SPEECH BY MR HAWAZI DAIPI, SENIOR PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF EDUCATION & MINISTRY OF MANPOWER, AT THE LAUNCH OF ART JAMMING@ACM AT THE ASIAN CIVILISATIONS MUSEUM, ON TUESDAY, 9 NOVEMBER 2004, AT 6.00 PM

Dr Kenson Kwok, Director, Asian Civilisations Museum,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

School leaders, Teachers and Students

Good Evening.

I am very glad to join you this evening for the opening of the exhibition, Art Jamming@ACM, which is the culmination of collaborative efforts between the Asian Civilisations Museum and Naval Base Secondary School as well as the N2 Cluster schools, namely Northland Secondary, North View Secondary, Yishun Town Secondary and Northland Primary.

2. The name of the exhibition – Art Jamming@ACM – is an appropriate one as it aptly describes the coming together of young talents to express their creativity as a whole. Today’s exhibition gives our young an opportunity to gain varied experiences, encourages them to explore their imagination, stimulates their creativity and promotes self-expression.

Importance of Arts Education

3. Arts education has an important part to play in an ability-driven education system. It provides our students with a broader and more balanced education that harnesses the full range of their talents. It fuels their imagination and develops their creativity. It enables students to see inter-relationships among ideas, adapt, generate and create new ideas and products. Creativity will be the core of our economic life and a crucial ingredient to enhance the competitiveness of our nation.

4. Arts education encourages expression and contributes to the overall development of social skills, such as valuing diversity in ideas and confidence building. In addition, arts education provides the channel to foster the appreciation of one's cultural heritage and social harmony through strengthening the understanding of one's national identity and ethnic culture.

Role of Schools

5. Our schools are where our budding artists are nurtured and cared for. Our schools provide our students with a balanced and well-rounded education, one that offers adequate diversity and choice to cater to their different interests and talents, while at the same time equipping them with essential skills.

6. The arts education programme in schools develops and harnesses the full range of students’ talents to contribute to their overall development. Students will not only be imbued with a sense of aesthetics but also a keen spirit of experimentation.

7. The arts will help to enhance the school environment as one of discovery and learning. As the creation of art forms is not limited to students who are artistically talented, students from various disciplines can benefit from their participation in the arts as well.

Cognitive Benefits

8. When students express their thoughts and perspectives in an art form, they are actually honing their cognitive and physical skills in the process. Through imagination, students make new connections, transcend previous limitations and think ‘outside of the box’. The creative thinking process often helps them to improve their powers of perception, as well as heighten their awareness and concentration.

9. Artistic expression will not only give students the opportunity to represent what they have learnt, thus achieving greater comprehension and retention of the material being covered, but will also enhance their level of confidence and self-worth.

Social Benefits

10. Experiencing and creating works of art also benefits students in their social development as they are encouraged to express themselves and connect with their peers through cooperative learning experiences.

11. A strong arts education programme in schools not only promotes cultural literacy in our society but also helps to provide experiences for students to continue to become lifelong learners even after they leave school.

12. School leaders play an important role in igniting and fanning the flames of artistic passion in our young. Through exhibitions and participation in various art events outside schools, they can hone students’ skills and raise their artistic standards. I am confident that, under the professional guidance of our art teachers, the standard of our students' art works has been, and, will continue to rise with each passing year.

13. The importance of nurturing an environment of creativity in our schools cannot be over-emphasized. School leaders’ enthusiasm and interest augur well for arts education in our schools as their efforts and initiatives have a great impact on our students and their attitudes towards the arts. Their role is pivotal to the development of arts education in Singapore.

Conclusion

14. I would like to commend Naval Base Secondary School for its initiative in enriching the arts experience not just for its students, but to its fellow N2 Cluster school students as well. I believe the exhibition has brought about a richer appreciation of art among the students.

15. I wish to commend the principals, teachers and students who have worked hard to put this exhibition together. I would also like to congratulate the students on their fine effort. I hope to see more of such collaborations between our schools and the Asian Civilisations Museum for the beneficiaries are our young people.

16. I wish everyone an enriching and enlightening art experience at Art Jamming@ACM. Thank you.