Schools should instil spirit of service: PM Lee
SINGAPORE — All schools should instil the “spirit of service” in students, especially among those who have done well, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said yesterday as he reiterated the importance of Special Assistance Plan (SAP) schools and called on them to ensure their students are well-integrated into society.
SINGAPORE — All schools should instil the “spirit of service” in students, especially among those who have done well, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said yesterday as he reiterated the importance of Special Assistance Plan (SAP) schools and called on them to ensure their students are well-integrated into society.
Speaking at the 80th anniversary celebration of CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School, Mr Lee described Singapore society as one that cheers those who succeed and does not try to cut them down.
He added: “You may have succeeded through talent and hard work. But remember it is also because you have been lucky enough to live in Singapore, to be born here and to be in this good school system, where you get rewarded for your abilities and develop to your full potential. That’s what we try to do when we talked about meritocracy.”
On the role of SAP schools such as St Nicholas Girls’, Mr Lee noted that they “maintain the values and strengths of the old Chinese schools, adapted to a new society and new age”. They also enable students to develop a deeper appreciation of their cultural heritage and inculcate “deep and firmly held” values and virtues, he said.
SAP schools “produce students who can seize opportunities in a rapidly growing China and create new ones for Singaporeans back home”, he added. “At the same time, SAP schools have to produce students who are well-integrated into Singapore’s multi-racial and multi-religious society.”
The lack of opportunities for students at these schools to mingle with those of other races has been raised on several occasions previously, most recently during a forum in September when former Nominated Member of Parliament Viswa Sadasivan cited feedback from students of SAP schools.
Noting that they have a smaller proportion of non-Chinese students, Mr Lee said efforts must be made for students to participate in activities beyond the school setting.
“(SAP schools) should be rightly proud of your Chinese heritage,” said Mr Lee, addressing about 3,000 people, including students, educators and parents. “But at the same time, you (have) got to understand that we live in a multi-racial and multi-religious community, and we got to understand (that) to relate to and interact comfortably with Singaporeans of other races and ethnic groups.”
“If we do it well, it gives us a unique strength — a deep understanding of one’s own culture, within a multi-cultural context — which will enable you to continue maintaining harmony in Singapore and also thrive in a globalised world.”
St Nicholas Girls’ Principal Tan Wai Lan said about 3 per cent of her students are non-Chinese. “While we may be homogeneous in terms of the different races … (students) have learned to be very respectful of different individuals (and) to me that is the most important,” she added.
The school’s 3,000-strong student population can opt to learn conversational Malay. They also take part in community projects, where they have the chance to meet pupils from other backgrounds.
The scheme was started in 1980 when the Education Ministry designated nine Chinese-medium secondary schools as SAP schools. There are currently 11 SAP schools.