Stricter Checks on PSC Scholarship Candidates
Speech by President S R Nathan at the 2011 President's Scholarships Award Ceremony
4 outstanding individuals were awarded the President's Scholarships on 12 August 2011.
Opening Address by Mr Eddie Teo, Chairman, Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship Fund, at the 2011 Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship Award Ceremony
The Straits Times
22 August 2011
Stricter Checks on PSC Scholarship Candidates
We thank Mr Helmy Sa'at for his comments on Public Service Commission (PSC) scholarship guidelines ('Review PSC scholarship guideline' ; Aug 14).
Good character, integrity and commitment are important qualitites we want in future public sector leaders. The PSC has all along carried out stringent checks when selecting scholarship recipients.
Starting earlier this year, we have further intensified our checks to rely on schools to surface records of significant disciplinary, psychological and behavioural issues.
The scholarship interview panel considers these together with other information on the candidates.
However, there may be those who slip through or who have a change of heart after taking up the scholarship.
In Mr Brandon Wey's case, we were disappointed that he chose to break his bond and evade his national service obligations. But he paid a price for it.
We did our best to accommodate Mr Wey's requests for a change in course, although it was not possible eventually, after taking into account the needs of the Public Service. Mr Wey accepted the decision and completed his studies. Over the years, we have been exercising greater flexibility and where justifiable, we have accommodated scholarship holders switching to other fields of study.
PSC awards scholarships to outstanding young Singaporeans with a passion to serve the nation through a career in the Public Service.
Scholarships are awarded on merit regardless of family background or income. As there are no quotas for the number of PSC scholarships awarded each year, all candidates who are deserving will be made an offer.
Mr Wey's scholarship award did not deprive another candidate of the same opportunity.
Yeo Whee Jim
Director
PSC Secretariat
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean
Minister for Education Mr Heng Swee Keat
Excellencies
Chairman and Members of the Public Service Commission
Ladies and Gentlemen
1 This year, we celebrate Singapore's 46th year of independence. Today, we have a generation that faces a different, but just as challenging, environment. This is an environment of intense global competition which requires us to adapt to the rapid pace of change. More than ever, Singapore needs exceptional leadership to ensure our continued survival and success.
2 As President, one of my roles is to approve the appointment of people of integrity to key public positions to ensure that Singapore is well governed. The President’s Scholarships is one main avenue for us to build up a pool of people with the right calibre who could in future become public sector leaders.
3 This will be my last year serving you as the President of Singapore. In the 12 years of my Presidency, I have witnessed more than 40 President’s scholarship recipients honoured. Some of these young men and women are still pursuing their studies, and others are serving in various capacities in the Public Service. What unites them is their desire to contribute to Singapore to the best of their ability.
4 I am glad to see that many of you are here amongst us tonight. You have distinguished yourselves through your active contributions to our country’s development. Through your service to your fellow Singaporeans, you have also demonstrated your selfless commitment to foster a more cohesive and compassionate society.
5 Through my years in public service, I have seen how Singapore has overcome its many challenges in moving from the third-world to the first. My generation lived through turbulent times in the formative years of Singapore and our instincts and values were shaped by the struggles we went through.
6 As a new generation, you will have different values and perspectives from my generation. You will face different circumstances and challenges, but the same passion to stand up for Singapore, to serve our people and do your best for our nation, must still underpin all that you do as future leaders of Singapore.
THE PRESIDENT’S SCHOLARSHIP
7 The President’s Scholarship is the most prestigious undergraduate scholarship in the country. It is awarded to the most outstanding young men and women who have the integrity and commitment to work for Singapore’s continued success. These are talented and passionate individuals who have excelled not just academically but in non-academic pursuits as well. They have distinguished themselves from their cohort based on their leadership qualities and calibre.
2011 PRESIDENT’S SCHOLARS
8 This year, the President’s Scholarship is awarded to four outstanding individuals. They are Ms Xiao Yifei, Mr Koh Zhan Wei Aaron, Mr Fong Jie Ming Nigel and Mr Yoong Ren Yan. They will be going to top universities in Singapore, the UK and US.
9 Yifei and Aaron will be reading International Relations at the University of Pennsylvania. Aaron is a concurrent holder of the Singapore Armed Forces Overseas Scholarship. Nigel will be reading Medicine at the National University of Singapore and Ren Yan will be reading Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of Oxford. I congratulate each of you.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF PRESIDENT’S SCHOLARS
10 If there is one more piece of advice I can give to the four of you today, it is to always bear in mind the Public Service values of Service, Integrity and Excellence. These are core values that will underpin your work as a public officer.
Service
11 In all you do, always have the interest of our people at heart and never forget to show compassion to those who are less fortunate than you. For our society to remain strong and cohesive, we need public officers who listen and appreciate the problems faced by ordinary citizens and believe in the need to give back to society.
Integrity
12 The Singapore Public Service has a strong reputation for being clean and honest. We must ensure that it remains so. With integrity as your core, you must uphold fairness and honesty in all you do.
Excellence
13 Finally, strive for the best in whatever you do and live up to the standards of excellence that is the hallmark of our Public Service. The Public Service needs bold, nimble, adaptive and empathetic leaders with a good understanding of not only the domestic environment but also the global environment. In your pursuit of excellence, you must always be a good role model for your colleagues in the Public Service.
Conclusion
14 Let me conclude by offering my heartiest congratulations to the families, principals and teachers of the four President’s Scholars this year. You have nurtured them throughout the years and brought out the best in them.
15 Yifei, Aaron, Nigel and Ren Yan, it leaves me now to wish you all the best as you pursue your studies. You will be among the future public sector leaders who will take Singapore to the next level. I am confident that you will serve with pride and passion and do Singapore proud.
Four outstanding individuals were awarded the President's Scholarships on 12 August 2011 at the Istana. They were Ms Xiao Yifei, Mr Fong Jie Ming Nigel, Mr Koh Zhan Wei Aaron and Mr Yoong Ren Yan.
Directors, Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship Fund;
Distinguished guests;
Lee Kuan Yew Scholars, Past and Present;
Ladies and Gentlemen
1 Welcome to the 2011 Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship Award Ceremony.
INTRODUCTION
2 Singapore’s only natural resource is its people. We need good people to helm the public service - people with both intellect and empathy - in order to formulate and implement sound policies to serve the needs of Singaporeans. We also need good people in the private sector, to head businesses and to contribute to Singapore’s economic growth. The key objective of the Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship is to recognise and nurture such talent.
3 The Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship Fund was established in 1991 in honour of Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Thus far, 32 scholarships have been awarded to outstanding Singaporeans from diverse backgrounds. Apart from their achievements in their respective professions, what distinguishes the Lee Kuan Yew Scholars is their passion to serve the community and the public and their desire to contribute towards improving the lives of Singaporeans.
2011 LEE KUAN YEW SCHOLARS
4 Today, I am pleased to announce 4 recipients of the 2011 Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship. They are Miss Delphia Lim Hui Min, Mr Chng Kai Fong, Mr Hoe Wee Meng and Mr Tan Ken Jin. They were selected from a pool of 74 applicants. Wee Meng and Ken Jin are not able to join us today, as they are already overseas pursuing their post-graduate degrees.
5 These 4 scholars, like all those who came before them, have displayed the passion to serve their fellow Singaporeans.
- Delphia, a lawyer in private practice, will be reading a Master of Laws at Harvard Law School. She has been offering pro bono legal services at the Law Society Legal Clinic and the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations.
- Kai Fong, who has been working in the public sector in the past 10 years, will be reading a Master of Science in Managament at Stanford University. He has been concurrently awarded the Administrative Service Postgraduate Scholarship and Fulbright Scholarship.
- Wee Meng, who spent 8 years in the Education and Manpower Ministries, will be reading a Master in Public Administration at Harvard University. He has been concurrently awarded the Administrative Service Postgraduate Scholarship. During his time with MOE, Wee Meng researched extensively on innovative pedagogies to bring back to the classroom.
- Ken Jin’s passion is also in teaching and nurturing the young. He opted out of the Management Associates Programme, a talent development programme which grooms young public officers for leadership positions, to return to teaching. Ken Jin has been concurrently awarded the MOE Postgraduate Scholarship and will be reading a Master of Education (Educational Research, Measurement and Evaluation) at Lynch School of Education, Boston College.
6 I am confident that they will continue to excel in their professional disciplines and will remain dedicated to serving the public and the community.
7 Please join me in congratulating the 4 distinguished recipients of the 2011 Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship.
8 Thank you.