Keynote Address by Deputy Prime Minister Mr Teo Chee Hean at the 2011 PSC Scholarships Award Ceremony on 23 July 2011

Mr Eddie Teo, Chairman, Public Service Commission

Members of the PSC

Distinguished guests, principals, parents, teachers, scholarship recipients

Ladies and gentlemen

1         It is my pleasure to join you today at the 2011 PSC Scholarships Award Ceremony. Let me congratulate the 72 of you who will be receiving your awards today. You will be joining the ranks of more than 7,000 individuals who have received PSC scholarships since they were first awarded in 1961.

2         Let me also acknowledge the efforts of the parents, principals and teachers in nurturing all our scholarship recipients. This is a proud day for all of you.

Marking PSC’s 60th Anniversary

3         This year is of special significance as the PSC celebrates its 60th anniversary. The PSC was set up in 1951 as a neutral and independent body to oversee the recruitment, promotion and discipline of civil servants in the colonial days. Singapore’s self-government in 1959 saw an exodus of British expatriate officers, leaving the Civil Service with the problem of finding qualified local officers to fill the vacancies.

4         The newly installed government recognized the importance of building up a talent pool within the Civil Service and turned to the PSC to help select government scholarship holders. Many young and talented individuals answered the call to serve and went on to make important contributions to Singapore’s nation-building.

5         Today, the PSC scholarship remains the country’s most prestigious scholarship, awarded with the aim of bringing into the Public Service each year the most committed and able young Singaporeans to serve the nation.

Making Changes for the Better

6         Over the years, the PSC scholarship system has evolved to meet the needs of the day. There are many changes that the PSC has made but let me just highlight a few.

7         In 2002, PSC decided to focus on top-tier scholarships which bring in officers who have the potential to take on the most critical leadership positions across the Public Service. Scholarships which fulfil the specific needs of each Ministry were henceforth awarded by each of the Ministries themselves. This was an important move with win-win outcomes. The Ministries knew their own needs better and what sort of people they would require for the various sectors under their charge. Applicants who want to pursue a specialist track can benefit from closer affiliation with these agencies right from the start. The PSC also benefited as it could then dedicate more time and energy to selecting and developing young people for key leadership roles across the Public Service. At the same time, the PSC could still call on officers who are in Ministry-specific schemes who subsequently demonstrate the aptitude and interest for leadership positions across the wider Public Service.

Looking Beyond Grades

8         Over the years, the Commission has also looked beyond academic excellence. Some of you may be surprised to hear this but not all PSC scholarship holders are straight A holders. This is because the Commission recognises that grades alone are seldom the decisive differentiator when selecting from an applicant pool where excellent academic scores are so common. I am glad to note that Commission Members consider every single applicant carefully, looking for qualities beyond academic grades that are important for future public service leaders. All candidates are assessed on whole-person qualities, with emphasis placed on character, integrity and commitment. I congratulate and thank the Commission Members for their dedication, commitment and rigour in assessing all candidates thoroughly.

Withstanding the Test of Time

9         As you can see, the PSC has evolved significantly, but one important element has not changed in all these 60 years - at its core, the PSC has continued steadfastly to uphold the principles of integrity, impartiality and meritocracy for the Singapore Public Service. These PSC values have withstood the test of time and helped in no small measure to give Singapore the excellent and well-led Public Service that we have.

10         The PSC will have to continue to evolve to meet the needs and the demands of a new globalised economy. It will have to support the Public Service in meeting its 3 main challenges - the competition for able people, the need to build new capabilities and the need to better engage the public.

Competition for Able People

11         Today, bright young students have many more choices. There is a multitude of career options available. There are also many study options, including a wide variety of local and overseas scholarships and financial assistance schemes, some bond-free. Many more parents can also afford to see their children through university not just in Singapore, but also overseas. Against the increased competition for able people, the PSC has to make sure that sufficient numbers of the best of each cohort are inducted into the Public Service through its scholarships.

Need to Build New Capabilities

12         With changing demands from a more sophisticated and discerning population, and more complex challenges and opportunities facing Singapore, the Public Service needs new skills and capabilities to help formulate policies that can meet the needs of the new local and global environment. We have to anticipate these needs and start building these new and diverse skill sets and capabilities early. PSC scholarship holders are therefore encouraged to diversify their educational experience. Over the years, more PSC scholarship holders have chosen to go to non-English speaking countries. In 2009, PSC started awarding the PSC China Scholarship as part of the Public Service-wide effort to develop a pool of officers with a deep understanding of China. I am happy to note that there are three of you today who are heading to China for your studies. This allows you to have a much deeper understanding of the culture, operating environment, language and mindset of the young and able people in China, a country which we will have many more interactions with in future.

13         Many others have also gone for overseas stints to places such as the Middle East, Europe, and even Africa and South America to broaden their international exposure. Increasing numbers of our scholarship holders are also choosing to pursue their Masters in countries beyond the traditional ones such as the UK or US. These varied experiences help to broaden the outlook of the individual. They also allow for networking with a wider pool of friends from across the world. And they also benefit the Public Service by adding diversity to its perspectives, understanding of the world, and ultimately its problem-solving and policy making capability.

Need to Engage the Public

14         These enhanced educational experiences will place you on a good footing when you return to serve in the Public Service. The issues confronting the Public Service are getting more complex by the day, and the government recognises that it does not have a monopoly of good ideas and solutions. We will need to work with Singaporeans and other stakeholders in co-creating, co-designing and co-implementing public policy solutions, while taking into account a broader range of views.

15         This means that our public officers will need to understand and appreciate views and ideas from diverse groups of stakeholders, and learn how to synthesize these ideas and viewpoints and manage the conflicts between them when formulating and implementing policies. It also means that for those of you here who will be serving Singapore upon completion of your studies, it is no longer enough to just rely on your book knowledge to do well in your career. What is more important is the tacit knowledge and people skills that you acquire through your experiences and interactions with people.

16         For example, a student who has volunteered to serve the underprivileged or in the community would develop empathy and stronger engagement skills. With such experiences, you will be able to better engage the public and understand how to work with stakeholders with different backgrounds and objectives, how to work as part of a team, what motivates people and how to draw out the best from them. These are soft skills that will help you when you start work. In the Public Service, you must be able to engage, inspire and motivate others to work alongside you.

Conclusion

17         You will soon embark on your tertiary education, in Singapore and abroad, in some of the best universities in the world. You will learn many precious lessons that will be helpful to you when you become a public officer. Most important of all, stay humble because there is so much about life, work, people and the world that you do not yet know. Learning is a journey without end and that there will always be something you can learn from someone else.

18         Always remember why you have taken up this Public Service Commission Scholarship – to serve Singapore and Singaporeans. More than any personal accolades or awards you will receive, deriving satisfaction from seeing your fellow Singaporeans do better in life, is the ultimate satisfaction you will get from being in the Public Service.

19         While your counterparts in the private sector may work to improve the quarterly bottom line of the companies they work for, your bottom line is the long-term good of Singapore and a better life for your fellow Singaporeans. These are the values and the traditions of the PSC scholarship holders who have come before you over the past 50 years who have dedicated their lives and careers to this noble and high calling.

20         It leaves me now to wish all our scholarship holders the best as you start on a new phase in life. And when you complete your studies and start work in the Public Service, we look forward to your ideas and contributions to help take our nation and our people into a better and brighter future.

21         Thank you.