SPEECH BY MR HAWAZI DAIPI, PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF EDUCATION & MINISTRY OF MANPOWER, AT THE NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATIONS ON THURSDAY, 05 AUGUST 2004, AT 8.15AM AT CHIJ ST NICHOLAS GIRLS’ SCHOOL

Ms Helen Choo, Principal, CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School

Ms Joyce Ong, Chairperson, PSG Secondary

Mrs Anne Marie Lai, Chairperson, PSG Primary

Teachers

Parents

Students

Good morning.

1      It gives me great pleasure to join you this morning to celebrate National Day.  Every year, National Day serves to showcase our unity as a nation where the various ethnic groups are held together by strong social bonding.  Hence, it is fitting that St. Nicholas Girls’ School is also commemorating Racial Harmony today.

Significance of Racial Harmony
2      This year, we celebrate 39 years of independence and success as a country.  It is also a time to reflect on the trials and tribulations that we faced together and emerged victorious.  But most of all, it is a time to realise that our achievements were possible because we have forged multi-racial ties and enhanced harmony between the various races.

3      In Singapore, harmony between people of diverse backgrounds has strengthened our social fabric. However, many countries in the world face the tragic consequences of social friction every day.  It was not so long ago that the people of Singapore were embroiled in such a scenario. The racial riots of 1964 left over 400 people injured and consumed 23 lives. A nation-wide curfew was imposed and daily life came to a grinding halt. The preservation of racial harmony in Singapore is, therefore, not taken for granted.  It remains a dynamic, long-term endeavour that requires everybody’s commitment and vigilance. 

Racial Harmony in Schools
4      Our schools play a vital role in reaching out to the young and developing their awareness of social cohesion at a young age.  Sustained efforts by our schools to inculcate in our young respect and appreciation for other races are necessary to deepen racial harmony among students.  These efforts should not be pegged just to Racial Harmony Day but be viewed as year-round activities that constantly enhance bonds among the various communities.

5      It is heartening to note the initiatives launched by St. Nicholas Girls’ School to provide opportunities for students to interact with other races.  For instance, it has organised the “Grandparents’ Breakfast Club” where grandparents of different ethnic backgrounds join the students for breakfast.

6      St. Nicholas Girls’ School also provides platforms for its students to interact with their peers from various ethnic groups and communities.  It invites students from other schools to participate in its camps.  Student leaders from St. Nicholas Girls School also visit other schools to serve as mentors and coaches.

Racial Harmony at Home
7      While the inculcation of racial harmony in schools is vital, it is equally important for parents to play their part in promoting respect for other cultures.  Parents and schools are partners in the process of developing in children an appreciation for racial harmony.  Parents are role models for their children for they observe and emulate their parents’ behaviour during their daily interaction with members of other communities in and around the neighbourhood.  Messages from schools, hence, need to be reinforced at home.  But parents first require a clear picture of the educational needs of their children.

Achievements by St Nicholas Girls’ School
8      The St. Nicholas Family Life Centre is an example of a platform that seeks to achieve just that.  This is a commendable collaboration between the school, MCDS and Morning Star Community Services, which aims to teach and instill positive traits in family life.  I congratulate St. Nicholas Girls’ School on their efforts in starting this centre.

9      Yet another achievement that we celebrate today is the launch of a book by Secondary Two students from St Nicholas Girls’ School and Catherine Lim, a prominent local author.  The collaboration involved the adaptation and illustration of Catherine Lim’s “Or Else the Lightning God and Other Stories” into a selection of stories for young Singaporeans.  It is heartening to note the level of synergy St Nicholas Girls’ School has harnessed by tapping on the community for school projects.

Conclusion
10     In conclusion, we must always bear in mind that racial harmony and social cohesion are like good health. They have to be nurtured and maintained. If they diminish, our lives will be worse off. I hope that all of you will use today’s celebrations to treasure the multi-cultural richness of our nation and rediscover the allure of our different ethnic groups.

11     Thank you.