Monsignor Gregory Yong, Archbishop Emeritus of Singapore

Brother Peter Foo, The Visitor in Singapore of the Christian Brothers’ Schools

Members of the CBS Board of Management and the SJI Board of Governors

Principals, teachers and non-teaching staff of the 6 Lasallian Schools

Ladies and gentlemen

Good evening. As a fourth-generation Josephian, and as the father of a fifth-generation Josephian, it gives me singular pleasure to be here this evening, to celebrate the 150^th Anniversary of the Arrival of the First Brothers and the birth of the Lasallian Family in Singapore. Tonight, we also honour the long and dedicated service of more than 150 of your partners in education. The warmth and loyalty that the Lasallian brand of education has inspired in its family of pupils, partners, teachers, leaders and friends has enabled the schools to grow and flourish, leaving an indelible mark on the educational landscape of Singapore.

That the Lasallian family stirs such strong feelings of fraternity and service is no surprise, given the illustrious precedent set by your founder. St John Baptist de La Salle was not only an educator and a philanthropist, but also a shining example of selflessness and dedication. A man of vision, he was an early proponent of universal education in a time when education was available only to the social elites of society. The schools that have been established by the Christian Brothers around the world are vivid testimony to their pioneering spirit to serve through education.

St John Baptist de La Salle charged his teachers to "touch the hearts of your pupils". It is apt, then, that the organisers of the Jubilee Dinner have chosen "150 Years of Touching Hearts" as the theme of tonight’s celebrations, for what is education, if not to touch the hearts and minds of our charges? At the NIE investiture earlier this year, I told the new teachers that there are two characteristics shared by all good teachers. Firstly, good teachers improve the quality of learning. Secondly, good teachers help to shape lives. To be able to touch hearts and change lives is an intangible yet essential quality that we hope to have in all our teachers.

It is not too difficult to touch the minds of our children: they are young, energetic, perhaps impatient and certainly in need of intellectual guidance on their first forays into unknown realms of knowledge. But to touch their hearts – that is something else altogether. To touch the heart, you must first know what makes it pulse, what makes it quicken in anticipation of delight or fear, and finally what makes it yield to advice or better judgement. I am sure the teachers and educators among us here have countless stories to share how they reached out to the intransigence of youth and inexperience, and, in the process, nurtured successful students.

These successes are what we celebrate tonight – the legacy of 150 years of Lasallian education in Singapore. As a policymaker, a parent, and, of course, an alumnus, I am heartened to see that the spirit of educare, of drawing forth the potential that is hidden or latent within a person, burns so brightly in this family of schools.

But I challenge you with this question: what legacy will the Lasallian schools leave after the next 150 years?

St John Baptist de La Salle was keen that the education his students received should be relevant and holistic. These are principles that still drive our educational priorities today. We would like all students to receive at least ten years of education and to progress as far as they can in the education system. Ten years may not seem like a long time as the school year ticks by, as young men and women pass through the corridors and classrooms of your schools, and then are off to the rest of their lives.

But look at the pace at which the world is turning and transforming. In the blink of an eye, the human race has gone from a world with no phones to one where there are handphones nestled in everyone’s back pocket or purse. We have super-performing computers that complete in half a day what would take a human being several lifetimes to analyse. At no other point in the world’s history has there been such a vibrant and immediate exchange of ideas, cultures and practices. In such a world, we have but a vague idea of what things will be like by the time our children finish ten or more years of education. How do we know that we are adequately preparing them for the future?

Well, we cannot hope to teach our children everything, but I hope that as our children pass through our education system, we can impart to them two fundamental qualities. Firstly, we want our young people to have an open mind and to embrace healthy change. By honing their critical acuity and exposing them to different types of ideas, we can equip them for lifelong learning in an environment where one needs the skills to process both quantity and quality of information.

Secondly, we want them to be firmly anchored to our society, our values and our way of life. They must understand what they stand for as Singaporeans, and be willing to strive for our common goals, to achieve our community’s dreams. It is only when our students are confident in who they are and where they belong, that they can savour and enjoy the vast opportunities of a globalised world.

The world ahead is a challenging one, and I hope that the Lasallian schools will take up the gauntlet, and continue to refine and enhance the fine education that you have provided to generations of Singaporeans. Tonight, we will launch the Lasallian Teachers’ Pledge, which I understand has been adapted from the MOE Teachers’ Pledge. As you reaffirm your calling and acknowledge the multi-faceted work to which you have committed yourselves, I hope that you will also be infused with renewed vision and spirit.

Congratulations, again, on your sesquicentennial anniversary, and may the next 150 years be even more fruitful for this family of schools. I wish you a very pleasant evening.

Thank you.