Speeches
Speech by Ms Grace Fu, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of National Development and Ministry of Education, at the Racial Harmony Day Celebrations at 8.45am on 21st July 2008 at North Spring Primary School
Ms Tan Ching Yee
Permanent Secretary
Mr Ragupathy T
Chairman, School Advisory Committee
Miss Shirley Ng
Principal, North Spring Primary School
Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen
Boys and Girls
Good morning
Thank you for the very warm welcome! I am indeed delighted to be here at North Spring Primary School today to commemorate and celebrate Racial Harmony Day 2008. This is the second year in which MOE senior management has graced Racial Harmony celebrations in schools, providing a valuable opportunity for us to share in the festivities and appreciate the National Education efforts by schools.
Singapore has done well because we have not taken our peace and harmony for granted. Years of Racial Harmony efforts in schools have had a profound impact on our students and schools. We must continue to build on our efforts and work hard to maintain Racial Harmony in Singapore. We should remember that we are a nation of diverse races and cultures, brought together by history and circumstances.
While we each belong to a diverse range of cultural and community groups, we have taken steps to understand and embrace different cultures and traditions as part of our identity. The tolerance, acceptance and common space that we have developed is the result of hard work over the years. In the face of global economic and socio-political instability, we must continually rejuvenate our work in Racial Harmony. Only then, will we continue to enjoy peace and stability for decades to come.
Looking ahead in Racial Harmony
There are two key aspects to our continuing efforts in promoting Racial Harmony in schools. The first is to preserve our own cultural heritage and traditions, and second, we must emphasise our common values to build up our Singaporean identity.
First, we must continue to cherish our rich and diverse cultures. We return to our various cultural roots to search for the rich and varied nature of our cultures. We celebrate our key festivals together as a nation and make it a point to commemorate key festivities to remind us of our heritage. It is important that we continue to actively expose our young to the range of traditions and cultural practices. To bring this further, we must also inculcate in them a healthy curiosity and interest in learning about their own cultures, that of their fellow Singaporeans, as well as those of the world. Above all, students must be given opportunities to participate in authentic inter-cultural experiences, and develop the skills to ask constructive questions about these experiences.
Second, we must continue to emphasise common values to build up our Singapore identity. Schools are well-positioned to do this. They reach out to half a million students, regardless of race, religion, family background, whether you are Singaporean or a new resident. Our schools are the key multipliers in our national Racial Harmony efforts. Furthermore, schools provide innovative platforms for interaction and learning. By integrating Racial Harmony with values, curriculum and other school programmes, we can provide a truly holistic education.
Supporting Racial Harmony in Schools
MOE will continue to play a key role in developing an overall framework to support Racial Harmony efforts. At the same time, schools should continue to innovate and develop programmes for the specific learning needs of their students Both the systemic and the customised approaches have their merits and strengths.
At the systemic level, MOE identified this year’s Racial Harmony theme, ‘Many Faces, One Singapore’ to unify schools’ efforts. Schools in turn utilise this theme in a variety of ways to celebrate Racial Harmony, developing programmes and approaches that build on their strengths and focus. As we can see, the theme is successfully and vividly brought to life by the students who are here with me on stage!
MOE has also put in place programmes that encourage interaction and understanding among students. An example is the Conversational Chinese and Malay Programmes in our schools which started in 2006. Minister, who is visiting Elias Park Primary School this morning has shared that these programmes have taken off very well in our schools. We hope that by providing an opportunity for Singaporeans to understand Conversational Chinese and Malay, communication between races can be enhanced, thus leading to stronger social cohesion.
North Spring Primary School
Today, I would like to highlight and celebrate North Spring Primary School’s efforts in Racial Harmony and National Education. The Play Café and Happy House Corner that will be officially opened today represent North Spring’s approach to National Education and Racial Harmony. Through games and interactive activities, students are engaged in meaningful experiences that have multiple outcomes. The games introduce healthy elements of fun, competition and achievement into learning.
North Spring has actively engaged community partners and stakeholders in developing the games. The games integrate content learning, values education and provide students with exposure to the challenges facing Singapore, both locally and globally.
The innovative design of the games, which has received various awards and grants, and the clever integration of key elements of our heritage, have made this an impactful programme for the students. Indeed, high quality school programmes, developed to meet the needs of students and stakeholders will yield optimal results. I am told that the students made a strong impression as articulate and confident ambassadors of the games that North Spring presented at this year’s MOE Excel Fest! Well done!
Conclusion
Given our rapidly changing operating environment, it is important that educators stay in touch with the needs and perspectives of our students. Educators must be able to connect with their students and be in tune with the current trends and developments that are confronting our students. I am happy to say that in North Spring, we have an excellent example of how a school has leveraged on the core learning and experiential outcomes of students to further our Racial Harmony efforts in schools.
Let us use this opportunity to not only immerse ourselves in the celebrations, but also remind ourselves of their underlying purpose and reaffirm our commitment to promoting racial harmony in schools.
On this note, I would like to wish all of you a meaningful and fulfilling Racial Harmony Day. Thank you.