Addresss by Professor Lee Sing Kong, Director - National Institute of ...
Addresss by Professor Lee Sing Kong, Director - National Institute of ...
Addresss by Professor Lee Sing Kong, Director - National Institute of ...
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SPEECH BY PROFESSOR LEE SING KONG, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL<br />
INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION, AT THE LEADERS IN EDUCATION<br />
PROGRAMME GRADUATION DINNER 2009 ON FRIDAY, 16 OCTOBER<br />
2009, 7.30PM AT THE REGENT SINGAPORE HOTEL<br />
Dr Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Education and Second Minister for Defence<br />
Mrs Tan Ching Yee, Chairperson, NIE Council and Permanent Secretary,<br />
MOE<br />
Ms Yeoh Chee Yan, Second Permanent Secretary, MOE<br />
Ms Ho Peng, <strong>Director</strong>-General <strong>of</strong> Education, MOE<br />
Members <strong>of</strong> NIE Council,<br />
<strong>Director</strong>s,<br />
Colleagues,<br />
Ladies and Gentlemen<br />
Introduction<br />
1. Good evening. I <strong>of</strong>fer my heartiest congratulations to the class <strong>of</strong> LEP<br />
2009 for successfully completing the Leaders in Education Programme.<br />
2. Once in a while, it is good to read blogs on the internet because they<br />
give us perspectives that we would otherwise miss in our daily lives. Recently,<br />
I chanced upon Yasmin Ahmad’s blog. She was a critically-acclaimed, multi<br />
award-winning writer, scriptwriter and film director from Malaysia. Her works<br />
have won many awards both within Malaysia and internationally. Sadly, she<br />
passed away in July this year because <strong>of</strong> an aneurism.<br />
Quick on the uptake<br />
3. In her blog she basically praised <strong>Sing</strong>aporeans for being ‘quick on the<br />
uptake’ – these were her words. She used the example <strong>of</strong> how <strong>Sing</strong>apore<br />
recognised the artistic merit <strong>of</strong> the film “Rabun” which was produced in<br />
Malaysia, and accepted it for the <strong>Sing</strong>apore International Film Festival. The<br />
film then went on to be screened at international film festivals in Italy, France,<br />
Greece, Taiwan and Japan.<br />
4. She also cited another film, “Sepet” that was picked for theatrical<br />
release here in <strong>Sing</strong>apore, without cuts; and which played for six weeks. From<br />
here, the film went on to win the Grand Prix du Jury Prize in Paris, and the<br />
Best Asian Film Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival.<br />
5. Yasmin Ahmad used these examples to demonstrate how <strong>Sing</strong>apore<br />
was quick to recognise potential, in providing the opportunity and platform to<br />
showcase these films. She also alluded to our respect for intellectual property<br />
rights in not pirating DVDs.She used the phrase ‘quick on the uptake’ which<br />
means ‘quick to understand and quick to learn.’ The opposite <strong>of</strong> being quick<br />
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on the uptake is <strong>of</strong> course ‘to be slow to comprehend.’ I am glad that she<br />
described <strong>Sing</strong>aporeans as quick on the uptake.<br />
Leadership Implications: Doing things differently<br />
6. You are probably wondering what all this has to do with leadership. It<br />
certainly has bearing. It means that the school system in <strong>Sing</strong>apore has done<br />
something right over the years to produce people who are quick to understand<br />
and quick to learn. In many respects, the fact that <strong>Sing</strong>apore has no natural<br />
resources has forced us to focus on developing our human capital. Hence,<br />
MOE’s vision <strong>of</strong> education as ‘Moulding the Future <strong>of</strong> the Nation’ is so aptly<br />
phrased.<br />
7. You have gone through an intensive LEP programme and acquired<br />
new knowledge and skills for leading and managing schools. I urge you to put<br />
these to good use now! Do things differently so as to achieve greater impact<br />
without necessarily doing more. Be quick on the uptake, be innovative in your<br />
thinking and be courageous in meeting the challenges ahead.<br />
8. As you return to school or wherever you are posted, don’t tackle old<br />
problems the old way, because it might just be the old ways that have created<br />
the problem. Instead, be innovative and be quick on the uptake and apply new<br />
ways <strong>of</strong> thinking in educating our children for the 21 st century.<br />
Giving Back<br />
9. Finally, I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge your<br />
contributions to NIE and the community. As in past years, your learning<br />
journey has not been confined to only receiving knowledge. As a class, you<br />
have continued the tradition <strong>of</strong> giving back to society. This year, you have<br />
made a wonderful gesture <strong>of</strong> planting a tree in NIE as a living legacy <strong>of</strong> your<br />
learning journey. Indeed, the tembusu tree that you have chosen to plant is<br />
extremely apt.<br />
10. As I have shared with the class, the scientific name for tembusu is<br />
Fagraea fragrans. The tembusu is a majestic tree that bears clusters <strong>of</strong> yellow<br />
flowers, which when in blossom, produce a wonderful and distinct scent –<br />
hence the name “fragrans” which literally means fragrance. As leaders, we<br />
should all aspire to towards a leadership <strong>of</strong> “fragrance”; to leave a legacy <strong>of</strong><br />
leadership that permeates the organisation – through our care, inspiration, in<br />
taking a stand on justice, integrity, in championing for the needy, and the<br />
weak, and in providing opportunities for people to excel. May we indeed strive<br />
to be this kind <strong>of</strong> leader.<br />
11. I am also exceedingly glad that as a class, you have come together to<br />
give back to society. This year, I am happy to announce that you have<br />
collected $10,000 for the <strong>Sing</strong>apore Children’s Society. Indeed, it is not just<br />
the gesture <strong>of</strong> giving financially, but it is also a demonstration <strong>of</strong> you<br />
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generosity and thoughtfulness, in giving to the needy and providing learning<br />
opportunities for the children. Once again, well done.<br />
Conclusion<br />
12. Once again, my congratulations to all <strong>of</strong> you for successfully<br />
completing the Leaders in Education Programme.<br />
Thank you.<br />
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