SPEECH BY MR THARMAN SHANMUGARATNAM, ACTING MINISTER FOR EDUCATION, AT THE AJC 20TH ANNIVERSARY - HOMECOMING DINNER OF ANDERSON JUNIOR COLLEGE AT SUNTEC BALLROOM ON SATURDAY, 24 JULY 2004 AT 7.30 PM

Mr Tan Tiek Kwee, Principal, Anderson Junior College

Members of the AJC School Advisory Committee

Teachers and Alumni

Ladies and Gentlemen

Introduction
1 I am pleased to be here to share in your College's 20th anniversary celebrations, and this evening's homecoming dinner.

2 It is wonderful to see more than 1400 AJC students, past and present, at this dinner.  20 years is not a long time for any institution.  Most institutions require several decades to establish themselves and to be recognised for their achievements.  So it says something of the AJC spirit, and its teachers, that it has in the short span of two decades gained a sterling reputation on the Singapore junior college landscape.  It has produced students with outstanding academic results.  It has also achieved excellence in a range of other fields, from sports to community service.  The college community has much to be proud about.

Sailing with the New Winds
3 We have entered a new phase of development as a nation.  We are adjusting our sails, to take advantage of the new winds that blow across Asia.  China and India are going through the sort of great transformations that are only occasionally seen in history.  They are transforming themselves, and transforming the world.  It is a tumultuous change, and no one expects the process to be smooth, least of all within China or India.  But there is no mistaking the aspirations of their young for a better life, and their determination to achieve it through education.  Already today, China and India produce 600,000 engineers between them.  But they are a small fraction of each age cohort.  In the coming decade, they will produce huge numbers of able young graduates, anxious to get ahead in life.  They will propel China and India's growth and advancement in the world.

4 No country will be unaffected.  And we all stand to gain from engaging with these two continental players.  Singapore is positioning itself for this.  Across Asia, in China, India and Southeast Asia, we face tremendous opportunities.  We will do well, and be useful to each of these regions, if we engage and participate in their growth and advancement while retaining our unique identity as an open, cosmopolitan city in Asia.

5 We have to take a long view of the new winds that they are creating, prepare for an exciting voyage, and not get unsettled or blown off course by the occasional gusts that appear to blow in the opposite direction.

6 Our key strength will be in our intangible chacteristics.  We will not be the cheapest play in Asia.  But we are unique in our multicultural orientation, and our openness to business and people from all over the world.  We will be the most connected city in Asia, and the most trusted by international players.  These are key intangibles that we must keep at all costs.

7 But our ability to stay relevant in the new Asia will also rest on a spirit of innovation and flexibility that has to pervade our society.  This is a key challenge in our next phase of development.

8 We have to promote diversity  -  a diversity of talents, interests and passions amongst Singaporeans.  We will not succeed if we produce young Singaporeans who are too regular, or too much of the same mould.  We need Singaporeans with different talents and different ways of thinking, willing to test ideas and new approaches off each other, and with people from around the world who will be part of what defines Singapore.

9 We also have to nurture young Singaporeans who are more willing to question as they learn, and to think in original ways.  And willing to work with fuzziness and ambiguity.  In the knowledge-based work environment, there are few ready answers and few rules to follow, only possible answers and rules that often have to be redefined as we go along.

10 Third and equally important, we have to build strength of character among our young  -  a willingness to bounce back from mishaps or failure and try again, and the willingness to stand and fight in a team.  These are critical skills for the future.  They will help our young and help Singapore.

11 To nurture these habits of mind and character, we have to begin young.  They are habits that are formed quietly, over years of schooling  -  in the classroom, on the performing stage or on the playing field.  They require a total approach to education, that extends well beyond preparing our students well for their examinations.  That is why our schools are placing greater importance on providing an all round education for their students.  And why we celebrate excellence in all its dimensions.

Excellence in Sports
12 AJC has many examples of such excellence over the years.  Let me highlight just a few.  Naomi Tan Ming Ai, from the pioneer batch of AJCians, is an outstanding example.  She was a star athlete in her time, before becoming a top national sailor.  She won a Gold medal in the Asian Games 1998 and Bronze medals in two South East Asian (SEA) Games, in 1995 and 2001.  She also represented Singapore in Rowing in 2002 and 2003.  She is currently a Physical Education teacher at Temasek Junior College and President of the Wings Athletic Club.

Excellence in Social Work
13 Yogeswari Munisamy is an example of an AJCian with a heart for humanity.  While in College, she motivated and inspired numerous others to raise funds for the flood victims in Bangladesh and promoted the 'Adopt-a-Child' Scheme amongst her college mates.  She was awarded the Professional Development Award by the Rotary Club West (Singapore) for her efforts in recruiting and sustaining new social workers.  She went on to study Social Work on a scholarship from Washington University, and is currently a senior social worker with the Ang Mo Kio Family Service Centre.

Excellence in Community Service
14 AJC has also taught its students to give back to the community while developing their potential.  A good example is lawyer Ahmad Nizam Abbas.  He is President of the Mendaki Club and chairs the Feedback Group on Community Development of the Feedback Unit.  Ahmad recalled that as a member of the pioneer batch, there was no precedent to follow.  Like the other pioneers, he was given the room to  build up the college spirit.  And in doing so, they developed their own character.

15 These are just a few examples to show how far students can go if given the space and encouragement to develop their interests.  I know there are many other AJCians who have gone on to great heights, and have contributed to society in their own way.

The Alumni
16 I am glad also that members of the AJC Alumni have generously given their time to their alma mater.  Some have lent a hand in various College performances for the public.  Others have enriched college life by giving talks and helping to provide students with job attachments.  Many have also gone back to help out in co-curricular activities (CCA).  With their expertise and experience, Alumni members have played a valuable role in complementing teachers in guiding the students of AJC.

17 Everyone in the AJC Alumni can play a part in building AJC to become a great institution.  The college is now seeking to set up an Alumni Bursary Fund to help needy students of the College.  This will help the college in its efforts to provide high quality programmes to all students, regardless of the student's ability to pay for the extras.  It is another good opportunity for AJCians past and present to give back to the college in a practical way, while also serving society.  Your giving back to the College will indeed reflect the College spirit of selflessness as captured in its College motto 'Non Mihi Solum' (translated, Not for Myself Alone).

Conclusion
18 On this note, I wish to congratulate everyone associated with AJC in its first 20 years for an institution that we can all be proud of.  I wish you and the College many happy and fulfilling years ahead.