Singapore Government Press Release
Media Division, Ministry of Information & The Arts, #36-00, PSA Building, 460 Alexandra Road, Singapore 119963, Tel: 3757794/5
SPEECH BY MR SIDEK SANIFF, SENIOR MINISTER OF STATE FOR EDUCATION ON THE OCCASION OF THE LAUNCH OF THE SERANGOON GARDENS COUNTRY CLUB EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME TO BE HELD ON FRI, 13 DEC 96 AT 7.45 PM IN SERANGOON GARDENS COUNTRY CLUB, 22 KENSINGTON PARK ROAD
Dr Lau Teik Soon MP for Thomson GRC, Serangoon Gardens Division and Patron of the Club,
Mr Tan Chiap Howe, Trustee, Mr Moses Tan, President of the Club, Members of the Management Committee,
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and gentlemen,
A very good evening to you,
1 Tonight, it gives me great pleasure to launch the Serangoon Gardens Country Club’s Educational Scholarship Scheme for members and their children.
2 Serangoon Gardens Country Club has come a long way. I am sure those of you who have been living in this estate since 1955, when the Club first started, would remember it as a simple Sports Club with a zinc shed. Membership then was relatively cheap, and small as it may be, the shed was like a small “Community Centre and Sports Club” for residents living around the area. Soccer, hockey and indoor games, like billiards, darts, card games and tombola were some of the popular social and recreational activities.
3 Most of the activities were supported by the British, and when the British forces withdrew, membership in the Club dwindled and the Club suffered from a lack of maintenance … except, I understand, for the jackpot machines.
4 Many of the senior members, I am sure, would remember those good old days when the soccer field stood in as the Club’s “swimming pool and fishing pond” whenever it rained. This was acceptable then, as membership fee at that time was just $2/.
5 You have since then, re-developed the property and renamed it the Serangoon Gardens Country Club. You have effectively marked the end of the Club’s “seasonal pool and fishing pond” and put in its place the 8-lane modern Olympic size swimming pool with 4 jacuzzis, a children’s wading pool and a gymnasium. Understandably then, with improved facilities, the membership fee to the Club has also had to be increased, and I have been informed that it was last marketed at $55,000.
6 The Club is one of the few Clubs left in Singapore that is resting on a 999-year lease land, that has benefitted from the country’s economic growth and prosperity. And I commend the Club and its Management Team for taking this bold step towards sharing its prosperity with its members and eventually its community through this Educational Scholarship Scheme. This act is worthy of emulation. I hope more country clubs will emulate your fine example.
7 Education is one of the key ingredients that has made Singapore a successful and progressive country. With our limited natural resources, we have managed to carve a niche for ourselves in the world mainly because of our human resource. The Government has spent much time, money and effort to ensure that the workforce is one of the most capable in the world.
8 We therefore have reason to take pride in our achievements, like in the recent Third International Mathematics and Science Study. The study was conducted by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement and measured the Maths and Science achievement of half a million students from 46 participating countries. Singapore was ranked first both in Maths and Science for grades 7 and 8 students, or Sec 1 and 2 in the context of Singapore. Such an achievement augurs well for our education system and further confirms that we are on the right track.
9 The Government will continue to do all it can for education, but we need the support of the community to succeed. In that respect, I am happy to see Serangoon Gardens Country Club as partners in this important endeavour. I commend you for your initiative to present educational scholarships to your members and their children.
10 Thank you.