shown, to ignore change is dangerous. The underlying forces of change are not within our control. How then, can we ensure that Singaporeans who regionalize and globalize continue to feel a sense of belonging to the country? As we ride the waves of the New Economy, Singapore faces the challenge of retaining its homegrown talents and our unique culture.

18 It is our internal value system, embodied in the Singapore 21 vision, which will keep us on track in these changing times. It is the integrity of our families, the strength of our different cultures, the spirit of our schools, colleges, polytechnics and universities, the vitality of our community and our concern for fellow Singaporeans which will enable you to succeed and prosper in the new age.

Pursue your dreams
19 You will take more than just your Diploma with you when you leave the polytechnic. Apart from the knowledge of the disciplines that you had chosen to study, you have also acquired through your experience and with your friends here, important values -- determination, loyalty, compassion and optimism - that will help you to achieve your dreams in the future.

20 It is up to each of you to make the best use of the training you have received -- to be the best IT, multimedia or e-commerce specialist, animator, designer, engineer, social worker and sports manager that you can possibly be. It is also up to each of you to develop yourself -- to be the best person that you can be.

21 In your quest for success, you should aim also to have an active life outside of work. Decide for yourselves what is Important to you. And there must be things that are important outside of work, money and career.

22 Being active is not just about spending an hour or two a week doing social work. It is about making a continual difference to the lives of those around you. A sense of involvement is what binds a people together. There are many ways of being involved - with family, friends, the community and country.

23 Our future as a nation depends very much on how we, as individuals work to strengthen the bonds and ties of our families and communities. In the words of Albert Einstein, "Only a life lived in the service of others is worth living."

24 So, while I wish you every success, it is not simply to prosper in your careers. It is to succeed in being a better person. I wish you success as you carve your own niche in the world.

Conclusion
25 This polytechnic, your lecturers, your parents and indeed this country, have laid the foundation for you to be educated and prepared for this new age. There are new frontiers for you to conquer, it is for you to take up and rise to the challenges.

26 Once again, I congratulate you on what you have achieved and wish you all the best for your future. Thank you.