Home > Media Centre > Speeches Printer-friendly page

OPENING ADDRESS BY MR PETER CHEN, SENIOR MINISTER OF STATE
FOR EDUCATION AND TRADE & INDUSTRY,
AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF SINGAPORE YOUTH SCIENCE FESTIVAL 2001 ON THURSDAY, 24 MAY 2001,
10.00 AM AT GUANGYANG PRIMARY SCHOOL

Good Morning

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Boys and Girls

     I am very pleased to join you at the Opening of the Singapore Youth Science Festival this morning.

     It is self-evident that Science and technology play crucial roles in the social and economic development of a country. The lessons of the last two centuries have shown the crucial difference between having and not having the science and technology capability, even for countries with vast natural resources. The difference lies in being able to exploit these resources themselves or be exploited by others. How much more important it is for a small nation like Singapore and without natural resources. In the new century, it is not always crucial as to who owns the resources. The winner will be the one who can, with the capability of science and technology, extract the most value out of them. Indeed resources are no longer exclusively the treasure trove under the ground. Our treasure is the potential that is in our people and their heads. But only with science and technology can that treasure trove be unlocked. Singapore needs to focus on the innovative and creative use of science and technology and to maximise the use of its limited human resources to remain competitive.

     Science is a broad and intriguing subject indeed! There is no better place to start than in our schools. Despite the many discoveries in Science, there is still much that is unknown. Scientists are still looking for answers to many unsolved mysteries through experimentation and investigation. Scientists are incurably curious people. Like scientists, our pupils too need to constantly seek answers to the questions that they have. Many pupils are taking part in events like the Singapore Youth Science Festival which encourage creative learning of Science. These adventures in science develop in participants an ability to solve problems in a scientific manner. With over 100,000 participants every year, the Singapore Youth Science Festival has become a major national event of significance.

     The Primary Science Fair, which is the highlight of the Singapore Youth Science Festival this year, provides our young pupils with an opportunity to work on science related projects of their choice. Under the guidance of their teachers, these pupils have worked tirelessly on their projects which will be displayed at the Fair today. In so doing, pupils learn to work as a team and also develop critical thinking as well as investigative and problem-solving skills.

     The organisers have also lined up a series of activities in the next fortnight. The Science Teachers Seminar promises to be a memorable experience for teachers who will be reminded of their important roles in promoting life sciences in schools.

     The Science Film Festival, seeks to promote greater interest in science and technology to some 10,000 pupils through the screening of a series of interesting and exciting OMNIMAX movies.

     Science ExCITE! is a major event that would bring the thrill and excitement of science to some 40,000 students. By participating in the various fun-filled activities, pupils would be immersed in an environment conducive to learning of science - the fun way - where they are encouraged to develop the scientific skills of observation, experimentation and application.

     In a new activity called "Create-a-robot", pupils from the upper primary and lower secondary levels will build robots and then program them to complete challenging tasks. They will learn to solve problems and make their own ideas come alive.

     I note with pleasure the enthusiasm and support of many principals and teachers. They have played a very important role in promoting the learning of science through the Singapore Youth Science Festival. Their dedication and hard work have been instrumental in the success of the Singapore Youth Science Festival.

     I would like to commend the organisers - the Singapore Science Centre, the Science Teachers Association of Singapore and the Shell Companies in Singapore who have supported the Singapore Youth Science Festival for the last twenty four years. You have given our young an opportunity to develop their interest and potential in the exciting field of Science.

     I am sure that all participants in the events of the Singapore Youth Science Festival will find their experiences both educational and rewarding. These experiences will form a sound foundation in their science education. On this note, it gives me great pleasure to declare this year's Singapore Youth Science Festival open.