12 November 2002

SPEECH BY RADM (NS) TEO CHEE HEAN, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION & SECOND MINISTER FOR DEFENCE, AT ITE's 10TH ANNIVERSARY DINNER ON TUESDAY 12 NOVEMBER 2002 AT FULLERTON HOTEL AT 1930 HOURS

1 I am pleased to join you this evening to celebrate ITE's 10th Anniversary. Let me first offer my congratulations to the Institute for a decade of continual and significant progress.

2 ITE was established in 1992 to ensure that our school-leavers who are practically inclined and more hands-on in their approach to learning have the opportunity to acquire the skills and knowledge for Singapore's transition to a knowledge-based economy. ITE has distinguished itself as "best-in-its-class" for providing vocational and technical education, even when compared to such systems in advanced countries.

3 To achieve this ITE has focused on 3 areas: developing industry-relevant programmes, devising an appropriate pedagogical approach, and having good and caring lecturers.

4 Well-known both locally and internationally for its quality and industry-relevant programmes, the ITE's system of 10 campuses, operated through two Networks, offers a wide range of courses in Engineering, Info-Communications, Applied Sciences, Business, Healthcare and Service Skills, which are attractive to GCE 'O' and 'N' level secondary school leavers. The ITE has moved towards establishing a framework for cross-level learning in its programmes. The New Curriculum Model ensures that all ITE students learn 'employability skills', such as problem-solving, IT, interpersonal and communications skills. This recognizes that the manpower for the future should be more than just technologically savvy, and adaptable, but also creative knowledge workers.

5 The successful implementation of curriculum and programmes hinges on developing a sound, pedagogic approach. The ITE has adopted a process-oriented interactive Pedagogic Model, which nurtures "active learners" and "thinking doers". With teachers acting as facilitators and mentors, students plan, explore, practise and perform. This new pedagogic model allows students to take on a more proactive role by selecting modules that suit their capability and interest, and widen their fields of study.

6 With its eTutor Learning System, ITE will transform itself into a community of connected on-line learning campuses. This focused approach to learning provides a conducive teaching and learning environment that helps ensure that students reap the maximum benefit from their ITE courses and are well equipped for the future.

7 At the heart of the ITE are its dedicated teachers. As teacher, counsellor and technologist, ITE Lecturers play an important role in nurturing the students' learning process and shaping their careers and success in life. Students and graduates have shared how much their lecturers have made a positive impact on their lives.

8 Lin Yifang, 20, a Mechanical & Electrical Engineering Design graduate, blossomed from being a shy and reserved student to being one of ITE's outstanding graduates. She graduated in 2002 with a string of awards, including the Tay Eng Soon Gold Medal and Lee Kuan Yew Model Student Award. She recalled, "I used to be quiet and reserved in secondary school. My ITE Lecturers drew me out. They gave me many opportunities to develop my potential through leadership positions. My self-esteem and self-confidence grew by leaps and bounds."

9 In another case, ITE Electronics graduate, Leong Weng Hong, 18, was so moved by his teachers' concern for him that he has decided to continue to develop himself and strive to become an ITE lecturer. He said, "The ITE lecturers took an active interest in my studies and co-curricular activities (CCAs). I would really love to teach in ITE one day. I want to tell future batches of students that I was once an ITE student, and I am very proud to be one. I hope to encourage my students to excel in both their studies and CCAs, which was what my lecturers in ITE encouraged me to do. Only then would I have truly repaid them." Indeed, ITE Lecturers play an instrumental role in developing a new brand of ITE graduates imbued with industry-relevant skills and knowledge, confidence, social and life skills, and the ability to continually learn and relearn.

10 ITE's achievements over the past years have significantly enhanced the public image of the institute. Today, ITE is viewed more positively by school leavers, teachers, parents and employers as an attractive option for post-secondary education. In the last 10 years, ITE has trained a total of 77,000 school leavers and 170,000 working adults in its various Pre-Employment Training and Continuing Education and Training courses. This is very impressive indeed.

12 More and more students are showing an interest in the courses ITE has to offer. One example is ITE's Nitec (National ITE Certificate) in Nursing programme. The intake has increased more than fourfold from 60 a year to 250 a year in the three years since ITE first took over the training of Enrolled Nurses from the School of Nursing in January 2000. The students were attracted not just by the better employment terms offered by hospitals, but also by the more holistic programme offered by ITE, the total learning environment with more opportunities for interdisciplinary interaction and learning with students from other programmes, and the certification which offers them a route to further upgrading. This one example shows how ITE has opened up career options for another nearly 200 school-leavers a year, helping at the same time to meet the manpower needs of the healthcare industry.

13 The ultimate test for ITE is the employability of its graduates. Here are some findings of the first survey of ITE graduates who have been in the job market for 10 years. The survey, which covered 8,000 past graduates and was conducted in August this year, testifies to the success of ITE graduates.

15 ITE graduates found that their ITE qualifications and training are well recognized, and give them a foundation for job progression. Those ITE graduates who did not proceed for further formal education, continued to maintain successful careers as associate professionals, technicians or administrative and service personnel. Based on their ITE qualifications, this group of graduates now earn an average monthly salary of $2,200, which is more than double (120% higher) their starting salary 10 years ago.

16 One such ITE graduate who has succeeded with his ITE qualification is Mr Joe Harie bin Jooe, a Service Engineer with Prolink Engineering Pte Ltd, which services pharmaceuticals companies like Schering-Plough Ltd and Merck Sharpe and Dohme (Singapore) Ltd. When he graduated from ITE in 1992 with an NTC-2 (now known as the Nitec) Electronics Servicing from ITE, he was drawing $850 a month. Through his years of learning on-the-job, the 31-year-old today earns a salary of $6,000, a seven-fold jump from when he first started.

17 I am also particularly heartened to note that ITE has its share of entrepreneurial graduates. Of the 3% who are running their own businesses, most became entrepreneurs while they were still in their 20's.

18 One example is Mr Tan Koon who graduated from ITE with an ITC (now known as the Higher Nitec) in Electronics and then went on to obtain a Diploma in Electronics. After some work experience, he started his first technology company at the age of 27. Within four years, he has ventured into IT, systems integration and trading. Today, at 31, he owns a multi-million dollar business comprising four companies, with a subsidiary in Malaysia.

19 ITE has done well. But there are new challenges ahead. As a post-secondary education institution, the greatest challenge is to stay relevant and responsive to the social and economic needs of the community. Already, ITE has embarked on the next exciting phase of expanding and regrouping the 10 existing campuses into three Regional Campuses over the next 15 years. Your first Regional Campus at Simei Avenue, when ready in Jan 2005, will cater to 7,200 full-time students and 8,100 adult learners, opening up new opportunities in an even more vibrant teaching and learning environment. I am sure that it will further enhance the value of an ITE education for its students, partners and stakeholders.

20 I would like to take this opportunity to thank ITE's industry partners, organisations, unions and individuals, who have contributed to the development and success of ITE. In particular, I offer my congratulations to the 22 local and overseas partners, who are being recognised for having made a significant impact and major contributions to ITE.

21 I congratulate ITE, its Board of Governors, management, staff and students, on the outstanding achievements you have made over the last 10 years. I am confident that given its leadership, strategic planning, progressiveness and dynamism, ITE will achieve its vision of building a world-class post-secondary technical education institution for the new economy.