Mr Andrew Fong, CLASS CEO;
CLASS Board of Directors;
Distinguished Guests, Award Recipients and Family Members;
Ladies & Gentlemen.
1. A very good morning. I am delighted to join you as we celebrate and recognise the outstanding achievements of our award recipients today. We have gathered here for a special reason – to recognise and support exceptional students who have displayed unwavering dedication to their academic pursuits. As someone deeply committed to the cause of education and empowering the next generation and I really think this is one of the key roles of us adults, my heartiest congratulations to all of you on receiving the CLASS Bursary Award, which is testament to your hard work and dedication. We, your parents and teachers are all extremely proud of you. Can we give them a big round of applause, please?
2. 2023 marks the 13th year of the CLASS Bursary Awards. Since 2010, CLASS has awarded a total of $1m worth of bursaries that have benefitted approximately 500 Singaporean students from local polytechnics and universities. I would like to extend my deepest appreciation to CLASS CEO, Mr Andrew Fong, as well as the CLASS Board of Directors for setting up this meaningful scheme to motivate our students to excel in their academic pursuits.
3. This spirit of empowerment lies at the core of our education. Within the classroom, we instil in our students both the abilities and the mindset to embrace the delight of acquiring knowledge. This, in turn, encourages students to diligently pursue their passions, ultimately fostering a community of lifelong learners who contribute positively to society. Similarly, initiatives like the CLASS Bursary Awards are enablers which help our students overcome life's multitude of challenges. These extra sets of helping hands show us that in Singapore, if you dare to dream and put your best foot forward, the community will support you in all your efforts.
4. This is Forward Singapore in action, where everyone has the opportunity to excel and contribute their best to society, regardless of their starting station in life. In June 2022, we launched the Forward SG exercise, engaging Singaporeans from all walks of life on our shared values and aspirations as a people for the road ahead. Together with Singaporeans, we have identified empowering those in need as a core value in our new way forward. As the Government continues to do more to support disadvantaged and vulnerable groups, we invite more collective action and resources from all stakeholders, such as businesses, community groups, families and individuals, to uplift those around us regardless of starting points.
5. I am sure that we are all familiar with the saying, "Knowledge is power". But I would like to refresh this adage and suggest today that "knowledge is empower", which means that the purpose of knowledge is to empower the people around us. I'm happy to see that CLASS plays such a role in shaping the education sector in Singapore through its efforts to help book publishers and authors protect their published works. By safeguarding intellectual property, copyright ensures that authors continue to create high-quality, engaging learning resources to help stretch our students' imagination and strengthen the foundations of their learning.
6. CLASS is not only protecting intellectual property but also investing in the intellectual capital of our nation. This bursary award is a commendable initiative that also opens the doors of opportunity to aspiring individuals who may otherwise face financial constraints. As we support the next generation of talent, we are sowing the seeds of progress, innovation, and prosperity. CLASS's commitment to this cause is a testament to the kind of forward-thinking and compassionate society that we are striving to build – a Singapore where no one is left behind, a Singapore where all can contribute to our shared success.
7. This brings me to our award recipients today, all of whom have shown exemplary grit by overcoming the challenges that stood in their way over the past year. I would like to highlight the stories of two award recipients, both of whom share the commendable ethos of empowering others.
8. Shu Ching is a Year 1 student pursuing a Diploma in Hotel & Leisure Facilities Management at Ngee Ann Polytechnic. In secondary school, she persevered in the face of personal setbacks and completed her GCE N(T)-Level examination before enrolling in ITE College West for a Nitec in Hospitality Operations. Two years later, Shu Ching graduated as one of ITE's top graduates in her course and decided to continue her studies at Ngee Ann Polytechnic.
9. Earlier this year, Shu Ching's family faced financial difficulties as her family's main breadwinner was hospitalised and unable to return to work for a year. As a result, Shu Ching had to take up part-time jobs in her free time to help provide for her family. With the help of the CLASS Bursary Award in ameliorating the family's financial situation, Shu Ching can now focus fully on her diploma and no longer needs to juggle work with studies. I am heartened to hear that just as the CLASS Bursary Award has given her a leg up, Shu Ching intends to pay it forward in the future by sharing her blessings with those in need.
10. Another award recipient is Ian, a student currently enrolled in the Singapore Institute of Technology. In his previous academic endeavours, balancing part-time work with his studies was no mean feat and unfortunately had a detrimental impact on his results. By lightening his financial obligations, the CLASS Bursary Award empowers him to concentrate on his studies and continue striving for excellence. Ian is currently working on a project that seeks to analyse and optimise different aspects of road construction in Singapore. By leveraging familiar tools in the industry, his project aims to improve both efficiency and accuracy in road construction, which would benefit all of us here. So Ian, I look forward to your solutions and hearing more good things about your project.
11. These are just two of the 40 students who join the pay-it-forward tradition amongst successive batches of CLASS Bursary Award recipients, many of whom are actively involved in the community or volunteer with their alma maters.
12. To our students gathered today, I encourage all of you to keep up this positive culture of giving back and empowering others. You are already an inspiration and I am sure that many others will follow your path. You have benefited from the efforts of your families, teachers and mentors, all of whom have played a part in moulding you into the upstanding individuals that you are today. As you make your way in life, I urge you to be that pillar of support for others in the community, and to carry on this ripple effect of empowering others to be the best that they can be. I wish you the best in your studies, and look forward to hearing about your contributions and achievements in the future.
13. Once again, congratulations to our bursary award recipients, and thank you for joining us in this celebration of education and empowerment. Thank you CLASS and the Board of Directors for this wonderful opportunity. Thank you.