Singapore Government Media Release
Media Division, Ministry of Information and The Arts,
140 Hill Street #02-02 MITA Building, Singapore 179369.
Tel: 837 9666

When I officiated at the opening of Temasek Polytechnic in January 1997, there was little indication of the regional financial crisis ahead. Suddenly, in July that year, the financial upheaval erupted in Thailand, reverberated throughout Asia, and devastated many economies. As a result, many plans for economic and social development were thrown out of the window.

Fortunately, Singapore did not have to do so. We stuck to our plans to build Nanyang Polytechnic. Despite the uncertain future, we spent more than $500 million on Nanyang Polytechnic's new campus. This is a lot of money. But we want to invest in our young. It shows also the importance we place on the role of polytechnics in Singapore’s education system.

In the mid-1950s, the Government foresaw the importance of technical education, and introduced polytechnic education. Over the years, polytechnic education has been upgraded to meet the needs of Singapore’s changing economy. For example, it now nurtures IT specialists and technologists instead of training technicians.

Today, among the younger generation, almost 1 in 2 is a polytechnic graduate. They form the bulk of our tertiary-educated workforce, and the backbone of our industrialisation. I use the word "backbone" deliberately as it describes the important role of polytechnic graduates in our economy. It is the backbone that allows us to stand straight and tall, and to move with the right posture and poise.

Polytechnic graduates are highly employable. In fact, many employers lament that there are not enough of them. Employers like the practical, hands-on approach of polytechnic graduates and their good understanding of technical details. I am therefore not surprised to learn that a recent Ngee Ann Polytechnic graduate was offered a starting salary equal to that of a university graduate. I am sure that there were more polytechnic graduates who enjoyed similar offers.

Many polytechnic graduates have also shown that they "can do, can think and can dream". Some of you may know Vincent Lim of ADC Technologies. He developed a smart card and "e-cash" software that allow motorists to view and print ERP toll transactions. Another polytechnic graduate, Lim Chan Lok, set up a power generation and supply business which now provides half of the electricity needs of the city of Cebu in the Philippines. The Vice-Chancellor of NUS is a polytechnic graduate. The Straits Times, in a recent article on 19 August, featured other polytechnic graduates who have been very successful in various sectors of our economy.

Polytechnic graduates can be justifiably proud of their contributions to the Singapore economy.

Our polytechnics, however, must not stand still. They must upgrade to provide the kind of education that would allow their graduates to seize new business opportunities in a new economic environment. They must be:

• New Economy-ready,
• Training grounds for technopreneurs, and
• Developers of lifelong learning.

Let me elaborate.

First, polytechnics must be New Economy-ready. They must keep well abreast of developments in the global economy. The new courses which Nanyang Polytechnic has introduced in the past years – multimedia, information communication technology, and business informatics, among others - are good examples of how our polytechnics should keep in tune with the new demands of industry.

But there will be other new frontiers and fields to be explored. In the next phase of our economic development, there is great excitement about the life sciences. To attract world-class life science companies to locate their operations and R&D work in Singapore, we must have a ready pool of well-trained technologists and scientists to support them. I am therefore pleased to note that Nanyang Polytechnic is building up its capabilities in the life sciences.

In addition to providing rigorous and in-depth training in specific disciplines, however, polytechnics should prepare graduates to make connections across subjects and to apply knowledge in new and surprising ways. The cross-application of knowledge has grown pervasive across all sectors of the economy and our daily lives. Making movies and TV documentaries on dinosaurs, for example, is now a blend of knowledge, creativity and technological wizardry. Preparing for the life sciences goes beyond the study of biology and medicine. It will require a judicious development of new capabilities, including the application of the techniques of the physical sciences, computing and engineering, to biological problems and processes.

Second, polytechnics are fertile grounds for producing entrepreneurs. Nanyang Polytechnic has very good infrastructure in place to achieve this goal, not only in its courses, but also in its wide network of industrial links. Your international programmes have provided staff and students a global outlook. Nanyang Polytechnic students are also given many opportunities to be involved in projects commissioned by local and multinational companies.

Furthermore, it is only when our polytechnic students are exposed to the realities of taking an idea to commercialisation that the seed of technopreneurship can be planted. Research projects are a good way to start. Our polytechnics should take practical steps to create an environment for innovation within the campus. Students must be encouraged to identify and seize opportunities. They must learn to take risks and regard failures as stepping stones to future success.

Third, polytechnics have a responsibility to prepare their students not only for graduation, but through their working lives. You will need to prepare your students for their first job, as well to cope with a fast-changing world subsequently. You should develop a lifelong relationship with your students, who should return periodically to refresh their skills, to upgrade themselves, and to acquire new knowledge

I suggest also that you provide more opportunities for interaction between graduates and full-time students. You enhance the quality of your polytechnic's educational experience when you bring past and present students together on a common learning journey. Nanyang Polytechnic’s 8-22 Strategy, whereby the campus is open from 8.00 am to 10.00 pm, is one good way of encouraging such interaction. Full-time students and working adults whose lectures and tutorials are held in the evening will have the opportunity to interact and share experiences.

Beyond providing for the economic needs of your students, our polytechnics must not forget their wider responsibilities of helping mould our young into active contributors to the community. This is especially important as one in two young Singaporeans will pass through your gates. The educational experience provided by our polytechnics will have a telling effect on Singapore’s long-term prosperity and progress.

I am confident that Nanyang Polytechnic will continue to make significant contributions to education and nation-building. Today, as you celebrate the official opening of your new campus, you can take pride in your achievements, and be confident of the future. Your new campus is a symbol of Singapore's commitment to excellence in education and to the polytechnic system. I commend everyone in Nanyang Polytechnic for their diligence and teamwork in building up the institution.

I wish all of you every success.

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