21 December 2002

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SPEECH BY RADM TEO CHEE HEAN, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND SECOND MINISTER FOR DEFENCE & MP FOR PASIR RIS-PUNGGOL GRC, AT THE EDUSAVE SCHOLARSHIP, EDUSAVE MERIT BURSARY AND CCC POLYTECHNIC/UNIVERSITY BURSARY AWARDS CEREMONY ON SATURDAY, 21 DECEMBER 2002 AT 2 PM AT CORAL SECONDARY SCHOOL

Mr. Alvin Yeo, PBM Organising Chairman,

Mr Raymond Lye, PBM Chairman of Pasir Ris West CCC,

Principals,

Award recipients,

Parents,

Ladies and gentlemen,

1 Good afternoon. It is my pleasure to be here this afternoon for the Edusave Scholarship, Edusave Merit Bursary and CCC Polytechnic/University Bursary Awards Presentation Ceremony. This afternoon, more than one thousand students will be receiving these awards. I'm glad that so many of you have worked hard and demonstrated a strong commitment to your studies. I hope that you will keep this up in the new year.

Education as Lifelong Learning

2 Education continues to be a vital ingredient in the formula of success for nations, societies and individuals in the twenty-first century. The technological frontiers of our world are expanding at an exponential rate, and at the same time, the international and interpersonal relationships that knit our globalised society together are evolving, becoming more intricate and involved.

3 When we use the word "education" today, we do not merely mean the basic skills of literary and numeracy. The three 'R's, reading, writing and 'rithmetic have been the traditional mainstay of education for centuries, but they are no longer enough for a person who is growing up now, who will live and work in the new economy. We must develop in our students a comfortable competency with accessing, applying and communicating knowledge from different domains. We must nurture in them a sense of adventure and curiosity about the learning journey, and inspire them to go beyond their textbooks to find out what else the world has to offer them.

4 All of you here are at different stages of your education. Some of you are just starting out, while others are almost on the threshold of becoming working adults. Maybe some of you are working already, even while you are students. No matter how old you are, no matter how far a person progresses in our education system, you must be prepared to continue learning after you graduate and leave formal schooling. For the students here today, perhaps it is easy for you to take the pace of change for granted, to ride on its coattails and wait to see what the next phase of change brings. But don't forget that unceasing change brings with it unceasing challenges and opportunities, a constant need to refresh and maybe even reinvent your skills and abilities. I hope that you will take your education seriously as a first step towards building a solid foundation for constant, lifelong learning.

Investment in Education

5 Just as education was the springboard for Singapore's launch into industrialisation and development in the '60s and '70s, so will it continue to propel our citizens and our nation to future survival and success. Recognising this, the government has invested heavily in education. The awards our students will receive today come from the Edusave Endowment Fund established in 1993. This year, a total of more than 110,000 students will receive Edusave awards, with a total value of almost 23 million dollars. These awards are the government's investment in the future of young Singaporeans, a sign of our trust and hope in the young people whose talents and dreams will drive our nation into the next phase of development.

6 I am heartened also to see that on top of the national effort to provide the various financial schemes for our students, many constituencies in Singapore have taken the initiative, particularly during the current economic situation, to cushion the economic difficulties faced by some of the parents of our school-going children. Indeed I am happy to see that in our own GRC, the five Citizens' Consultative Committees have together set aside $300,000 towards the Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC CCC Education Assistance Scheme. This scheme provides assistance to students from needy families, residing in the Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, who are not receiving any other awards.

7 As the students here receive their various awards, I hope that they will be aware of the commitment it represents, the belief and confidence that the government and the community has placed in each and every young person. 2002 has been a year of much soul-searching by Singaporeans. We have had many public and private conversations about the future of our nation, the kind of citizens and society we want to have - our shared hopes, ambitions and vision for Singapore. I hope that as we move forward into the new year, the young people here today will think honestly and deeply about their role as active citizens, shaping our society to create more opportunities and a better life for all Singaporeans. Like lifelong learning, citizenship is not confined to adults or for a specific group of people only. It should be a sense of belonging nurtured from a young age, maturing into a passion and belief in our society and what it stands for. This would inspire you to give back to society what you have benefited from its opportunities and support.

8 In closing, I would like to commend the parents and teachers of the students who will receive their awards today. I am sure that your support, encouragement and guidance have been instrumental in the students' success. To the students, I offer my congratulations and my hope that you will continue to work hard and do well in your future endeavours. Thank you.