MOE Speech - SPEECH BY MR THARMAN SHANMUGARATNAM, ACTING MINISTER FOR EDUCATION, AT THE EURASIAN ASSOCIATION EDUCATION AWARDS CEREMONY

SPEECH BY MR THARMAN SHANMUGARATNAM, ACTING MINISTER FOR EDUCATION, AT THE EURASIAN ASSOCIATION EDUCATION AWARDS CEREMONY ON SATURDAY 30 AUGUST 2003 AT 3.30PM AT THE EURASIAN COMMUNITY HOUSE

Good afternoon and thank you all for your very warm welcome. I am delighted to be here this afternoon to present the Eurasian Community Fund Merit and Bursary Awards. This year's event have special significance, it being the first time that it is being held at the Eurasian Community House. This cosy and beautiful building is not only home to the Eurasian community and a hub for the community's activities, but also now a distinctive landmark in the Joo Chiat neighbourhood.

FOCUSING ON EDUCATION

2 The Eurasian Association is by far the oldest of the four major community self-help groups in Singapore, with traditions rooted in the pre-independence era. The Association has also come far, and has taken itself to a new plane in the last 10 years.Once largely a social club for its members, the Association is today a body dedicated to the educational and social upliftment of all Singaporean Eurasians, and an integral plank in our nation building efforts.

3 The Eurasian community rightly regards a good education as the key to mobility and better life chances. Since 1996, when the Eurasian Community Fund Education Awards first commenced, the EA has given bursaries and other awards to more than 1,500 deserving students. It has put in place various programmes to provide tuition and co-curricular classes for pupils at the primary and secondary levels. These efforts have not only promoted the academic advancement of Eurasian students. They have also provided the opportunity to bring the community together for an important cause.

4 Your efforts have shown results, with Eurasian students maintaining a high level of achievement in their studies over the years, and improvements in several areas. The perfomance of Eurasian students in English remains well above the national average at all levels. They continue to do well in Maths and Science, with performance at or close to the national average at the primary and secondary levels. The percentage of Eurasian students who complete their secondary education with at least 5 'O' level passes increased from 65% in 1993 to 76% last year. One of the main areas where the community has lagged the national average has been in the mother tongue languages. Even here, however, there has been notable improvement at the 'O' levels. The percentage of Eurasian pupils who passed the MTL at 'O' level increased by over 20% points from 43% in 2000 to 65% in 2002. Overall, the community has a strong and encouraging record of achievement to work from.

5 Let me congratulate all the 223 award recipients for your achievements. Your good results would not have come about by chance. I am sure they reflect diligence and a determination to excel, help from your teachers, and a large dose of encouragement and support from your parents and families.

6 I would like to make special mention of the 40 Merit Bursary and Excellence award recipients who are receiving their awards for a second or third time. Your perseverance and resolve have done your families, your schools and the community proud. I was also pleased to learn that the Eurasian Association is implementing six new awards this year, to honour the top Eurasian student at the PSLE, N-, O- and A-levels and at the graduating examinations at the polytechnic and university levels.

GOING BEYOND THE ORDINARY

7 Each generation produces outstanding young men and women, who blaze new paths and inspire the rest. The Eurasian community has its share of youth with the passion to excel at what they do, and to do something more than the ordinary. There are several examples, but I will cite a four individuals who in different ways have done something exceptional. David Leisinger Zhirong, from Temasek Polytechnic and one of today's awardees, is a fine example. He has reaped international accolade for his final-year project at Temasek Polytechnic, which involved designing a light-hearted website to help over-40s in Europe to make the most of SMS. David is from all accounts well below 40, but he put himself in the shoes of his target users so successfully that he won the first prize in the website design category at the British Design and Art Direction Student Awards 2003. David also made it to the Temasek Polytechnic Honours List, which recognizes students in the top 10% of the graduating cohort.

8 Another example is Mark Seah, the recipient of the award for top university student for academic year 2002-3. Mark is the examplar of a well-rounded student, having been consistently impressive in both his studies and his other interests, such as debating and track and field. The leadership qualities he displayed in school have also won him recognition.

9 Yet another outstanding young individual is Richard Thomas Hill, a recipient of the Excellence Award. Richard was not only one of the top Eurasian students in last year's GCE O-Level Examination, but is already a veteran of several international squash tournaments. He was first in last year's national squash championships and represented Singapore in the team and individual events in this year's Asian Junior Squash Championships.

10 The fourth example I would like to cite is Kisha Chantelle Krishna. Kisha obtained her Sociology honours at NUS, and is I am told working as an intern at a university in a small town called Huachinango in a mountainous area of Mexico. She believed that the best way to prepare herself for the post-graduate programme she plans to do in development studies was through working in less developed parts of the world. She chose Mexico, spent time picking up Spanish and has set off on what will I am sure be a truly valuable learning experience.

11 I cite these examples because they are each individuals who have done well in more than just their academic studies. There are I am sure others, and we want to see more young men and women like them - with the confidence and willingness to do something different, set off on a different path and go beyond what can be achieved by ordinary effort. This is a key trait that we have to develop in our young. It will hold them well in the future, and hold Singapore well as we enter new, uncharted waters.

INCLUSIVENESS

12 What will make or break us as a nation will ultimately be our ability as Singaporeans to preserve a spirit of togertheness and commonality amongst citizens of different races, cultures and social backgrounds. We must work unceasingly, to preserve and build on what we have achieved in social harmony, keep our social fabric tightly knitted and prevent it from fraying as it takes on stresses from time to time. There is more to be done, to reach out to and include people of other communities in much of what we do, from young and as we go through our lives.

13 The Eurasian community is a special gift to Singapore in this regard. While a small community, you serve naturally as bridges within Singapore's complex, multicultural setting. Most Eurasians speak English as their mother tongue and are conversant with at least one other language. Many have also intermarried with other groups, which of course makes everything a little more complex. The Eurasians continue to provide colourful and resilient threads, running through the fabric of Singapore society, making it stronger and making it more interesting.

14 I am glad that your programmes and activities are also open to the other races, and that you have been working very well with the other self-help groups to make education and training courses available to students of all races. One important benefit of this inclusive approach is that it fosters an environment where Singaporean children can interact, learn and play together.

15 An interesting example is the Eurasian Association's Soccer School held at St. Patrick's School. Every Sunday up to 70 children of various ethnic groups gather to enjoy the rough and tumble of soccer. In the process, the children not only sharpen their skills, but forge friendships with friends of different races in an environment of give-and-take and fair play. They learn to appreciate what is common, not just respect their differences.

16 I am told that the parents and families, too, join in to provide encouragement and support as well as arrange for food and drinks. In fact, the bonds between the children have stimulated and developed friendships between the parents and families as well, in the form of picnics and potluck parties. All this, growing naturally out of children playing together. We have to multiply these experiences. They will help bind our society together as one.

CONCLUSION

17 In closing, let me once again congratulate all the award winners on their achievements. I would also like to commend the parents here today for having brought up children they can be proud of. What you teach your children in bringing them up is invaluable. I urge you to continue that nurturing, to encourage your children to excel in whatever they do, and to run with their passions.