Mr Lim Boon Heng,
Brother Dominic Yeo-Koh,
Mr Mark Tay,
Principals Mr Victor Tan and Mrs Rachel Lee;
Ladies and Gentlemen.
1. A very good evening. I am delighted to join you tonight as we celebrate Montfort Schools' 110th Anniversary.
Montfort Schools' Rich History
2. You have come a long way since the school started in 1916, and you have very much to be proud of.
3. In those early days, the surrounding community was made up largely of farmers and fishermen. Many families did not yet see the value of education. But your founders persisted. They went from house to house — persuading parents, one family at a time — to give their sons that chance. And they succeeded.
4. More than a century on, that same conviction still drives Montfort. The school has grown and evolved. But your mission to nurture your students to realise their potential, and inspire each child to be a Man for Others, has not wavered.
Education in a Changing World
5. This mission matters even more today. Our students are growing up in a fast-changing world. The international order is in great flux, climate change's effects are more acute, and technology is transforming how we live, learn and work. In particular, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping society, the workplace and the classroom in ways that might have seemed unimaginable just a decade ago.
6. So around the world, an important question is being asked: if machines can now do so much that previously only humans can do, then what is education for?
7. To answer that question, we must go back to the fundamental purpose of education. Education has never been about passing on knowledge alone, or preparing students for a particular job. It is about helping every student, every child, discover who they are, what they care about, and how they can contribute to something larger than themselves. This purpose remains deeply relevant in a world enabled and disrupted by technology.
Montfort's Philosophy
8. At Montfort, you have always understood this. For 110 years, you have invested in qualities of deep importance, even when they are not easily measured — character, values, resilience, and responsibility towards others.
9. We see this in how the school approaches learning. Through the Makers Programme, team projects, performances, competitions and community service, Montfort students learn to create, collaborate, persevere, show up, and be there for others. These experiences shape both character and capability.
10. Montfort's strong sporting tradition is yet another expression of this. This year, I'm told that Montfort Junior School's badminton team demonstrated what dedication, teamwork and perseverance can achieve when they emerged as National School Games champions. So congratulations to Montfort Junior!
11. But what makes sporting achievements meaningful goes far beyond medals and trophies. What stays with students is discipline, perseverance, teamwork — and the ability to win with humility, and lose with dignity.
12. This commitment to holistically develop every Montfortian extends to all your students – from different backgrounds, with different abilities, aspirations and life experiences.
13. Not every child learns in the same way, or develops at the same pace, but every child deserves the chance to succeed, and to fulfil his or her potential.
14. Earlier this evening, I read about the story, but I had the privilege to meet this young man, Mr Brendan Lim, and his parents. Brendan graduated from Montfort Secondary School last year and is now studying Applied Chemistry in Singapore Polytechnic.
15. But Brendan's journey was far from easy. He faced personal challenges that led him to pause his studies for a time. And when he returned, he had to attend classes with students who were two years younger than him. That could not have been easy at all.
16. But this young man, Brendan, your fellow Montfortian, did not give up. With schoolmates and teachers who believed in him, he caught up, he excelled in his O-Levels, achieving six distinctions, and was named the school's Scholar of the Year. So well done, Brendan!
17. Brendan's story, friends, is not just about academic success. It is about courage. And it is about a school that gave him the support to keep going, and a school that never gave up on him. That is the Montfort way — shaping character, instilling values, nurturing responsibility towards others, and never giving up on any child.
Enduring Values
18. Over the decades, generations of Montfortians have carried these values beyond the school gates — serving and contributing to Singapore in so many ways — as leaders in the public and private sectors, in political service, in the Church, in community organisations, in the uniformed services, and in quiet acts of service across society.
19. As you mark 110 years, you are not just looking back on a proud legacy, but looking forward with confidence. From 2028, Montfort Junior will become co-educational — evolving to serve more students, more children, while staying true to your founding mission.
20. Yes, some things will change. But the values that define you, that define Montfort, will endure — carried by your teachers, alumni, students, and all who keep the school's spirit alive.
Closing
21. You have journeyed alongside Singapore for over a century, nurturing students, strengthening communities, and shaping lives in ways both seen and unseen. This has been possible because of many people, like the teachers and staff who show up every day to serve; alumni who give back; partners and supporters who have walked with the school through the years. And we thank you.
22. To the students and alumni here tonight: you are part of something that has stood the test of time. The values you have learnt— courage, compassion, service and resilience — will matter more, not less, as the world changes. So hold on to them and live them out.
23. Tonight's theme says it well — a Proud Legacy, and a Bold Future. I have every confidence that Montfort will honour that legacy, and embrace that future — by continuing to nurture every student to realise their potential and go forth as a Man for Others. So happy 110th Anniversary, Montfort Schools!
24. Thank you, and good evening.