SPEECH BY MR HAWAZI DAIPI, PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF EDUCATION & MINISTRY OF MANPOWER, AT THE
SPH GEOGRAPHY CHALLENGE 2004 PRIZE PRESENTATION CEREMONY, ON SATURDAY, 27 MARCH 2004, AT 3PM, AT THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE, LECTURE THEATRE 11

Associate Professor Tan Tai Yong, Dean, Arts and Social Sciences Faculty

Associate Professor Victor Savage, Head, Geography Department

Distinguished guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good afternoon.

1. It is my pleasure to join you for the prize presentation ceremony of the SPH Geography Challenge 2004.  This event is especially meaningful for me as Geography was one of the subjects which I majored in during my undergraduate days, and I am glad to see the number of young Geography enthusiasts in the audience today.

2. I understand that a total of 86 secondary schools and about 350 students participated in this year’s SPH Geography Challenge.  I am sure that the 20 school finalists who were involved in the GeoTrail and GeoMap competitions not only enjoyed themselves tremendously, but also learnt a lot about geography and Singapore’s landscapes and environment.  What they learn during such experiential learning opportunities will stay with them for a far longer time than facts memorised from a textbook.

THE IMPORTANCE OF STUDYING GEOGRAPHY

3. So what exactly is geography?  The word ‘geography’ is derived from Greek and literally means ‘to write about the earth’.  Yet Geography involves more than just describing places.  It is a discipline that seeks to understand the world – its human and physical features – through an understanding of place and location.  It ties together diverse sciences, such as geology, biology and climatology, with social sciences like economics, history and politics, to name a few.  In a way, Geography is the bridge between the human and physical sciences, and students benefit from a study of this subject by the world view that they acquire.  They see that the world is inter-connected in varied and diverse ways – ways that remind us that what one country or society does can never be an isolated act that has no further repercussions on the rest of the world.  Take the Industrial Revolution, for example.  Dramatic changes to the way we live, where we live and how we live took place with the humble beginnings of simple inventions and technological innovations.  These changes have filtered to every society, and today, our lives are shaped by this ‘revolution’ that started in the middle of the 18th century.

4. Studying Geography equips a student with skills for life, and these skills are valuable for the future careers that you will forge for yourselves, whether they are directly linked to geography or not.  While few companies employ geographers per se, your ability to identify problems, evaluate explanations, analyse data and suggest solutions will put you in good stead in your future employment.  More importantly, the study of Geography equips you with the skill to understand, in an integrated way, an ever-changing world.  You are able to get to the root of problems efficiently, and to propose and analyse solutions to the problems you anticipate.  In a current world that is fast-paced and where change is the only constant, your skills will be valued, and you will look back on your Geography lessons with fondness and, I believe, a touch of gratitude.

THE IMPORTANCE OF GEOGRAPHY IN THE NEW WORLD

5. Besides benefiting yourselves, a knowledge of geography is also important for us if we want Singapore to continue to progress as it had for the past decades.  Our history is inevitably tied to our location.  We are located at the tip of the Malay Peninsula at the narrowest point of the Strait of Malacca.  This makes us the shortest sea-route between India and China, and it was this advantageous location that gave us an edge over our neighbouring countries.  Trade flourished and we grew from a small fishing village to a cosmopolitan society that we are today.  Our success is also due, in no small way, to the sheer grit of our people who worked hard and forged a bright future together. 

6. But the world is fast changing, and the formula that worked in the past may no longer work today.  Similarly, what used to give us our competitive edge may no longer be a crucial factor in our development today.  In this borderless world where communication is no longer judged by the number of days you have to travel to a country, and where countries are increasingly interlinked by the Worldwide Web, our geographical location no longer gives us that edge over our neighbours.  What is needed now is an ability to ride the waves of the Internet revolution, and to harness our people’s skills to meet the new demands of the changing economy.  We need to be sensitive to regional and global trends around us to ensure that we can survive, sustain and thrive as a community.  We cannot afford to be a geographically-challenged country, blind to the economic, political and social forces that are shaping the world today.

7. Singapore is a small city state, but we enjoy living in a multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-linguistic society.  Our long association and wide experience in living with different cultural and religious groups have given us many advantages as we interact economically, politically, socially and culturally with communities in the region and further afield.  This cosmopolitan experience becomes even more important as Singapore develops into a global city.  Some in your midst today will become our future leaders. You need to develop the trait of being able to see the larger regional and global perspective, and appreciate the relationships that Singapore and Singaporeans have with other countries and societies.  In this way, we can harness our strengths, forge mutually beneficial relations with other countries, and be at the forefront of the new economy.

8. While competitions involving schools may seem like a small step towards this goal, it is an important one.  I am sure all student participants have learnt a lot from this competition.  Continue to nurture your interest in the subject, and hone the skills that will be valuable for yourselves and for Singapore.

CONCLUSION

9. I would like to close by applauding the organising efforts of the faculty members of the Department of Geography, students from the NUS Geographical Society as well as the support given by the Geography Teachers Association and the Ministry of Education.  Such a large-scale event would not have been possible without the unstinting support of the corporate sector.  In particular, I would like to thank Singapore Press Holdings for its sustained support of this event over eight years and the National Geographic Channel which has been a co-sponsor of the event since 1999.  On a final note, I wish the NUS Geography department many more happy and productive years as it celebrates its 75th anniversary this year.

10. Thank you.