SPEECH BY MR HAWAZI DAIPI, PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF EDUCATION & MINISTRY OF MANPOWER, AT THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF THE YOUNG ENGINEERS CLUB (YEC) ON TUESDAY, 20 APR 04 AT 3PM AT THE SINGAPORE POLYTECHNIC AUDITORIUM

Mr Low Wong Fook, Principal, Singapore Polytechnic

Mr Wan Choong Hoe, Vice President and Managing Director, National Semiconductor Manufacturer Singapore Pte Ltd

Mr Eddie Sweeney, Human Resource World Wide Vice-President, National Semiconductor Corporation

Distinguished guests

Ladies and gentleman

Good Afternoon

Introduction

1. It gives me great pleasure to join you at the official launch of Singapore Polytechnic’s Young Engineers Club (YEC). I understand that the objective of establishing this club is to create and increase awareness, among secondary school teachers and students, of the importance of engineering, through innovative and fun activities.

2. Engineering is important not only to Singapore’s economy, but also in every aspect of our lives. I am sure that every one of you here carries a mobile phone; some of you may even rely heavily on sms or text messaging to communicate with your friends. We also rely heavily on the Internet, which we plug into from the comfort of our homes or offices, for information and communication across countries, via email and chatrooms. These marvels of modern life that we now take for granted owe their existence to engineering. 

3. In the new economy, engineering innovations will continue to play a crucial role in generating further technological and economic progress. Indeed, without the widespread use of technology, it would be quite impossible for Singapore to compete in the global arena. Therefore, to remain competitive, it is vital that our workforce becomes more innovative and creative.  It is not too early to start nurturing these traits in our students from young, as they, after all, will form the future workforce of our country.

4. While our education system has always aimed to provide the necessary core knowledge, the last few years have seen an emphasis on nurturing a spirit of innovation and enterprise in our young people through holistic education. We hope to see students become more pro-active in experimentation, more willing to seek out alternative pathways, and break out of the mould where necessary. More importantly, we hope to encourage them to pursue their individual passions with zeal and perseverance.

Young Engineers Club
5. I am therefore heartened by Singapore Polytechnic’s initiative to set up the YEC. In doing so, it extends its resources and expertise to schools to enthuse students to engage in the wider world beyond their textbooks. I note that the YEC shares the same vision as MOE of letting students enjoy themselves and develop their passion for science through hands-on projects, engineering-based competitions, ‘discovery’ lectures and visits to industry. One such example is its National Junior Solar Sprint Competition which encourages students to use their creativity and ingenuity to create a car out of recycled materials which runs on solar energy. Through the competition, students will learn the engineering principles behind solar power, motors and design while having fun at the same time. As you can see, such activities enable our students to learn actively, think critically, and identify and solve problems collaboratively.

6. I have also been told that the YEC is providing help and support to Marsiling Secondary School for its Energy Conservation project. I would like to commend YEC for partnering schools in engineering-related projects. Through such partnerships, schools will gain knowledge and ideas from the expertise and mentoring that accompany the collaboration.

Conclusion
7. On this note, I would also like to commend National Semiconductor Manufacturer Singapore Pte Ltd for its support in establishing the YEC. This is yet another fine example of how our schools and education institutes can collaborate with our industry partners in engaging our students and encouraging a spirit of innovation and enterprise in them. Indeed, the task of preparing our young cannot be carried out by schools alone. The community and industry, too, have an important role to play in enriching our school programmes and supporting the various schools projects.

8. In conclusion, it is now my pleasure to officially launch Singapore Polytechnic’s Young Engineers Club.

9. Thank you.