Mr Lim Kheng Chye,

Chairman, School Advisory Committee,

Mrs Wendy Lim,

Cluster Superintendent South 1,

Mr David Lau,

Principal,

Distinguished Guests,

Teachers, Parents and Students,

Good evening

1.                  I am pleased to join you at Queenstown Secondary School’s 50^th Anniversary Celebration.

2.                  This month, we celebrate Singapore’s 41^st National Day.  Many of us watched the parade either live or through the television.  This is the last time the parade was held at the old stadium as it will be totally re-developed into a new sports hub.  As the old stadium fades into history, it is a reminder to all of us that we have come a long way since our independence.  National Day celebrations are not just about parades, holidays and parties.  It is a time for us to remember the great work done by our pioneers, a time for us to bond as a people, a time for us to renew our pledge to make this place our home and to try our best to improve the lives of fellow Singaporeans.

3.                  Queenstown Secondary has a longer history than Singapore.  Tonight, ‘Quest Celebrates’ fifty-years of rich history and great achievements.  The school began as Queenstown Secondary Technical School, an all-boys school, offering technical education at a time when the country was going through rapid industrialization and the main concern was for the masses to be educated and be equipped with the relevant skills.  In 1971, Queenstown Secondary School became a co-educational school, and in 1994, the last batch of Pre-University students took their GCE ‘A’ Level Examinations.  Queenstown Secondary School has gone through many changes to respond to the needs of your students.

Devoted staff and stakeholders

4.                  Your achievements would not have been possible without strong and forward-looking leaders in the school management and the School Advisory Committee, a team of dedicated and caring teachers, committed and supportive parents, as well as a helpful and strong alumni.  All of you here have contributed to the progress of the school.

5.                  I am particularly heartened to see many ex-Queenstownians joining us in this milestone celebration of the school’s achievements.  Many of you have done well in your own field.  Yet, you have remained an integral part of the school, contributing in many ways – from being involved in fund-raising activities for needy students to supporting the school’s programmes like Project Cabin, an industrial attachment programme for Queenstownians.  This is a testimony to the strong ties the alumni have with their alma mater.

6.                  Education is a partnership and parents play a crucial role in this partnership.  I applaud the parents who are here tonight.  Your presence reflects your unstinting support of your children’s education.  It is important that parents are engaged and participate actively in your children’s learning process.  The strong partnership that the school shares with the School Advisory Committee, the Alumni and the Parents Support Group will enable Queenstown Secondary School to forge ahead and constantly break new frontiers.

7.                  Our teachers continue to play a pivotal role in maximizing the potential of each and every student.  At Queenstown Secondary School, the teachers have a strong sense of mission.  They are committed to improving and equipping themselves with new skills and knowledge, and to pass on to their students the desire to learn.  Through the Structured Mentoring Programme, a group of dedicated senior teachers help nurture the Beginning Teachers to develop and grow in their profession.  Teaching is not just a job.  It is a calling.  It is a calling to touch lives with their own lives, to mould the students and shape their future with tender loving care.  You have indeed changed many lives and some of them are here tonight.

Nurturing students for the future

8.                  As Singapore evolves into a global city, greater flexibility and diversity is needed in the education system to provide more choice and to develop fully the different talents and potential of individual students.  To sustain and strengthen Singapore’s competitive edge and to create a more vibrant and robust nation, our education system must adapt quickly to the global dynamics so that our people can stay relevant.  We must help our students become global citizens who are innovative and enterprising, competitive and marketable so that they have what it takes to venture into unchartered territories both locally and beyond our shores.  At the same time, they must be firmly rooted in Singapore.  They must remain Singaporeans at heart.

9.                  I am glad to note that Queenstown Secondary School has established programmes like the Student Mentorship Programme, the Student Leadership Development Programme and Overseas Student Exchange to nurture and develop your students in different areas of strengths and interests.

10.             Queenstown Secondary School is committed to provide opportunities for the school community to go beyond the classroom.  The Overseas Students Exchange Programme for example, offers such opportunities.  The school has established partnerships with various schools around the world – including UK, China, Hong Kong and Thailand – to enrich the learning experience of students through cultural immersions, sports collaboration and educational exchanges.  Students are encouraged to adopt a global perspective and learn about other cultures, beliefs and values.  These exchanges also provide opportunities for staff development as we learn from others’ experience.

11.             Through the years, the school has been steadfast in moulding well-rounded pupils – in the areas of the arts, sports and leadership – and in preparing them for the future.  Queenstown Secondary School has made a mark as a school that places strong emphasis on character development and not just academic achievements to develop thinking individuals with a heart for others and the community around them.  You have done well.

Conclusion

12.             On this note, I wish the school a happy 50^th Anniversary and I hope you will continue to provide quality education for your students as you strive to become ‘A School of Choice’.

13.             Thank you.