Speeches
Speech by Mr S Iswaran, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Education, at the Ceremony for the Cheque Presentation by Ngee Ann Kongsi to Ngee Ann Polytechnic on Wednesday, 30 September 2009, at 11am, at the Ngee Ann Convention Centre, Ngee Ann Polytechnic
Dr Lim Kee Ming
President, Ngee Ann Kongsi
Mr Tan Hup Foi
Chairman, Ngee Ann Polytechnic Council
Mr Chia Mia Chiang
Principal, Ngee Ann Polytechnic
Ladies and Gentlemen
Good Morning
Speech by Mr S Iswaran, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Education, at the Ceremony for the Cheque Presentation by Ngee Ann Kongsi to Ngee Ann Polytechnic on Wednesday, 30 September 2009, at 11am, at the Ngee Ann Convention Centre, Ngee Ann Polytechnic
Dr Lim Kee Ming
President, Ngee Ann Kongsi
Mr Tan Hup Foi
Chairman, Ngee Ann Polytechnic Council
Mr Chia Mia Chiang
Principal, Ngee Ann Polytechnic
Ladies and Gentlemen
Good Morning
I am happy to be here today to witness the cheque presentation by Ngee Ann Kongsi to Ngee Ann Polytechnic.
A Supportive Partnership
Over the years, Ngee Ann Kongsi has been a strong supporter of education and has donated generously towards educational pursuits in Singapore, beginning with the establishment of the Ngee Ann Girl’s School in 1940. Ngee Ann Girl’s School has since been renamed Ngee Ann Primary School. Ngee Ann College, the forerunner of Ngee Ann Polytechnic, was started in 1963. Today, the Polytechnic is the beneficiary with the largest individual share of the Kongsi’s financial contributions, and has grown to be a leading institution of higher learning with international recognition.
The partnership between Ngee Ann Polytechnic and Ngee Ann Kongsi is substantive and valuable. Members of the Kongsi sit on the Ngee Ann Polytechnic Council. The Kongsi’s support and involvement have contributed significantly towards the realization of the strategic directions and policies of the polytechnic. In financial terms, with today’s donation of $8.2 million, the Kongsi has given Ngee Ann Polytechnic a total of about $182 million to date. This is an investment by the Kongsi in our students - it will help fund local and overseas student development programmes as well as to promote initiatives for students to engage in innovation and enterprise.
I trust that the ties between Ngee Ann Kongsi and Ngee Ann Polytechnic will continue to deepen and strengthen as future generations of students walk through the portals of Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Today, our students enjoy a wide-variety of enrichment programmes, overseas attachments and academic collaborations with other institutions which have all been made possible with the help of Ngee Ann Kongsi’s contributions. Let me highlight a few.
Nurturing students through a variety of programmes
In the past year, more than 3,900 students participated in various overseas programmes. These include overseas internships, immersion trips, study visits and community service projects in countries like Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Germany, Japan and the Philippines. These programmes serve as excellent platforms for students to broaden their minds and acquire new skills.
One initiative made possible by the Kongsi’s generosity, is the China Immersion Programme for the students in the Chinese Studies and Chinese Media & Communication diploma courses. Through the immersion programme, these students are able to acquire a rich understanding of Chinese culture and its heritage, as well as work on collaborative projects with the staff and students of Zhejiang University City College and Huazhong Normal University. I am sure this unique immersion experience has been as valuable as their formal classroom collaborations and exchange of ideas with their more mature Chinese counterparts.
I am also heartened to know that the Kongsi’s contributions have been used to cultivate student volunteers through both local and overseas community service projects. One example is “Project Auction Love”. Through this project, 357 student volunteers from Ngee Ann Polytechnic and two secondary schools collaborated with Make-A-Wish Foundation to raise about $10,000 for children with life-threatening illnesses. Seed money from the Kongsi’s donation was used to make items such as customised post-it notes and toys that were auctioned for charity.
Conclusion
The strong support of community organizations such as the Kongsi has created many new possibilities for students to develop as responsible citizens and enterprising professionals. For this I commend and applaud the Kongsi for setting an inspiring example through its continued commitment to educating young Singaporeans over the years.
To the members of Ngee Ann Kongsi, I wish your organisation continued growth and success which, in turn, will enable the Kongsi to sustain its significant and meaningful contributions to society. I am also confident that, with the strong support of Ngee Ann Kongsi, the management and staff of Ngee Ann Polytechnic will continue to provide students with the well-rounded quality education we have come to expect from the institution.
Thank you.