SPEECH BY MR THARMAN SHANMUGARATNAM, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION, AT XINMIN SECONDARY’S 60TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS ON FRIDAY, 5 AUGUST 2005, AT 5:30 PM

SPEECH BY MR THARMAN SHANMUGARATNAM, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION, AT XINMIN SECONDARY’S 60^TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS ON FRIDAY, 5 AUGUST 2005, AT 5:30 PM

Mr Chua Kee Teang,

Chairman, School Advisory Committee and Alumni Association

Mrs Low Ay Nar,

Principal, Xinmin Secondary

Mr Soh Hong Joon,

Chairman, Parents @Xinmin

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls

Good Evening

INTRODUCTION – XINMIN SECONDARY’S

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

1. Today marks a major milestone in the history of Xinmin Secondary School, a history of quality education that it has provided for its students and of its commitment to the community. The school has done exceptionally well. It has built on its heritage, as well as beeen a leader in educational innovation. We are all proud of what Xinmin Secondary has achieved.

2. Xinmin Secondary was not founded in ordinary times. The Japanese had just surrendered and withdrawn from Singapore. It was a time of uncertainty as Singapore had to pick itself up from the ravages of war. It was in these circumstances that the school’s founders, Mr Yap Fun Hong – Xinmin’s first principal – Mr Heng Chin Soo and Mr Tan Choon Teng set up a school in Hougang on 1 November 1945. They were working for social betterment. They knew that education of the young would create opportunities for their families as well as the community, for generations after. Xinmin Secondary’s growth and achievements over the years owe themselves to this wisdom of its pioneers. It also reflects the dynamic leadership of its principals, both past and present, and the values and unrelenting determination of its School Advisory Committee, Alumni Association, staff, students and parents.

3. In six decades, Xinmin Secondary has blossomed from a ‘kampong’ school of 620 students in Hougang into a school of quality and distinction, with 1500 students. The increasing demand for places in the school, year after year, speaks for itself. It reflects the school’s tradition of excellence in both academic and co-curricular endeavours.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN SINGAPORE

4. Xinmin’s growth is mirrored in the story of Singapore’s progress from a third world to a first world country. Singapore’s success came about because of the resilience of its people. The whole community worked together at each stage of our development, and created a land of opportunities for all, regardless of race, language or religion.

5. We have also seen education totally transformed in Singapore since our independence. From a system of schools segregated by race and with highly uneven teaching resources and standards, to a unified national system where every student is encouraged to discover his talents and is able to develop as far as they can go. It is an education system which has gained international respect and recognition for its high standards, and which continues to evolve and innovate.

XINMIN EQUALS QUALITY (X=Q)

6. In the same vein, Xinmin Secondary has kept improving and innovating since it was set up 60 years ago. The school’s formula of X=Q, that is, Xinmin equals Quality, is built on the concrete foundation laid down by its leaders, such as Mr Chew Peng Leng, Mr Teo Ting Kok, Mr Goh Tong Pak and Mr Lee Hak Boon. A simple yet powerful formula, X=Q inspires each and every student, and the teachers who nurture them to help them achieve their fullest potential.

7. As we look to the future, revise our strategies and occasionally reinvent ourselves, we must never lose sight of the unchanging core in education - nurturing students with strong values. This is even more important in our knowledge-based economy, where new truths are uncovered each day and social norms tested and revised. We must therefore continue to help our students stay rooted and confident of their identity as they face a future of change.

8. And I know our schools are aware of this. Xinmin Secondary’s Heritage Gallery gives an excellent reminder to current students and staff of their history and tradition. It expresses the spirit and culture that connects the past to the present, and to the future – a spirit of perseverance, courage and an insistent desire to achieve whatever we set our minds and hearts on.

9. Students at Xinmin Secondary are being offered many opportunities to gain new skills. Xinmin’s new Biomedical Research Laboratory is a good example. The Laboratory is equipped with cutting-edge facilities to support the school’s Biomedical Research Programme. With its state-of-the-art equipment and innovative curriculum, this programme allows students to embark on in-depth exploration in the biomedical, proteomics and bioinformatics fields.

10. Another example is Xinmin opening its doors to scholars and foreign students from China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. I commend Xinmin Secondary for successfully establishing a strong relationship and partnership with its foreign counterparts. I understand that teachers and students from Shanghai Fuxing Junior Middle School are here with us this evening as part of the school’s Bicultural Immersion Exchange Programme. A warm welcome to our foreign visitors.

CONVERSATIONAL MOTHER TONGUES

11. Even as we look afar, we need to expand our students’ horizons at home in Singapore, and in our immediate neighbourhood. We must help them communicate with their peers of all races and religions as friends. I was happy to see that the school has started Conversational Malay courses for its students and staff. Xinmin Learning Malay aims, in a fun way, to make every one in the school conversant in the Malay language. It is also geared at encouraging self-learning and self-discovery. Students and teachers will learn at their own pace.

12. The Ministry supports this initiative. It is one of the many ways in which we have to promote informal interactions and friendships among Singaporeans of all races. It gives our youth a sense of comfort and familiarity when they visit the region around us. And it may also plant the seeds of interest among our students in learning a little more on their own about the Malay culture.

13. I am encouraged that besides Xinmin, more than 40 schools, both primary and secondary schools and junior colleges, have started to conduct Conversational Malay as enrichment classes. The number of schools offering Conversational Malay will increase further, as more than 200 other schools have expressed interest in starting such programmes.

14. To help schools along in this initiative, the Ministry has just distributed the ‘Guide to Conversational Malay’ to all our schools. It provides them with suggestions on teaching strategies, learning activities, sample lesson plans and assessment modes. The guide is aimed above all at making learning Malay fun.

15. MOE will continue to support schools and provide advice on teaching techniques as they implement the Conversational Malay programme. Schools are encouraged to provide interesting and fun platforms for students to use the language through communicative activities and competitions such as story-telling, singing, quizzes and games for primary school students; and short drama presentations and poetry recitation for secondary school students. More importantly, students should be encouraged to use the language with their peers within and beyond the classroom.

16. MOE is also looking at collaborations with community organisations such as the Malay Language Council to include activities for non-Malay students during the Malay Language Month.

17. Some schools have also introduced Conversational Chinese programmes for their non-Chinese students. This too is to be encouraged. We have to find every way to interest our children in our various races and cultures, give them as much opportunity as possible to interact in school, and give them confidence to talk to people of other races outside the school.

18. Some of our teachers, too, have expressed interest in learning other mother-tongue languages at the conversational level. Miss Siti Maslinda, a Level Head and English and Literature teacher at Jurongville Secondary School, brought up the idea while I was visiting the school recently. It is an excellent suggestion, and I encourage schools to provide this enrichment to their teachers if they have an interest in it. It is an additional option for teachers to consider as part of the annual 100 training hours allocated to every teacher. Learning another language can be part of a teacher’s personal development, but I’m sure some of it might also rub off on your students.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

19. I am heartened that Xinmin Secondary has incorporated the spirit of sharing and caring as one of the objectives of the celebrations. I am encouraged that all students in Xinmin Secondary were involved in one of the many Community Involvement Projects, such as tutoring children living in the community at Blk 650 and helping out at the Handicaps Welfare Association. These projects demonstrate the students’ commitment to make a difference to the community and give them the opportunity to show compassion and care.

20. Nice buildings do not make a quality school. The key to a quality education is committed and dedicated teachers. I am proud that Xinmin Secondary has a committed team of staff who believe in their students. I applaud these teachers who tirelessly seek to imbibe in our students values and skills which will prepare them for a world of frequent and unpredictable changes.

21. I commend, too, the Advisory and Alumni Committees, parents and a co-operative community network for lending their support to the school’s efforts. I notice that there are many parents, School Advisory and Alumni Committee members present this evening. Your presence here tonight reflects the bond and strong links you cherish and preserve with Xinmin Secondary.

CONCLUSION

22. I congratulate Xinmin Secondary for consistently providing innumerable opportunities for students to develop their skills, knowledge and talents, pursue their aspirations and realise their dreams. Under the present leadership of Mrs Low Ay Nar and her staff, I’m confident Xinmin Secondary will achieve greater heights.

23. On this note, I wish everyone here in the Xinmin community a happy 60^th Anniversary.