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OPENING ADDRESS BY MR EDDIE TEO, CHAIRMAN, PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION AT THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION SCHOLARSHIPS AWARD CEREMONY ON 18 JULY 2018 AT GRAND COPTHORNE WATERFRONT HOTEL GRAND BALLROOM  

Mr Chan Chun Sing, Minister for Trade and Industry, and

Minister-in-charge of the Public Service,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. Welcome to the 2018 PSC Scholarships Award Ceremony.

2. My warmest congratulations to the 93 PSC scholarship recipients this year. You were selected
because you demonstrated the commitment to serve Singapore and Singaporeans with integrity, empathy and excellence, and we think you have the potential to become public sector leaders.

3. There are high expectations placed on all scholarship holders. The Public Service, your teachers, your family, and the people of Singapore all expect you to do your best and prepare yourselves to serve the nation with distinction. While they join you in celebrating your achievements thus far, it is imperative that you have the humility to appreciate that your success is due not only to your own effort, but also to the support and guidance your family, teachers, principals and peers have given you on your journey so far.

A TALENT PIPELINE THAT SERVES SINGAPORE’S FUTURE NEEDS

4. All the scholarship recipients here today form a part of the future corps of public officers, who will help shape Singapore’s future and lead us forward. For Singapore to continue to prosper and progress, we need a good spread of talent, with the necessary knowledge, skills and capabilities to tackle our increasingly complex national challenges and keep Singapore exceptional. The PSC’s responsibility is to recruit the right talent with leadership potential to help Singapore achieve its goals. We do so by maintaining high standards in our selection process which is based on merit.

DIVERSITY

5. To remain relevant and effective, the Public Service must challenge old assumptions, and be open to experimenting with novel ways of tackling difficult problems and delivering services to the people. We need a Service that is able to connect with Singaporeans from all walks of life, and a Service with different points of view to tackle complex issues. This underscores the importance of having diversity in our leadership talent pool.

6. We have always kept this in mind each year, as we searched for candidates to award the PSC scholarships. PSC scholarships are awarded on merit regardless of candidates’ backgrounds. Through a multi-dimensional selection process that focuses on whole person qualities, we evaluate and identify individuals who exemplify the potential to take on leadership roles in future in the Public Service. Besides attaining diversity by recruiting students with different backgrounds, we also expose our scholarship holders to different cultures and experiences.

7. I am pleased to announce that this year, we have 4 scholarship recipients who have chosen non-traditional countries for their studies. I am sure they will bring home different experiences, networks and perspectives which will enrich the Service. Mr Foo Suon Chuang and Mr Jonathan Koh Jian Yi will be heading to Peking (北大) University in China, while Mr Teo Kai Jin and Ms Nicole Wong Yifei will be studying in Germany. We hope that as they take these less trodden paths, they will enrich and add to the diversity of views when they return to serve.

8. Diversity of background remains important. This year, the PSC awarded scholarships to 7 students from non-IP institutions, including ACJC, PJC, SAJC, and the Singapore Polytechnic. In addition, some of our scholarship recipients come from challenging family and personal circumstances. That they have done so well shows their resilience and determination - qualities that are as vital as high intellect and academic excellence.

DIGITAL AND ENGINEERING CAPABILITIES

9. PSC is helping Singapore become a Smart Nation, through recruiting talent to build digital and engineering capabilities in the Public Service.

10. This year, the PSC is pleased to have given out a total of 22 awards under the PSC Scholarship (Engineering) scheme. This is a threefold increase from last year, when we first introduced the scholarship. I believe this group of future Engineers will have challenging and interesting work in store for them, when they return to serve in the Public Service. They are passionate about engineering and technology, and they are keen to practise as Engineers. They are ready to roll up their sleeves, be part of the team re-thinking how to improve the lives of citizens and tackle our urban challenges with the help of technology.

CONCLUSION : ROLES AS SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

11. This is my last month as Chairman of the Public Service Commission. It has been a memorable and
rewarding experience serving in this capacity over the past 10 years. One of the joys of this job is that I get to glimpse into the future of Singapore by listening to the views of our best and brightest students. I learn how they feel about themselves and their fellow citizens, how they regard Singapore today and in the future, what they think needs fixing and has to change, and what role they hope to play in making these changes. I come away hopeful and optimistic because many of our best future public sector leaders show the courage to express their own views, even if they contradict current thinking and existing policies. For we can only improve if our public servants do not blindly follow orders but also question and challenge assumptions, in order to seek the best possible solutions to our problems. When public servants see that a decision or policy is wrong, they must be prepared to speak truth to power. In discharging their duties, they must act impartially, without fear or favour.

12. To the 93 recipients, I would like to remind them that this is not just the start of your scholarship award. It is also the beginning of your career in the Singapore Public Service.

13. Start by thinking about what skills, experience and traits you need to acquire to be an effective officer in the Public Service. Do not limit your learning to just where you study. Go beyond the classrooms, lecture halls and campuses. Be inquisitive and explore. Travel widely and as you explore, stay in touch with developments back home and remain tuned into the needs of Singapore and Singaporeans. I am confident that you will live up to the trust placed in you, and that you will do your part to contribute when you return.

14. Finally, I want to say a special “thank you” to my fellow PSC members, who have given so much of their time to help me make better and more rounded decisions in selecting, promoting and disciplining public servants. A word of thanks also to the PSC Secretariat - people who work tirelessly behind the scenes, often forgotten and under-appreciated.

15. Thank you.

Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and Mrs Teo

Minister for Education (Schools) Ng Chee Meng

Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung and Mrs Ong

Chairman and Members of the Public Service Commission

Distinguished guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good evening.

Every year, the President’s Scholarship is awarded to outstanding young men and women who have the passion to serve our nation through a career in the Public Service.

Talent for the Public Service

Awarding scholarships is one important avenue for the Singapore government to build up a talent pool of future leaders to ensure our nation’s continued survival and success. Recipients of the President’s Scholarship represent the best in their cohort, distinguished by their leadership qualities and strong commitment to serving the nation and the people.

In my term as President, I have presented 24 President’s Scholarship awards. Some of the Scholars are still pursuing their studies and others are currently serving in different capacities across the Public Service. All of them share the same commitment to contribute meaningfully to Singapore.

2017 President’s Scholars

This year, I am pleased to award the President’s Scholarship to five outstanding individuals selected by the Public Service Commission. These five young men and women possess not just intellectual capabilities and leadership qualities, but also the passion and values needed to serve Singapore and Singaporeans.

The recipients are:

1. Miss Agatha Sacha Lim Lee;
2. Mr Jasdeep Singh Hundal;
3. Mr Lee Tat Wei;
4. Officer Cadet Lionel Oh Wei Hao; and
5. Miss Wee Jin Ting Cheri

Agatha will pursue her studies in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. Jasdeep will read Social Sciences and History, and Tat Wei will study Liberal Arts. Both of them will join the Foreign Service upon graduation. Lionel will study International Relations and serve in the Singapore Armed Forces after graduation. Cheri will read Psychology and Philosophy.

My heartfelt congratulations to the five of you. I would also like to acknowledge your families, Principals, teachers, and friends for their unwavering support, and their roles in developing your potential and shaping your character and values.

Challenges Ahead

Our world is changing rapidly. Balancing bilateral relationships in a more volatile global environment, sustaining economic growth amid disruptive change, igniting the innovative spirit of our young Singaporeans and safeguarding Singapore’s social fabric are just some of the challenges which we can already see on the horizon.

Singapore’s Place in the World

Our global environment is constantly changing. As a small nation, Singapore has to constantly find our place in a world that does not owe us a living. Our forefathers, through their relentless hard work and determination, have laid a strong foundation for us – a foundation based on meritocracy, integrity and impartiality. Building on this foundation, Singapore has enjoyed remarkable success as an independent nation, going from Third World to First in a single generation.

But we must not become complacent. Instead, we should strive for continuous progress in order to earn our place on the global stage. Singapore’s strength lies in being a trusted partner to our neighbours and other countries, and establishing relationships which are mutually beneficial.

Technological Innovations

Today we are leveraging technology and innovative practices to improve the living standards of our citizens, to create new businesses, and to safeguard our nation’s interests. We are taking steps towards realising our Smart Nation vision, trialling self-driving vehicles, increasing automation of manual processes and boosting our artificial intelligence capabilities.

These technological advancements have to be matched by a skilled workforce that is prepared to improve itself constantly. The deep skills must be complemented by a desire to do more for Singapore and the skills to translate ideas into reality. Singapore’s progress is dependent on both Government and citizens playing their roles and taking ownership of the nation’s success.

Remaining Cohesive and Resilient

A week ago, we celebrated Singapore’s 52nd year of independence as “One Nation Together”. It was a wonderful display of the solidarity of our people. In a globalised world where cross-border mobility allows many Singaporeans to live and work overseas, and as our population continues to grow in numbers and diversity, we must continuously safeguard our social cohesion. We should continue to celebrate the unity among Singaporeans from different backgrounds.

At the same time, we must be mindful of the global realities. The recent spate of attacks reminded us of what harm the scourge of terrorism can cause. We cannot allow external forces or extremist ideologies to jeopardise the harmony in our society, and endanger the peace which we have so carefully built and nurtured over the past 52 years. Against all challenges, it is paramount that we remain rooted to our principles and stand together as one united people.

Conclusion

Agatha, Jasdeep, Tat Wei, Lionel and Cheri – The challenges I have mentioned are just some that you can expect to tackle in the public service ahead of you. To do so, you must lead your peers and make every effort to understand the needs of Singaporeans.

As recipients of the President’s Scholarship, you must inspire others by being role models. As the future generation of the Public Service, Singaporeans trust in your abilities to improve their lives and steer the nation to greater heights. In all that you do, always bear in mind the ethos of the Public Service: Integrity, Service and Excellence.

I am confident that you will do us proud. I wish you all the best in your journey ahead as you start to pursue your studies. I look forward to you serving the nation and all Singaporeans with pride and passion.

Thank you.

ADDRESS BY MR TEO CHEE HEAN, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER, COORDINATING MINISTER FOR NATIONAL SECURITY AND MINISTER IN CHARGE OF THE CIVIL SERVICE AT THE 2017 PSC SCHOLARSHIPS AWARD CEREMONY ON 12 JULY 2017, AT 1700 HRS, GRAND COPTHORNE WATERFRONT HOTEL, SINGAPORE

 

“Building a future-ready Public Service to serve Singapore and Singaporeans”

 

Mr Eddie Teo, Chairman of the Public Service Commission,

Members of the PSC,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

          Good evening to all of you. I am happy to join you at the 2017 Public Service Commission Scholarships Award Ceremony.  First of all, congratulations to all our 71 scholarship recipients this year. I would also like to thank the families, principals, and teachers who have put in much effort to nurture, guide and support our scholarship recipients.

          Please join me in also giving our scholarship recipients, their parents, families, principals, and teachers another round of applause.

New Challenges in the New Global Environment

           We face many uncertainties in today’s global environment and Singapore faces many new challenges. Many drivers that have brought global growth and prosperity – free trade, openness to talent and immigration and a safe and secure operating environment – are no longer taken for granted in many developed countries. Governments worldwide are seeking new pathways for success and new sources of growth.   

          At the same time, rapid advances in technology such as artificial intelligence and robotics are disrupting existing ways of doing things and can be a source of anxiety for many workers and in fact, people in many countries. But these disruptive technologies can also provide new opportunities for growth for Singapore-based companies and workers and can provide an opportunity for Singapore to stay ahead, if we can master them, and we can organise our society to take full advantage of them.

            So to continue to harness these opportunities, Singaporeans need to deepen our skills and have a positive and innovative mindset to constantly upgrade ourselves to be future-ready. This applies to the Public Service as a whole and to our public officers.

Deepening Skills

            First, deepening our skills. By encouraging our officers to acquire technical skills in engineering, digital and related fields, the Government is sending a strong signal on the skills required to help Singaporeans prepare for the future. We are developing a stronger engineering core in the Public Service. We also need more public officers with expertise in areas such as digital technology, who are constantly exploring ways to make lives better for our people by leveraging new technology. For instance, to succeed in our vision of a Smart Nation, officers skilled in data and cybersecurity can help our agencies to better address the threats from cyber-attacks, and also put in place policies and measures to help Singaporeans benefit from advances in digital technology.

        To nurture the next generation of leaders in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and strengthen Singapore’s engineering leadership pipeline, the Public Service Commission introduced the new PSC Scholarship (Engineering) last year. This scholarship aims to attract talented and passionate young Singaporeans who are keen to pursue a career in engineering and related fields within the Public Service.

        To develop them into specialist leaders, the PSC Scholarship (Engineering) holders will undertake stretch postings in one of three engineering clusters in (i) the Defence & Security cluster, (ii) the Information & Communications Technology and Smart Systems cluster, or (iii) the Infrastructure and Environment cluster. The technical demands of their postings will sharpen their domain skills and groom them into experts in their selected engineering field. This will add valuable, high-technology expertise to the Public Service and advance our capabilities to address complex challenges in defence technology, Smart Nation, climate change and scientific skills. Their analytical and technical skills will also be very useful when they apply them in broader jobs which are applicable all across the Public Service, and not just in their engineering specialties.

Developing an Innovative, Bold and Creative Mindset

            Second, developing an innovative, bold and creative mindset. Knowledge and hard skills need to be complemented by a spirit of innovation, boldness and creativity. We did not get here by simply following what others did. We were daring. We were bold. We were prepared to experiment, and we were prepared to adapt what others had done elsewhere to our own environment in creative and innovative ways. In our constantly evolving operating environment, we must update our policy assumptions, and challenge the status quo. Our officers must also help spot “pattern-breaks” early so that we can adjust our policies, act fast and put in place the necessary measures to test new ideas, and scale up good solutions for the benefit of Singapore and Singaporeans.

            We are committed to making the Public Service a conducive place for innovation. We are looking into streamlining processes such as procurement. We are also encouraging pilot projects, and creating new spaces for experimentation. The introduction of “regulatory sandboxes” in our government agencies will allow officers to experiment with new regulatory methods before making changes to existing regulations or laws on a wider scale.

             For instance, we have been testing autonomous vehicles in one-north and Cleantech park since 2015. As autonomous vehicle technologies are evolving rapidly, we need to have adaptive rules as well. The Road Traffic Act was amended earlier this year so that the Ministry of Transport and the Land Transport Authority can better support innovations in the transport sector, while safeguarding commuters’ interest. These changes will support the trials of autonomous vehicles on our public roads so that we can reap the benefits as technology advances. This will also create a vibrant ecosystem of companies skilled in autonomous technologies which can be used in other sectors such as healthcare and service delivery.

            I visited our hospital and healthcare clusters recently and the innovations that they are putting in place in healthcare are quite ground-breaking – from the way they do imaging and using data analytics, to the work that our nurses and our doctors do at the bedside with the hospitals and the patients. All these are remarkable innovations which we are putting in place to deliver better healthcare in a cost-effective way to Singaporeans. And we hope that such ongoing efforts will spread all across the public sector in the Public Service and encourage greater innovation.

            Our public officers will be supported in formulating new solutions. Bold, creative, and innovative mind, together with deep skills, will enable our public officers to better serve Singapore and Singaporeans in this new global environment. We must continue to have the boldness, innovativeness and creativity, and dare to break new grounds to take Singapore further. The Public Service must be at the forefront of this.

Conclusion

            To our scholarship recipients, I commend you for taking this first step. By accepting the PSC scholarship, you have taken on a commitment to serve Singapore through a Public Service career. In the next few years, make the best of your education. Use the opportunities wisely to deepen your skills, make new friends, learn with an open mind.

           When you return, I am certain that you will have opportunities to work on exciting issues and projects. At the same time, remember to live up to the Public Service values of integrity, service and excellence, and develop policies and programmes that will serve Singapore and our people well into the future.

           Once again, my congratulations to all of you! I wish you all the very best as you embark on your studies and your career to serve Singapore and Singaporeans.

            Thank you.

OPENING ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, MR EDDIE TEO  AT THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION SCHOLARSHIPS AWARD CEREMONY ON 12 JULY 2017 AT GRAND COPTHORNE WATERFRONT HOTEL GRAND BALLROOM

 

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

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen

     Good evening and welcome to the 2017 Public Service Commission Scholarships Award Ceremony. Congratulations to the 71 PSC scholarship holders this year, who were selected from a pool of over 2000 applicants.

        My congratulations also extend to your family members, principals and teachers who have played a role in developing and supporting you. This evening’s ceremony is an occasion of great pride and joy for you and for them. Much of what we achieve in life is never due to only our own effort and we must all have the humility to realize this and recognize the nurturing care, guidance and support from others.

 

A Heart for Singapore and Singaporeans

        You are here today not only because you recorded stellar academic performances or have high intellectual abilities. An academic high-achiever without integrity, a drive for excellence and a heart for service is a poor fit for the Public Service.

         As PSC Scholarship recipients, you have committed to serving Singapore and Singaporeans through a Public Service career. The PSC believes that you have the values and qualities, such as compassion, integrity and empathy to contribute to Singapore’s progress and provide excellent service to the citizens through the different career tracks which you will embark on.

 

A Tapestry of Diverse Talents

        Today we live in a complex world with many uncertainties. But for Singapore, being small is a certainty which we forget at our own peril. Being small means we cannot be complacent and depend on past success to propel us into the future. The Public Service cannot rely on successful past formulas to meet future challenges. As future public officers, you need to continuously ensure that the Public Service is future-ready to solve problems which you may not even be aware of today. Meeting such problems requires new, innovative solutions. Being innovative requires you to be brave enough to challenge old, conventional thinking, and risk failure and criticism. Facing an uncertain and complex future requires us to build a Public Service which has a diverse set of talent to generate a wide range of ideas to formulate robust policies.

          Therefore, I am pleased that our scholarship holders this year come from quite different backgrounds.

        We have Miss Jacinth Chia from Pioneer Junior College, who showed strong community involvement by conducting events like the Values-In-Action project and exercise classes for her school and the community. We also have with us Mr Soon Qing Rong from Ngee Ann Polytechnic. He exhibited community-mindedness through his Final Year Project which explored a method to diagnose premature deliveries among women, which in turn allows an earlier and better management of the health impact of pre-term delivery on the infant.

        It is encouraging to see excellent candidates from across 15 different schools with the desire to make a difference through a career in the Public Service. They will bring valuable insights to the Public Service and enrich the discussions within.

         I encourage students from all schools who are interested in pursuing a career with the Public Service through a Government scholarship not to hesitate to take the first step of putting in an application. The PSC has no quota for scholarships awarded nor do we prefer students from certain schools. Rather, beyond academic excellence, the PSC takes into consideration whole-person qualities and awards the scholarships based on merit regardless of the candidate’s background.

        I am also heartened that some of our scholarship holders will be taking the path less well-trodden to study in the non-traditional countries.

        This year, 2 scholarship holders will be going to non-English speaking countries for their undergraduate studies. Miss Yuki Chong Yu Qi will be furthering her studies in China, at Peking University. We also have Mr Jasdeep Singh Hundal, who will be heading to France as part of his dual-degree programme at Sciences Po and UC Berkeley to read Social Sciences and History.

        The rich and unique threads of experience that they will bring back from their time abroad will add colour and vibrancy to the Public Service tapestry.

 

Building up Engineering and Technological Capabilities for the Public Service

        In December 2016, we launched the PSC Scholarship (Engineering). This year, we have a total of 17 recipients choosing to study a STEM subject. 8 scholarship holders will be doing so under the PSC Scholarship (Engineering). The favourable response from the applicants shows that the younger generation is eager to contribute to our goal of being a government at the forefront in using technology to improve the lives of our people.

 

Conclusion

       Our new scholarship holders have significant roles to play in the next chapter of the Singapore story. Keep yourselves up-to-date with developments in our country, and if you are overseas, an important role you have is to make friends not only for yourselves but also for Singapore. Always watch and observe what you can bring back to Singapore to help improve the lives of your fellow citizens.

       I am confident that you will fly Singapore’s flag high wherever you are, and I look forward to your future contributions to Singapore.

        Congratulations.

       Thank you.