Speech by Mr Gan Kim Yong, Minister of State for Education and Manpower, at the Nanyang Polytechnic Graduates' Association 10th Anniversary Dinner held at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel on 18 November 2006

SPEECH BY MR GAN KIM YONG, MINISTER OF STATE FOR EDUCATION & MANPOWER, AT THE NANYANG POLYTECHNIC GRADUATES’ ASSOCIATION 10TH ANNIVERSARY DINNER HELD AT THE GRAND COPTHORNE WATERFRONT HOTEL ON 18 NOVEMBER 2006

1 Good evening to all of you. It is my pleasure to be with you tonight to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Nanyang Polytechnic Graduates’ Association.

2 I am sure many of you are aware of the impending increase in the GST from 5% - 7%, announced by PM recently in the Parliament. A lot of attention has been drawn to the impact of the additional tax. Some are worried that the lower income group may be adversely affected by it, some felt that the lower income group will be taken care of by the off-set package and that it is the middle income group that will feel the impact. Some retailers, on the other hand, are concerned that this will dampen domestic demand and affect their business. These concerns are natural. But I think in the midst of all these excitements, we must not lose sight of the bigger picture.

3 It is important for us to see the major shifts in the global environment and understand how they affect Singapore. The emergence of China and India will impact many countries in Asia and around the world. Singapore is no exception. As Singapore forges ahead to reposition our economy to become innovation-driven and knowledge-based, our people must be versatile and able to adapt to new kinds of jobs and skills quickly. However, we must expect that some Singaporeans who are less educated and have lower skills might find it difficult to cope with the rapid pace of change. These people will need a stronger social safety net to ensure that they too will move along as we develop and grow. It is primarily for this reason that we are strengthening our social safety net but to do so, we will need more resources to ensure the system is sustainable. Hence the need to review our tax revenue.

4 However, strengthening our social safety net is only part of the solution. A more important key strategy is to provide the best education to our children and equip our workers with the best skills. In this regard, our polytechnics play a crucial role. Our graduates must be adaptable and remain relevant by embracing life-long learning and keeping pace with changes in the world. Alumni associations like the Nanyang Polytechnic Graduates’ Association provide an excellent platform for graduates to not only interact, share and learn from each other’s experiences, but to also leverage on each other’s network.

5 The NYP Graduates’ Association has grown from an initial pioneering group of about 30 when it was first established in 1996 to close to 2,000 members today. As the Association continues to grow, it should also play a more active role in shaping the future of Nanyang Polytechnic and contribute to the its development into a leading institution of higher learning.

6 The theme adopted for your 10th anniversary, “Stay Relevant, Be Connected”, concisely sums up what you need to do as you pursue your goals and dreams. Let me elaborate on these two points:

Stay Relevant
7 In increasingly globalised economy and ever changing landscape, Singapore must continue to develop new capabilities and carve out our own niche areas to stay ahead in the competition. To do this, our graduates must be willing to learn and re-learn, to ensure that the knowledge and skills that they have acquired continue to give them a competitive edge. Polytechnic graduates have been exposed to a culture of life-long learning and discovery as an integral part of their polytechnic education. I hope this has become their way of life. The Graduates’ Association can provide the platform and act as the catalyst to help and encourage graduates to continue acquiring new knowledge and skills.

Be Connected
8 As we pursue each of our dreams and visions, we must nevertheless stay connected to one another. This emotional bond will help root our graduates not only to their alma mater, but also to the nation. For many of you who are facing the twin demands of career and family, you may find it increasingly challenging to stay connected with your cohort of friends and alma mater, especially through the Association. I would encourage you to make an effort to do so and you will find it rewarding, not just in the economic sense.

9 But being connected means more than just maintaining a connection with the Alumni Association. Graduates need to be connected with the world. They must adopt a global outlook. They must keep tab on the developments in the world so as to understand the new challenges and cease the emerging opportunities that will come their way.

10 Singapore is starting a new phase of development and growth. There will be many challenges ahead of us, just like when we started out 40 years ago when we first became an independent nation. We have the resources and the ability to manage these challenges. The opportunities that await us are exciting. But the more able must help the less able, so that we can create an inclusive society to stay together as one people and to move ahead as one nation.

11 Finally, I would like to extend my heartiest congratulations to the NYP Graduates’ Association on its 10th anniversary and I wish you the best in your every endeavour. I urge you to continue to grow from strength to strength and contribute to the development of Nanyang Polytechnic and Singapore.