2013 PSC Scholarships Award Ceremony: Opening Address

Deputy Prime Minister Mr Teo Chee Hean, Minister in charge of the Civil Service, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

1.      Welcome to the 2013 PSC Scholarships Award Ceremony. I would like to congratulate the 92 PSC scholarship recipients this year, who have been selected from a pool of over 2,200 applicants.

Beyond academic excellence

2.      You were not chosen merely because you were book or exam smart. This is because academic results alone do not make a candidate suitable for the Public Service. Our experience in the Public Service shows very clearly that not all candidates who do well academically will make good Public Officers. Conversely, a person who fails to score straight ‘A’s can still be an excellent Public Officer.

3.      You were chosen because you possessed qualities beyond academic ability, that the PSC believes will make you a good fit for the Public Service. These include leadership, commitment, integrity, empathy, people skills and a strong desire to help others. I am pleased that you have chosen to take up the PSC scholarship, and realise that in doing so, you are committed to a career to serve Singapore and its citizens.  I would also like to express my appreciation to your families, principals and teachers who have nurtured and supported you along the way. A true measure of meritocracy is when the people who succeed realise how much help they got from the people around them.

Breadth in scholarship recipient pool

4.      This year, 26 PSC scholarships are being awarded for science, mathematics and engineering courses – the highest since 2009. This is heartening, because we believe it is important to have officers with a broad range of training and knowledge in the Public Service.  In addition, there will be many complex challenges on the horizon in many different fields of work within the public sector that could benefit from specialised training. In planning for our future transport and housing systems as well as regulating complex industries such as our energy market, it would help if our future public sector leaders are at least familiar or feel comfortable with these subjects when they help formulate government policies. 

5.      I am also happy to note the diverse educational backgrounds of this year’s scholarship recipients. They include students from 3 different Polytechnics as well as 2 students from the School of the Art (SOTA)’s pioneer cohort. The PSC continues to be on the lookout for good candidates from all schools and backgrounds.  

6.      Incidentally, one of the scholarship recipients from SOTA, Miss Ruby Gayle Thiagarajan, will also be the first scholarship recipient in 7 years to be heading to France to pursue her undergraduate studies. I congratulate Ruby for choosing the path less travelled. I am confident that she will discover many enriching experiences that she can bring back to Singapore when she returns to start work in the public service. 

7.      I would also like to congratulate the 3 PSC Masters scholarship recipients today – Mr Jeevaraj Suppiah, who will be pursuing a Master of Public Policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University later this year; Ms Xie Jiayin, who had started work at MOF before her course commences in 2014; and Mr Tham Zhi Kang Jansen, who recently graduated with a first class honours in Chemical Engineering at NUS.

8.      PSC offers the Mid-term and Masters scholarships because it recognises that not all 18-year-olds may be able to commit themselves to a specific career. We do not want anyone, no matter how talented, to rush into taking up PSC scholarships without fully realising what it means to be a public servant.  Those who were unsure at 18 will still have a chance to take up a Masters scholarship after they have finished their undergraduate studies.

High quality education in local universities

9.      Many candidates at PSC interviews express a desire to study overseas.  They explain that studying abroad would broaden their perspectives and allow them to discuss issues and interact with students of other nationalities. Some also cite the unique qualities and experiences found in world-renowned overseas universities. These reasons are valid, but our students may not realize how much the local higher educational scene has changed and that what they are seeking overseas can in fact be found locally.

10.    PSC scholarship recipients who pursue their undergraduate degree locally now have the opportunity to pursue a Master’s degree in any country of their choice. For example, 2008 recipient Miss Genim Tan Siu Xian, will complete her Master’s degree in Global Health Science at the University of Oxford this year. She had earlier graduated from the National University of Singapore (NUS). Another 2008 recipient Mr Kang Ping Song Marvin, also an NUS graduate, is currently pursuing a Masters in Public Policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

11.    The features of an overseas education can also be increasingly found in our local institutions. Our local universities have been raising their global profile and offering a more cosmopolitan experience. Based on the latest US News and World Report, NUS was ranked #25, consolidating its position as a premier institution in the world. NTU also moved up to #47. As the global draw of local universities increases, the opportunities for local undergraduates to interact with peers of different nationalities will increase. Taken together, the initiatives and offerings by local universities have helped enhance the attractiveness and uniqueness of a local education.

12.    Local universities also offer student exchange programmes which allow local undergraduates to experience life abroad. In some cases, they have even partnered with overseas institutions to create new institutions and programmes. Among the 15 PSC scholarship recipients who have chosen to pursue their undergraduate studies locally this year, we have our first scholarship recipients heading to the recently established Yale-NUS College. Miss Leong Wei Shan Clarissa and Miss Priscilla Tay Si Min will be part of the pioneer cohort at the Yale-NUS College to read Economics and Liberal Arts respectively.

13.    Another recently-established institution is the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). Mr Leong Hei Kern will be pursing Engineering in SUTD in 2015 after he completes his National Service. He will have the chance to be part of a unique collaboration between SUTD and MIT.

Conclusion

14.    Regardless of where you will be pursuing your studies, I look forward to seeing you back in a few years. I am sure you will contribute to the Public Service in many ways. Until then, seek every opportunity to better yourself both as a person and as a future Public Officer. Keep your mind open to new ideas and experiences. Get out of your comfort zone whenever you can. Make new friends and sustain the friendships you make, and always remember that there are many lessons in life you can learn outside the classroom.

15.    Once again, my heartiest congratulations. Thank you.